1/2 batch

[hophead71]

I am relatively new to homebrewing (beend brewing a couple years) and want to get into all-grain. I have done some partial mash recipes with some success. I would like to brew 1/2 batches of all-grain partly to not have to upgrade to a larger pot and all that stuff, and partly to make sure I will like the recipes and not invest the full amount in a recipe ingredients for something I may not like (I only have so many bottles ) can I just cut the all-grain recipe ingredients in half and expect to get a good result? is there something I am missing that would screw up the batch if I brew only half as much? thanks for any advice!

 

[itsme6582]

The only thing you'd be wasting is time. You are afraid that you'll make a batch of beer and you'll be stuck with lots of beer you don't like. You should more afraid of making a small great batch and running out in 2 days. Before you jump into half batches you should consider other options. You could split a 5 gallon batch up and try different yeasts, dry hopping, oak aging, or any other myriad of things.

 

[hophead71]

Thanks for the advice, and for answering my question. Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

If you buy kits, you could just use 1/2 of the ingredients (except for the yeast- use the whole thing). Leftover hops can go in the freezer in an airtight bag and can be kept a long time. Crushed grain doesn't keep that well, though, but it should last a couple of months in an airtight bag, also in the freezer.

If you buy individual ingredients, some homebrew stores won't let you buy less than a pound of grain so you can store excess in a cool dry place (uncrushed). If it's a small quantity, you can buy them uncrushed and then crush by hand with a rolling pin but that's a huge pain!

 

[hophead71]

Hey, Yooper! I am actually going to try your dead guy clone recipe this month! I do buy kits some. I have found Austin homebrew to be good. I have only tried one of theirs, but it was the blue moon clone in partial mash, and it was good. Not dead on, but very tasty and had good body, mouthfeel, head retention, etc. I am ttrying to progress to recipes, using some of C. Papazians from his beginners book mostly, and other ones. I am slowly progressing and learning, and am enjoying every minute of it. I have been wondering about the storage of unused items, and that helps out trememdously. I dont have any homebrew supply stores close enough to warrant traveling to them, so I order all of my supplies. I have considered stocking up and wondered how long they would last. I know I could have looked that up, but the amount of information involved in homebrewing is staggering, and it just takes a long time to accumulate it all Thanks for answering my thread and offering advice, Yooper. I have seen your replies to numerous threads, and have learned from them all. Its a big help to newbies like myself, and appreciated.

 

[Yooper]

Hey, Yooper! I am actually going to try your dead guy clone recipe this month! I do buy kits some. I have found Austin homebrew to be good. I have only tried one of theirs, but it was the blue moon clone in partial mash, and it was good. Not dead on, but very tasty and had good body, mouthfeel, head retention, etc. I am ttrying to progress to recipes, using some of C. Papazians from his beginners book mostly, and other ones. I am slowly progressing and learning, and am enjoying every minute of it. I have been wondering about the storage of unused items, and that helps out trememdously. I dont have any homebrew supply stores close enough to warrant traveling to them, so I order all of my supplies. I have considered stocking up and wondered how long they would last. I know I could have looked that up, but the amount of information involved in homebrewing is staggering, and it just takes a long time to accumulate it all Thanks for answering my thread and offering advice, Yooper. I have seen your replies to numerous threads, and have learned from them all. Its a big help to newbies like myself, and appreciated.

Thanks for the kind words! I appreciate that.

Some stores DO let you buy by the ounce, so you're not saving lots of grain. But hops keep very well in the freezer, so never toss them! If you have a vacuum sealer, it's even better. You can keep hops in an airtight bag in the freezer for a couple of years.

 

[brettwasbtd]

I do a lot of 2.5 gallon batches. I like variety, I like to brew and I like to cold store as much of my brew as possible (leads to longer life/better taste to me). So I end up brewing more often by doing half batches. For the most part yes, you'd be halving the recipe. If you want to be more precise I recommend using some brewing software. This will help you nail recipes based on your efficiency

@itsme6582 just remember that everyone consumes their homebrew at different rates and have more or less friends drinking. The only way I can consume 5 gallons in a reasonable time is getting help from friends, so I choose to go smaller

 

[hophead71]

Yooper,I do have a vacuum sealer (It comes in handy for processing my own deer!) so I will use it for extra hops. I had wondered about that and the sanitation issue, but unless I am dry hopping, there shouldnt be one. Thanks again for the advice!

Brettwasbtd, thanks for the reply! I am about the same. I drink a good bit of it, but I have to give it away at work and to family and friends, or I couldnt get rid of it all. I have considered getting brewing software, and was wondering this morning how to figure efficiencies. I will look that up soon. Thanks for adding your two cents. It helped.

 

[brettwasbtd]

No problem. I use and recommend BrewTarget, which is free software created by a fellow forum member rocketman768. You can see the latest versions thread here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f84/brewtarget-1-2-3-free-open-source-brewing-software-233676/

 

[hophead71]

Awesome! THanks. I will look it up tonight and start formulating.