1/2 Gallon Batch

[Duhast500]

I was thinking of brewing a batch or two as small as a 1/2 gallon to try out a recipe idea or two I had. I was wondering if anyone has had any success or problems with brewing a batch this size.

 

[juslod]

I'd like to see how this goes, I have thought it would be the best way to experiment with different ingredients as well

 

[JJL]

I've brewed batches as small as 1 gal. The considerations I can think of are:

1) Hops utilization when you scale down from a larger batch
2) Burning your wort since your boil is so small
3) Using a vessel for fermentation that has a small enough head space so you aren't exposing your beer to excess oxygen

I'm sure you'll get other considerations.

 

[strat_thru_marshall]

you could use your starter flask as your fermentation vessel, plus pitch the yeast slurry into a 5 gallon batch when your 1/2 gallon is done!

 

[swinginchandra]

I got 5 gallon glass jugs of apple juice, so I could use the jugs as carboys for micro-batches. I then used the apple juice in my secondary to make a batch of edworts Apfelwein! YAY for multi tasking.
Also, the small batches allow me to do all grain easily. I think it's great!

 

[Revvy]

You can brew anysized batch you want. I do a lot of 2.5 gallon recipe test batches. You can even do 1 gallon AG brews. The basic brewing guys call that the six pack brew.

I use my normal 5 gallon mash tun for most of them, but I do a lot of Experiments, test recipes, or beers that I know I won't need/want more than a case of.

I sometimes use an unmodified 2 gallon cooler for a lot of my small btaches it holds up to 4 pounds of grain.

I just us a folding steamer in the bottom along with a grain bag. Just break off or unscrew the center post.

One of these, it helps to lift the grain bag above the spigot to keep the drainig from getting stuck.

I posted a lot of info in the mr beer thread that you may find helpful.

I posted some all grain small batchrecipes here, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/785533-post702.html

ANd a bit of a primer on AG with pics here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/738927-post659.html

But I mostly use my regular 5 gallon cooler mash tun which holds 14 pounds of grains...and 14 pounds of grain for a 2.5 gallon batch can be a mighty big beer.....


One of our memebers chubbykid had plans for a minikeg mashtun http://sites.google.com/site/chubbykidhomebrew/Home/equipment/mini-keg-lauter-tun

THe basic brewing radio guys are big fans of tiny batch brewing...3/4 gallon (1 6pack) in a 1 gallon winejug fermenter.

They demo the 6-pack IPA here

[ame]http://en.sevenload.com/shows/Basic-Brewing/episodes/PERGFAJ-01-12-06-Basic-Brewing-Video-A-Six-Pack-of-IPA[/ame]

and they also have done barleywines as well.

I ferment my 2.5 gallon batches in all manner of things, I have a 3 gallon better bottle, I also use 3 gallon water jugs, AND my old Mr Beer keg (it's perfect because you can even lager in your own fridge with it when you are starting out.)

You can even ferment a 2.5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy if you want, though I would say a 6.5 gallon carboy is a little too much headspace for my confort.

Hope this helps....any more questions feel free to ask...

Oh, and you don't have to do anything with hops in terms of hop utilization, except scale it in the same proportion, as you do your grain. Nothing else.

 

[malkore]

My only two cents is that with racking losses and such, a half gallon initial batch is gonna give you like two 12oz bottles when you're done, which for me just isnt' a good enough sample size as I'd never let 2 bottles last to peak flavor.

1 gallon batches are better because even with messy racking skills you'll still get a full 6 pack, probably more.

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I do 1 gal batches. I don't think I would do smaller because you do lose some volume to trub and transfers. With a full 1 gallon and assuming no blow off (which you'll pretty much always have with 1 gallon in a 1 gallon jug) I can get 11-13 bottles. That's enough for me to slowly drink through it and see how the flavor changes to figure out appropriate aging timeframes.

 

[Bubba_Mustafa]

Last 2 batches were 1 gallon batches.

Measuring hops that small, I used a powder scale (for reloading ammo). Is more accurate and has smaller resolution then the typical digital used.

I got 8 beers per gallon (just bottled Sunday)

I think its also easier to make a mistake/be off with such small amounts of ingredients.

 

[NJames]

I just started a 1 quart batch!

I made a 2-liter carboy out of a soda bottle. I have it inside my regular fermenting bucket along with a 2-liter of homemade root beer. Both bottles are partially submerged in about 1 1/2 gallons of cool water.