1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[bransona]

I am making a blonde ale projected to be 4.2%
It is bubbling about once an hour and slowing down daily, so I know a bulk o fermentation is done.
I am considering racking it after a week then cold crashing for a few days.
Mostly because I want to start a second batch next weekend.

I am just used to doing 3 week primary & 3 week bottles. But that is usually ft high ABV, stouts & ipa
Then again I may be bottling rather than racking.

I would crash in the primary (if you can) and go ahead and bottle assuming your gravity reading is consistent over a day or so. Small beers can finish very fast, and I find that I prefer any lighter small beers, like your blonde, when they're young. Some light browns and porters can still take more time, so it's not ENTIRELY abv dependent, but that's a significant factor. IMO, racking is just more potential oxidation or nasties getting into your hard work :smack:

 

[beernbourbon]

Quick question- any of you guys keg your small batches? I'm looking at some experimentals, but have moved totally away from bottling at this point. My thought process is that it's really no different than working my way down to only having a gallon or so in my keg. Thoughts?

 

[BeernuT100]

Shouldn't be any issue at all.

 

[beernbourbon]

I didn't think so, and logic was saying that it should be fine, but I only see people talking about bottling, so I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missin somethin.

 

[Pyg]

I didn't think so, and logic was saying that it should be fine, but I only see people talking about bottling, so I just wanted to be sure I wasn't missin somethin.

All the cool kids bottle!!!!

 

[ba-brewer]

I keg my small batches in one of these
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/1-GALLON-COMPACT-BALL-LOCK-KEG-P3984.aspx

 

[bransona]

There's just something special about bottle conditioned beer...

 

[bransona]

I keg my small batches in one of these
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/1-GALLON-COMPACT-BALL-LOCK-KEG-P3984.aspx

That. Is. Beautiful. Been hunting for a keg for my quick turnaround brews that don't need that special aging process that bottle conditioned beers seem to have.

 

[ba-brewer]

Even though I got that small keg for kegging small batches I have use more often to drain the bottom of a 5gal keg to free it up for a refill. Works good for separating out a portion of batch to try a different dry hopping in a keg too.

You can naturally carb beer in a keg by racking onto some sugar. Those little kegs would work good doing a small cask type thing too.

 

[BarrelAgedForrest]

So I wanna do a 1 gallon grapefruit iPa. I'm thinking 2# of gold dme, 1/4 caramel 20, 1/4 caramel 30. Galaxy, Cascade, Citra and Amarillo hops, grapefruit zest in vodka, and then dry hopped with galaxy for a few days. Seem like a good recipe run down? Of course the amounts of hops is relevant to when I get home and can work out the numbers.... It shall be called galactic grapefruit... Assuming it turns out well! Thoughts?

 

[bransona]

So I wanna do a 1 gallon grapefruit iPa. I'm thinking 2# of gold dme, 1/4 caramel 20, 1/4 caramel 30. Galaxy, Cascade, Citra and Amarillo hops, grapefruit zest in vodka, and then dry hopped with galaxy for a few days. Seem like a good recipe run down? Of course the amounts of hops is relevant to when I get home and can work out the numbers.... It shall be called galactic grapefruit... Assuming it turns out well! Thoughts?

Sounds pretty good, but what's the goal with your grain bill? Seems like it could use just one or the other crystal malt, and maybe some wheat/oats for body. I'd even add munich (or Vienna if that's your thing)

 

[BarrelAgedForrest]

Sounds pretty good, but what's the goal with your grain bill? Seems like it could use just one or the other crystal malt, and maybe some wheat/oats for body. I'd even add munich (or Vienna if that's your thing)

Good call with the wheat for body.

 

[jimdkc]

Quick question- any of you guys keg your small batches? I'm looking at some experimentals, but have moved totally away from bottling at this point. My thought process is that it's really no different than working my way down to only having a gallon or so in my keg. Thoughts?

I'm moving that direction... Actually... I LIKE bottling. It's one of my favorite parts of brewing! Even when I was doing 5-10 gallon batches!

But, I have a couple of 3 Gallon kegs and a 1-3/4 Gallon Keg and a 5-Lb. Aluminum CO2 tank. Just need to get a regulator and plumb it all up...

 

[AZBeer]

Welp, I am in. Just ordered a 1 gal starter kit from Northern Brewing w/ the Over the Top IPA and a Black IPA kit.

Been reading/ watching videos. Experienced beer drinking, complete noob brewer. Based on what I've read, I will be looking to go AG ASAP. Experimenting and tweaking recipes is what is interesting to me, but a 5 gal batch is a bit much at this point. Maybe I will get good at this home brewing, and start brewing larger batches...but for now brewing smaller batches will be easier for me to drink/ dump (if needed).

I like IPA's, Fresh Hop Ales, Porters, and Stouts. Any suggestions on recipes, or recipe sources are welcome. Once I get my wits about me my first order of business will be to figure out a 1 gal Deshutes Hop Trip recipe...assuming I don't fail miserably at this whole home brewing thing.

 

[BeernuT100]

Welcome to the scene AZBeer. Check out our recipe section here on the forums. Recipes are pretty simple to scale.

 

[BarrelAgedForrest]

Welp, I am in. Just ordered a 1 gal starter kit from Northern Brewing w/ the Over the Top IPA and a Black IPA kit.

Been reading/ watching videos. Experienced beer drinking, complete noob brewer. Based on what I've read, I will be looking to go AG ASAP. Experimenting and tweaking recipes is what is interesting to me, but a 5 gal batch is a bit much at this point. Maybe I will get good at this home brewing, and start brewing larger batches...but for now brewing smaller batches will be easier for me to drink/ dump (if needed).

I like IPA's, Fresh Hop Ales, Porters, and Stouts. Any suggestions on recipes, or recipe sources are welcome. Once I get my wits about me my first order of business will be to figure out a 1 gal Deshutes Hop Trip recipe...assuming I don't fail miserably at this whole home brewing thing.

Welcome! Be prepared! It's a ton of fun and a great hobby. As for experimenting and creating, you can definitely still do that with extract. I just finalized a DIPA extraxt recipe that I'm brewing tomorrow. My first own invention. Let us know how your first one goes!

 

[AZBeer]

Welcome! Be prepared! It's a ton of fun and a great hobby. As for experimenting and creating, you can definitely still do that with extract. I just finalized a DIPA extraxt recipe that I'm brewing tomorrow. My first own invention. Let us know how your first one goes!

Thanks. I am sure I will spend some time working with extract kits, and get the process down before I go down the partial mash or AG road.

Looking forward to getting my first kit going...I will definitely report back on how it goes.

 

[Bert_T]

Welcome and be prepared to become obsessed with this amazing hobby. I am relatively new to brewing. I started back in August '15 and since then have brewed about 12 batches. I initially did 3, 5 gallon batches but since then have scaled back to 3 and 1 gallon batches, which makes more sense. As for all grain, there is nothing wrong with part extract part mini mash batches. I've done it with pretty decent results. Can hardly drink commercial brew now. Anyways look into using the brewing calculator on brewersfriend.com as it is an awesome and helpful tool. Cheers and have fun.

 

[Pyg]

Currently brewin my cream ale, with tweeks (hence only 1 gallon)
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1458499638.253037.jpg

 

[AZBeer]

Welcome and be prepared to become obsessed with this amazing hobby. I am relatively new to brewing. I started back in August '15 and since then have brewed about 12 batches. I initially did 3, 5 gallon batches but since then have scaled back to 3 and 1 gallon batches, which makes more sense. As for all grain, there is nothing wrong with part extract part mini mash batches. I've done it with pretty decent results. Can hardly drink commercial brew now. Anyways look into using the brewing calculator on brewersfriend.com as it is an awesome and helpful tool. Cheers and have fun.

Hey thanks! So looking back at my posts...I may have been a bit gung ho...hehe. My focus to start will be to get the nuts and bolts of brewing down, and producing a decent quality, drinkable beer. Once I get that down I can start working on creating crazy delicious concoctions.

From what I have seen, recipes are scalable, no? Can I buy 5 gal kits and split them up, or am I better off buying bulk ingredients? I assume from a cost standpoint bulk ingredients are cheaper, but can you break up the 5 gal kits?

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

If the kit has each type of grain separate then you can split. I suggest buying bulk and do your own measuring.

 

[imp81318]

Do any of you 1-gallon brewers keg? Or know of reasonably priced options for kegging small batches? I've done a couple of 1 gallon batches, and like the idea of being able to tinker without wasting 5 gallons if it doesn't work out, but I find bottling small batches to be even more frustrating than bottling larger batches.

 

[ba-brewer]

Do any of you 1-gallon brewers keg? Or know of reasonably priced options for kegging small batches? I've done a couple of 1 gallon batches, and like the idea of being able to tinker without wasting 5 gallons if it doesn't work out, but I find bottling small batches to be even more frustrating than bottling larger batches.

look at post 6006

I do 1.5gal batches in a 2gal bucket to get a 12pack, fits nice in the 1.75gal kegs. They carb up fast even when set to serving pressure.

 

[burninator]

I'm moving that direction... Actually... I LIKE bottling. It's one of my favorite parts of brewing! Even when I was doing 5-10 gallon batches!

But, I have a couple of 3 Gallon kegs and a 1-3/4 Gallon Keg and a 5-Lb. Aluminum CO2 tank. Just need to get a regulator and plumb it all up...

Boy do I have good news for you. I'm willing to let you come bottle beer as often as I have it ready. And get this, I'll let you do it for free.

This is a standing offer.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Boy do I have good news for you. I'm willing to let you come bottle beer as often as I have it ready. And get this, I'll let you do it for free.

This is a standing offer.

Very generous of you!

BTW if you happen to be in chicago, also standing offer for 100% free bottling shifts!

 

[DurhamUK]

Hi All,

Im on with my 5th 1Gal Brew and it seems to be seperating, this hasnt happened to me before, is this normal?

 

[jimdkc]

Hi All,

Im on with my 5th 1Gal Brew and it seems to be seperating, this hasnt happened to me before, is this normal?

That's weird... what's the recipe?

 

[DurhamUK]

900g Pale Ale Malt
27g Caramel Malt
25g Carapils
35g Northern Brewer
1/5 Teaspoon Protofloc
5.5g American Larger Yeast

 

[fuzzy2133]

Hi All,

Im on with my 5th 1Gal Brew and it seems to be seperating, this hasnt happened to me before, is this normal?

Need a pic. Separating what from what

Post brew trub before fermentation or yeast settling(flocking) out?

 

[DurhamUK]

Need a pic. Separating what from what

Post brew trub before fermentation or yeast settling(flocking) out?

Recipe Above,

I had attached a pic but ill try it again.

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=40CD90A37735E08A!1372&authkey=!AHe_jjzqBsUt418&v=3&ithint=photo%2cjpg

 

[fuzzy2133]

Looks normal to me. Just the fermentation slowing down and things starting to settle out. Not done still has a nice krusen on top.

 

[DurhamUK]

Thanks, its Only been going 24 Hours so far from done but never seen seperation like that before, ill keep an eye on it

 

[imp81318]

look at post 6006

I do 1.5gal batches in a 2gal bucket to get a 12pack, fits nice in the 1.75gal kegs. They carb up fast even when set to serving pressure.

Thanks, but I'm not really looking to spend that much $$$ for small batch serving. I have a buddy that converted a 5L mini keg to a draft keg for use with regular CO2 setup and picnic faucet. That's kind of more what I was thinking...

 

[ba-brewer]

They a bit spendy, but they connect right to my regular setup so no extra stuff to mess with. I thought about the 5L kegs but it seemed they would need to be replaced after a while, so there is ongoing expense. The cornys are a bit easier to clean.

 

[CheftonUTD]

I'm about to get back into brewing after an 18 month-ish break. I think I might join the 1-Gallon brewers club this time haha .

My previous brewing experiences were with 25L (6.6G) batches of extract brewing. I'm currently living in an unreasonably hot (32c / 90f +) part of Australia and got fed up with only fitting 1 fermenter at a time into my temperature-controlled fridge.
I'm about to move down south, where the weather ranges from 10-20c / 50-68f.
I wont have the fridge anymore, but I reckon I might go for something like 6 * 1G batches in a water-bath with an aquarium heater for the winter. Could be a good way to always have a variety of beers handy.
Maybe do 2 batches side-by-side on brewday and rotate through them as the older ones are ready to bottle.

Plus I'd be able to have a go at AG or BIAB this way too with the equipment I already have

Hmm, you might be onto something with these small batches

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Thanks, but I'm not really looking to spend that much $$$ for small batch serving. I have a buddy that converted a 5L mini keg to a draft keg for use with regular CO2 setup and picnic faucet. That's kind of more what I was thinking...

Pressurived serving containers for small batches are either

1. Expensive, read small kegs.
2. DIY-ish. Hacking a mini keg, which are nice, but don't work long term.
3. Risky: dry ice carbonating. I do it occasionally. DO NOT ATTEMPT WITH GLASS
4. or cant take large volumes. Readlastic casks.

For me, I just bottle carb. Bottling barely takes any time at all for this. Honestly it takes more time to clean and sanitize everything.

Occasionally I'll force carb a bottle or two in a plastic soda bottle with some dry ice, carefully weighed and calculated out. It's easy to do, but requires some care of handling and precise measuring.

There's a coupel guys in the homebrewclub here that us 5L plastic dispensers that carb to lower volumes (like 1.8 vol at most). These work pretty well, but still cost about $20 to setup per dispenser.

 

[Pyg]

I have made 2 single gallon batches centennial blonde and a cream ale.
Both finished fermenting in less than 2 days.
Now my dilemma is I have left over hops 1/2 oz of centennial and cascade

I can either make the same 2 recipes again or find something else easy.

Anyone have a Centennial Smash recipe?
Or a recipe I can make with centennial or cascade or both that only requires me to purchase grain?

 

[jimdkc]

Thanks, but I'm not really looking to spend that much $$$ for small batch serving. I have a buddy that converted a 5L mini keg to a draft keg for use with regular CO2 setup and picnic faucet. That's kind of more what I was thinking...

Keep in mind, those 5L mini kegs are NOT stainless steel. They also have a plastic liner inside which will wear out in about 4 or 5 re-uses... maybe more if you're really lucky... maybe 2 or 3 if you're not! How will you know when it wears out? It will ruin the beer inside it! The available taps and CO2 setups and bungs are leaky and fiddly. I started down that path and got out...

That 1.75 gallon corny... you can use it a lifetime and pass it down to your grandchildren!

 

[Pyg]

Bottles 8 bottles of cream ale.
The hop smell was strong and funky. Like a funky grapefruit. Maybe a little rubbery
1# Pilsen DME
3.2 oz Pilsen malt
3.2 oz flaked corn
3.2oz instant rice
Steep155F for 30 min
Cascade for all 3 staged
5.6 grams for 60 min
2.8 g for 15
2.8 for 5
Pretty sure one oF my kids threw in a pellet of centennial
In my late addition hops.
Hope the funky aroma doesn't interfere with drink ability.
Then again who am I kidding, I will drink it.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459095143.886103.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459095160.918985.jpg

 

[luizffgarcia]

Guys,

How do you deal with topping off the evaporated water so you will have the full 1 gallon at the end of the boil?

I am now starting my boil with over six liters and still end up having to tap off about one liter when i move the wort to the fermenter.

Do you use bigger pots so you will be able to boil like 8 or 9 liters to have the desired 4 liters at the end?

Also, is it a good practice to top off during the boil if my pot is not big enough to handle more water from the beginning? Instead of doing so when moving to the fermenter?