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I've done 3 or 4 coffee stouts and always used the cold brew coffee w/o boiling. Never had an infection.
Here are the directions from my "kit"
1 cup water & 6 oz coffee into container
Slowly add 3 cups of water in circular motion
Add 6 oz of coffee and wait 5 minutes
Slowly add last 3 cups water, DO NOT STIR
Lightly press down on the topmost grounds with a spoon to insure all are wet
Let this sit for 12 hours
Remove plug on the bottom of the container and drain into glass decanter.
Stays fresh in fridg for up to two weeks.

REMEMBER--Cold brewed coffee is STRONGER than what you make in a coffee pot.
When I drink some I use slightly less than 1/4 cup cold brewed in a coffee mug and then
top w/tap water. Place in microwave to heat to drinking temp
 
Heres what i came up with.:rockin::rockin:

Mint Chocolate Stout
American Stout
Type: All Grain Date: 11/8/2012
Batch Size (fermenter): 1.00 gal Brewer:
Boil Size: 1.54 gal Asst Brewer:
Boil Time: 60 min Equipment: BIAB 1 Gallon
End of Boil Volume 1.04 gal Brewhouse Efficiency: 72.00 %
Final Bottling Volume: 1.00 gal Est Mash Efficiency 72.0 %
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Taste Rating(out of 50): 30.0
Taste Notes:
Ingredients


Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
1 lbs 13.8 oz Pale Malt (2 Row) UK (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 78.8 %
3.7 oz Barley, Flaked (1.7 SRM) Grain 2 9.9 %
1.4 oz Carafa III (525.0 SRM) Grain 3 3.8 %
1.4 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 4 3.8 %
1.4 oz Chocolate Malt (450.0 SRM) Grain 5 3.8 %
8.44 g Goldings, East Kent [4.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 28.0 IBUs
0.80 oz cocoa Powder (Boil 5.0 mins) Flavor 7 -
2.00 Items Mint Tea bag (Boil 5.0 mins) Spice 8 -
0.2 pkg Irish Ale Yeast (White Labs #WLP004) Yeast 9 -

Beer Profile

Est Original Gravity: 1.060 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.055 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.018 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.010 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.5 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 5.9 %
Bitterness: 28.0 IBUs Calories: 182.3 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 34.2 SRM
Mash Profile

Mash Name: BIAB, Full Body Total Grain Weight: 2 lbs 5.9 oz
Sparge Water: 0.00 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.1 F Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20

Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 6.85 qt of water at 163.0 F 156.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge Step: Remove grains, and prepare to boil wort
Mash Notes: Brew in a bag method where the full boil volume is mashed within the boil vessel and then the grains are withdrawn at the end of the mash. No active sparging is required. This is a full body beer profile.
Carbonation and Storage

Carbonation Type: Bottle Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 22.27 g Carbonation Used: Bottle with 22.27 g Corn Sugar
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 70.0 F Age for: 30.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Notes
Click to expand...
 
Here is the thermometer i have purchased for my 1 gallon batches. its a bit slow to read right away but is very accurate. I compared it to my 300 dollar one i use for hvac. its a bit slow compared to it but its perfect to get mash temp.

Dirt cheap Thermometer
 
JollyIsTheRoger said:
Anyone keg their 1 gallon brews? I found somewhere where I can get one of these 5L keg dispensers for really cheap and was wondering if it would be worth it.
Click to expand...

I was looking into it. but havent made the final call. i think its a great idea if you are a slow drinker because it would be a paint to clean the kegs if you kick one every night. there are some decent videos about those kegs on youtube
 
cheesecake said:
I was looking into it. but havent made the final call. i think its a great idea if you are a slow drinker because it would be a paint to clean the kegs if you kick one every night. there are some decent videos about those kegs on youtube
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm watching some right now, haha. I only have like 1 maybe 2 beers a night so I drink slow enough it wouldn't be an issue. Just don't want to drop a bunch of money getting stuff set up only to find out that it doesn't work for me.
 
cheesecake said:
Here is the thermometer i have purchased for my 1 gallon batches. its a bit slow to read right away but is very accurate. I compared it to my 300 dollar one i use for hvac. its a bit slow compared to it but its perfect to get mash temp.

Dirt cheap Thermometer
Click to expand...

Here's the one I use, not sure if you can get it retail or not. I used to be a cook so I always had one of these around and the place I worked had so many that they thought it was easier to get a new one out than replace the battery, so I picked one up for free one day. Just had to replace the battery.

http://www.don.com/Catalog/productd...child=Thermometers%2fTimers_1008&prodid=K5462
 
JollyIsTheRoger said:
Anyone keg their 1 gallon brews? I found somewhere where I can get one of these 5L keg dispensers for really cheap and was wondering if it would be worth it.
Click to expand...

I've never used the 5L kegs but the one thing that I don't like about them is the small hole in the top. It looks like a nightmare to clean but like I said I've never used them.

I did research the Tap A Draft system was this close to pulling the trigger.
 
JollyIsTheRoger said:
Here's the one I use, not sure if you can get it retail or not. I used to be a cook so I always had one of these around and the place I worked had so many that they thought it was easier to get a new one out than replace the battery, so I picked one up for free one day. Just had to replace the battery.

http://www.don.com/Catalog/productd...child=Thermometers%2fTimers_1008&prodid=K5462
Click to expand...


I also have one like that. i have never compared it to anything else maybe ill do a test next time i brew:mug:
 
BigRock947 said:
I've never used the 5L kegs but the one thing that I don't like about them is the small hole in the top. It looks like a nightmare to clean but like I said I've never used them.

I did research the Tap A Draft system was this close to pulling the trigger.
Click to expand...

Yeah, after reading through reviews, that dispenser is known for not working. I just saw it at a store at 60% off and thought I might be able to get it to work, but there are better things to spend the money on.
 
well im working on my first lager recipe....I forgot i had a small worthless mini fridge in my 2nd bedroom....well my 1 gallon fermenter fits in it so its not worthless anymore.....Im going to build a temp controller for it and ill start making 1 gallon lagers
 
I've been subscribed to this thread since near the beginning, and it is so hard to keep up. 600+ replies in 7 months.
I'm a 3g brewer mostly ("Handcrafted by the Case"), and I usually take off November-March, because it gets so cold in Chicago, and I'm wimpy. I am planning on keeping the brewing going this winter with some indoor 1g batches. After one more 3g batch, I'm heading indoors over turkey week.
Thanks for giving so many awesome ideas!
 
In terms of a thermometer...I find the 12 inch lab thermometer extremely useful. Not only is it very accurate but you can use it to measure out how much volume you have in your wort. Just fill up quart bottles and pour them in the kettle...slide the thermometer down against the side and take a reading of what "temp" you are at. Do this up to the volume you usually start your boil at (2.25 gallons for me since I do 2 hour boils). You can do some simple math to find any volume in between your marks. I come within .05 gallons of what I want my volume to finish at everytime. Seriously, its a great addition to the small batch arsenal.

Heres a link but they are at any brew shop:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00551N8Q2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Get the ones with the red triangle at the top so it can't roll...they usually come with a case as well
 
Last edited by a moderator:
eanmcnulty said:
I've been subscribed to this thread since near the beginning, and it is so hard to keep up. 600+ replies in 7 months.
I'm a 3g brewer mostly ("Handcrafted by the Case"), and I usually take off November-March, because it gets so cold in Chicago, and I'm wimpy. I am planning on keeping the brewing going this winter with some indoor 1g batches. After one more 3g batch, I'm heading indoors over turkey week.
Thanks for giving so many awesome ideas!
Click to expand...

There seem to be a lot of us from the Chicago area here
 
Just made my first ever gallon of beer last night. It's in the Carboy right now. Curious. Is there a target room temp for fermentation? Right now the room, my storage closet is 50 degrees F. Is that too cold? Also, I noticed a separation in the beer. Is that normal? Thanks for any help!

image-4040950530.jpg
 
bmwmunk said:
Just made my first ever gallon of beer last night. It's in the Carboy right now. Curious. Is there a target room temp for fermentation? Right now the room, my storage closet is 50 degrees F. Is that too cold? Also, I noticed a separation in the beer. Is that normal? Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

Lots of factors involved with that question. Are you brewing an ale or lager? Which yeast did you use?

Just to calm your fears, no its not too cold. The beer/wort will actually be warmer than room temperature during its high point of fermentation. So cooler is usually better than too warm. An ale yeast will ferment cleaner at cooler temps but will take longer to do its job. RDWHAHB or a craft beer in your case since this is your first beer.:mug:
 
BigRock947 said:
Lots of factors involved with that question. Are you brewing an ale or lager? Which yeast did you use?

Just to calm your fears, no its not too cold. The beer/wort will actually be warmer than room temperature during its high point of fermentation. So cooler is usually better than too warm. An ale yeast will ferment cleaner at cooler temps but will take longer to do its job. RDWHAHB or a craft beer in your case since this is your first beer.:mug:
Click to expand...

Thanks for replying. It's an IPA kit from Brooklyn Brew. Not sure what yeast it is.

Thanks again for the reply!
 
I would put it someplace a bit warmer to get fermentation a chance to start then move it there when it starts. It's a ale yeast. And seperation is normal
 
How do most of you bottle your 1 gallon batches? I've had a few ideas but just trying to figure out which one makes the most sense
 
cheesecake said:
How do most of you bottle your 1 gallon batches? I've had a few ideas but just trying to figure out which one makes the most sense
Click to expand...

I've only bottled one so far, and I racked to my 6.5 G bottling bucket. Afterwards it seemed like big equipment for such a fast job. Thinking about either making a gallon bottling bucket or trying to do it with an auto siphon, hose and bottling wand for my next batch.
 
I used a 3 gallon bucket I got from the bakery dept at my local BiLo as my small batch bottling bucket. I'll probably get a mini-siphon later on as the one I got with my NB starter kit seems too big and clunky for smaller batches.
 
MTate37 said:
I've only bottled one so far, and I racked to my 6.5 G bottling bucket. Afterwards it seemed like big equipment for such a fast job. Thinking about either making a gallon bottling bucket or trying to do it with an auto siphon, hose and bottling wand for my next batch.
Click to expand...

This has been on my mind as well. I'll probably use my 6.5 gallon bottling bucket for the first time. I've got a "L" shape piece and small rubber stopper that fit inside my bottling faucet so I leave a tiny amount of beer behind.

If you haven't checked Revy's thread on bottling its a must read. I've been brewing off and on for 15 years and it helped me.

Back-up plan is to go to the hardware store to buy a 2-gallon paint bucket and drill a hole that will fit the faucet I already have.

Plus I may try to bottle 2 brews the same day.
 
I bought a two gallon bucket from home depot and use my spigot from big bucket for my 1 gallon batches. much easier than the auto siphon. drill hole a little lower so you can get all the beer out.
 
cheesecake said:
How do most of you bottle your 1 gallon batches? I've had a few ideas but just trying to figure out which one makes the most sense
Click to expand...

I do very low maintenance bottling.

1. I use a two gallon kitchen stock pot, wash it and sanitize it.
2. Use a small sauce pan to boil a cup of water, and add priming sugar for 10 mins, and cool in the sink. Pour into now sanitized stock pot.
3. Secondary carbon on the kitchen counter. Stockpot on the floor. Simple siphon from one to the other.
4. now siphon from stockpot into bottles.
5. Simple and the entire process takes about 30 minutes

I haven't quite got the beer making process down yet, but I'm really good with the simple siphon.

Gotta be worth something
 
... Unrelated because its a 3 gallon brew, but I dry hopped my IPA just now. It smelled a little like beer, but mostly like stagnant water. So, I'm glad I dry hopped it, I just hope it doesn't taste like it smells.

No sign of infection, some white yeasty clumps on top, but not infection I'm pretty sure.





God, it better not be infected...... :mad:
 
Ok some very good ideas. I just transferred my citra SMaSH and dry hopped it so in about a week or 2 ill be bottling it
 
dadshomebrewing said:
Btw... It helps with keeping the floor clean if you put the bottles in a dishpan with paper towels on the bottom.
Click to expand...

I bottle over the open door of my dishwasher. If anything spills, when i'm done I just close the door no more mess.
 

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