1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[MadHomebrewer]

I just started all-grain brewing and I just had a couple of 2 gallon jugs lying around so I decided to get my process down on 1 gallon batches and I have no regrets! I went with the BIAB method and just mash in my pot and it couldn't be simpler.

The only complaint I have with BIAB with batches this small is that its harder to maintain mash temps in a pot, so it might be worth it to spend $15 or so and buy a mini-cooler for a mash tun that you can just plop a bag into and keep your temps more even.

Just my $0.02

You are correct, it is hard to maintain your mash temps for batches this small. However, I built a mini mash tun, pics below, and found it easier with BIAB and the pot because you can turn back on the heat easy. It was harder to maintain temps in the mini tun. I have gone back to BIAB. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1435070367.527692.jpg

 

[TheMadKing]

You are correct, it is hard to maintain your mash temps for batches this small. However, I built a mini mash tun, pics below, and found it easier with BIAB and the pot because you can turn back on the heat easy. It was harder to maintain temps in the mini tun. I have gone back to BIAB. View attachment 286305

I just mash with 0.75 gallons of strike water in my bag in my cooler, and if it gets too cold I pour in some hot water from my preheated teakettle, or some ice cubes if it gets too hot. That way if my water/grist ratio gets a little off its no biggy and I don't wind up with a crazy amount of volume for the boil. Different stroke I guess

 

[TheMadKing]

General 1 gallon question though, does anyone have experience bottling in growlers or gallon jugs with these small batches? If so, how has it worked for you? I've been considering it lately and would love to hear some horror/success stories.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

I agree with trying to keep a consistent mash temp. I tried several thing, yet I wasn't satisfied. I went with the oven trick to keep my mash temp. I then transfer my wort to the tun for vorlauf and transfer to kettle.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

General 1 gallon question though, does anyone have experience bottling in growlers or gallon jugs with these small batches? If so, how has it worked for you? I've been considering it lately and would love to hear some horror/success stories.

I have never bottled in that size. Never really even thought about it.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

During Fall, Winter and Spring, I usually put my 2 gallon fermenter in an ice chest with some water. It was easy for me to regulate the temperature. As we now move into the summer months, I am having problem with controlling the temperature. Its fluctuates between 64 - 70 degrees. I would like to brew some more, but afraid what the changes in temperature will do to the beer as ambient temperature rises. I am curious to where people put their fermenters during this time. I know I will have to move mine.

 

[rich5665]

General 1 gallon question though, does anyone have experience bottling in growlers or gallon jugs with these small batches? If so, how has it worked for you? I've been considering it lately and would love to hear some horror/success stories.

I'd think you could use the same 1 gallon jug I use for my meads. I've seen them in amber to.

 

[Avocado_Power]

General 1 gallon question though, does anyone have experience bottling in growlers or gallon jugs with these small batches? If so, how has it worked for you? I've been considering it lately and would love to hear some horror/success stories.

Only bottle bomb I ever had was in a 32 oz growler...after that I went back to 12 and 22 oz bottles. Still not sure what happened, but it was conditioning at high temps, so more likely that was the problem.

 

[fuzzy2133]

Problem with growlers is the glass thickness is not as consistent like bottles. A local newer brewery was storing yeast in growlers in a fridge and one of the growlers exploded so they switched to small 2 gallon kegs.

 

[gromitdj]

It is generally not recommended to perform natural carbonation in growlers, I don't believe they are designed to handle the pressure. Placing an already carbed liquid in the growler is apparently not the same as allowing it to naturally carbonate.

 

[pointlessbrew]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1435732069.349596.jpg
My awesome wife just got me a 1-gallon set-up that arrived today. I recently purchased a new house and had been brewing with a neighbor and using his burners and my converted kegs for 10g batches, so I lost access to the burners after the move. Well life, a new house with all the projects and a 3 year old have put setting up my brewery in my new dedicated garage on the bottom of the to-do list.

I'm really excited to get back into brewing and to be able to do some small batch brewing on the kitchen stove until I can get the full set-up running again. Started off the with a couple of extract kits from Northern Brewer to get my feet wet in the this process with the goal of moving to all grain.

 

[TonyKZ1]

My awesome wife just got me a 1-gallon set-up that arrived today. Started off the with a couple of extract kits from Northern Brewer to get my feet wet in the this process with the goal of moving to all grain.

That kit looks pretty good. I've seen Wil Wheaton's Devil's Gate Vandal Eye's in the NB catalog, was kinda wondering how it tastes. I might have to get that recipe/equipment kit and try one for myself.

 

[flipfloptan]

Brooklyn Homebrew shop recipes at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Stopped in bed bath and beyond to pick something up and to my suprise 1 gallon recipes displayed at BBB.

$14.99 list. 20% off coupon made it 11.99. Cashier took $5 off coupon eventhough price was .01 short of $15. Made final price $10.

Picked up two of their rendition of Evil Twin Bikini Beer.

 

[tblume]

Excited to find this thread! Been brewing 1 gallon batches for about 8 months. No room for bigger equipment. Today is a big day for me as I have ventured past kits and am brewing a recipe that I created! Didn't venture far from scaling down something, but a big step.

 

[TonyKZ1]

Saturday was a 1st for me, I brewed an All Grain 1 Gallon Recipe, it's a BIAB Amber Lager recipe from Bigtimberbrewingsupply. It's a Lager recipe but I'm going to ferment it close to the ale temperature range, high 50s to the low 60s, it's in a cooler with an ice bottle so we'll see how that goes. It's fermenting in the 1G bottle with a blow-off tube, I'm supposed to put an airlock on it in 2-3 days or so. This is the equipment/recipe kit my daughter bought me and that got me interested enough in brewing to buy the Mr. Beer LBKs and the BrewDemon LBCs and start there.

 

[ericbw]

Is it a lager yeast?

 

[Darth_Beer]

I am looking for a quick recipe critique. 1gal English barleywine:

2.25 pound Marris Otter
1.00 pound Pale LME
0.15 pound C10
0.10 pound Chocolate

.40 oz Willamette 7.1% @ 60 min
.20 oz EKG 4.3% @ 15 min
.20 oz Fuggle 5.1% @ 5 min

EST OG: 1.103
EST FG: 1.026
EST IBU: 44.6
EST ABV: 10.12%

Debating either WLP002 English ale yeast, or Nottingham. Will be fermented around 60F

Brewmate says its a perfect style match, but what do you guys think?

 

[TonyKZ1]

Aloha everyone! Been watching this thread for a while and love it! I made my first batch, an Oatmeal Brown Ale kit from Big Timber Brewing over a month ago and tried it out tonight with the wife. It was amazing!

Congrats, I just made their Amber Lager. I'll have to try that Oatmeal Brown Ale as that sounds pretty good.

 

[TonyKZ1]

Is it a lager yeast?

Yes, it is. Saflager S-23 Dry Lager Yeast. However reading on the yeast packet it said "Temperature Range: 51-59° F (optimal) for lagers, up to 75° F only for certain styles like California Common." so I thought I'd go ahead and try it at the high 50s to the low-mid 60s, low ale temperatures. It was pretty active the first few days, but it's calmed down somewhat now but never did go out of the top of bottle into the blow off tube.

 

[brew703]

Started with this hobby two months ago. Already itching to go bigger. The one gallon batches will allow me to hone my skills and figure out which beer styles I like.
Started to brew BIAB and moving away from extract.
I do see a 10 gallon kettle in the near future.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Brooklyn Homebrew shop recipes at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Stopped in bed bath and beyond to pick something up and to my suprise 1 gallon recipes displayed at BBB.

$14.99 list. 20% off coupon made it 11.99. Cashier took $5 off coupon eventhough price was .01 short of $15. Made final price $10.

Picked up two of their rendition of Evil Twin Bikini Beer.

I was wondering if there is a visible date for when the kit was packaged knowing that I am down here in texas and yeast might not enjoy staying out and about in the shop for too long

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

I was wondering if there is a visible date for when the kit was packaged knowing that I am down here in texas and yeast might not enjoy staying out and about in the shop for too long

You can always go to your local home brew shop and pick up some yeast. I have done that with other kits I purchased.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

Saturday was a 1st for me, I brewed an All Grain 1 Gallon Recipe, it's a BIAB Amber Lager recipe from Bigtimberbrewingsupply. It's a Lager recipe but I'm going to ferment it close to the ale temperature range, high 50s to the low 60s, it's in a cooler with an ice bottle so we'll see how that goes. It's fermenting in the 1G bottle with a blow-off tube, I'm supposed to put an airlock on it in 2-3 days or so. This is the equipment/recipe kit my daughter bought me and that got me interested enough in brewing to buy the Mr. Beer LBKs and the BrewDemon LBCs and start there.

I control fermenting temperature the same way. I moved from water bottles to blue ice. I have various sizes at my disposal. This allows to me to cool down the water at different rates. Do you fill your cooler with water? If yes, where is your waterline in comparison to your fermenter?

 

[TonyKZ1]

Nah, I don't add any water to my cooler. I just use the ice bottles, they seem to keep it cold enough. However, from what I've read people that do add water to their coolers, add it up to or close to the level of the wort in the fermenter.

 

[Opiate42]

Excited to find this thread! Been brewing 1 gallon batches for about 8 months. No room for bigger equipment. Today is a big day for me as I have ventured past kits and am brewing a recipe that I created! Didn't venture far from scaling down something, but a big step.

Welcome to the club!

Once you go with your own creations, you may never go back to kits (not a bad thing either)

I am looking for a quick recipe critique. 1gal English barleywine:

2.25 pound Marris Otter
1.00 pound Pale LME
0.15 pound C10
0.10 pound Chocolate

.40 oz Willamette 7.1% @ 60 min
.20 oz EKG 4.3% @ 15 min
.20 oz Fuggle 5.1% @ 5 min

EST OG: 1.103
EST FG: 1.026
EST IBU: 44.6
EST ABV: 10.12%

Debating either WLP002 English ale yeast, or Nottingham. Will be fermented around 60F

Brewmate says its a perfect style match, but what do you guys think?

All I can say is it looks yummy. No experience with WLP002, but Notty is one of my regular workhorses and has never let me down.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Well I have been looking at my tracking info for my Northern brewer kit and it should arrived tomorrow, I will then have to find a place out of the way and cool to ferment it (it's texas and the house is kept at 78) and hopefully sometimes on monday it will be bubbling away. I got some knock knock off oxy clean from dollar tree and a small plastic pail to store equipment and clean bottles. tomorrow evening I will stop by bed bath and beyond and will get a thermometer and hopefully sunday will be my first brew day.

Hard to believe I started thinking about it in february and only pulled the trigger on monday …

How well better late than never

Cheers

 

[SanPancho]

1 gallon is awesome. not in terms of time. but being able to do variety. which im sure everyone here already knows.

but for anyone with some extra dough I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET AN ANOVA SOUS VIDE PRECISION COOKER. its design lets you put it right into your kettle.

its rated for up to 5 gallons, you can put the unit right into your kettle and it will heat and recirc your wort. keeps your mash at exact temp for as long as you want. add in a BIAB setup and its idiot-proof. (mostly). also is perfect for doing hopstand/whirlpool when boil is over. just pick a temp and set a timer. easy to clean. use it to run a hot water bath for mash/kettle souring, etc.

not to mention how badass it is for actual cooking in the kitchen. 36 hour short ribs anyone?

seriously, i wholeheartedly endorse the product. especially for 1 gal batches.

 

[scottholtog]

I was just thinking what if a sous vide cooker could work for a mash! Glad to see it works.

I'm finally making the move to 1 gallon brewing and it comes at perfect time. My Whole Foods is having a 50% sale on all their grain. It seems not a lot of people buy home brewing supplies from them. $1.75 a pound now $.85 a pound. I'm stocking up!

 

[Opiate42]

Hard to believe I started thinking about it in february and only pulled the trigger on monday …

How well better late than never

Cheers

Started thinking about it at 25.

Didn't start doing it until 33.

Never too late!!

I'm finally making the move to 1 gallon brewing and it comes at perfect time. My Whole Foods is having a 50% sale on all their grain. It seems not a lot of people buy home brewing supplies from them. $1.75 a pound now $.85 a pound. I'm stocking up!

Whole Foods? Seriously?

Had no idea....
____________
Still debating on what to brew on this Canuckistani long weekend. Attempt a repeat of a brew I made that I really enjoyed? Or try a new recipe?

Decisions decisions decisions...

It's damn hot here right now and thinking of repeating an experiment that went wayyyy better than I'd hoped to see if I can duplicate my stupid luck:

420 grams maris otter
371 grams golden promise
125 grams vienna
mashed 60 minutes at 154 (as best as one can on a crappy apartment electric stove)

5 grams of tettnanger at 60 and 30 in a 60 minute boil.

T58 re-hydrated.

Came out fantastic and with this odd pinky colour.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Well my small batch kit from Northern brewer finally made it here after spending a full week end in the UPS warehouse in Dallas. Sounds like Tuesday will be a brew day. I do have 2 question though.

1) I have an Irish red ale kit, the best I can do for fermenting is 69.5 to 73 F defending on the time of day and if the kids remember to close the door of the cabinet, I guess the yeast should do OK I will try to get a wet rag over the jug to ferment and bring down the temp a bit.

2) The yeast packet was overly warm, a full day in a truck and outside by the door was sure not make it cool here in Austin in August, I put it in the fridge this evening but I was wondering if it was normal that the package was feeling solid (just used to the bread yeast from the grocery store that you can easily bend) in this case the package is really firm, I supposed the fact that it is vacuum packed and fairly full is the reason.

Kind regards and happy brewing

 

[MaddDogg84]

the best I can do for fermenting is 69.5 to 73 F defending on the time of day and if the kids remember to close the door of the cabinet, I guess the yeast should do OK I will try to get a wet rag over the jug to ferment and bring down the temp a bit.

Sorry if someone else suggested and I missed it. I live in the heat of central Texas so i understand. Have you considered using a swamp cooler?

Also all the dry yeast packs I have had are flexible.

 

[Derek1985]

I'm using a 2 gallon Coleman "stacker" cooler as my mash tun and am currently working out the details for a small batch Countertop Brutus 20.

 

[divrguy]

1 gallon is awesome. not in terms of time. but being able to do variety. which im sure everyone here already knows.



but for anyone with some extra dough I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET AN ANOVA SOUS VIDE PRECISION COOKER. its design lets you put it right into your kettle.



its rated for up to 5 gallons, you can put the unit right into your kettle and it will heat and recirc your wort. keeps your mash at exact temp for as long as you want. add in a BIAB setup and its idiot-proof. (mostly). also is perfect for doing hopstand/whirlpool when boil is over. just pick a temp and set a timer. easy to clean. use it to run a hot water bath for mash/kettle souring, etc.



not to mention how badass it is for actual cooking in the kitchen. 36 hour short ribs anyone?



seriously, i wholeheartedly endorse the product. especially for 1 gal batches.

I've never heard of that thing but just looked it up and that is absolutely Bad Ass! Wow never thought I would get so excited about something to cook with lol [emoji3]

 

[phug]

When I get Nottingham it is vacuum packed and firm

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Sorry if someone else suggested and I missed it. I live in the heat of central Texas so i understand. Have you considered using a swamp cooler?

Also all the dry yeast packs I have had are flexible.

hey don't be sorry at all I was looking for some answer to my situation and appreciate your comment.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

When I get Nottingham it is vacuum packed and firm

Thanks looks like I am in good order in that case

 

[MaddDogg84]

I do 1 or 2 gallon batches BIAB. I have one dedicated cooler that holds four 1g carboys and I try to keep it full bw brews in primary or secondary fermentation. I fill it up with about 6 inches of water or starstan and swap out ice packs every 8-24 hrs depending on my temperature needs. It's low tech but have made some great brews this way. Pictures to illustrate. I have an overflow cooler due to my intense Belgian Brettanomyces project. 🍻🔬

4 pack cooler: Dubbel w Brett, Gose, Tripel, Tripel w Brett

Overflow cooler: Gose, 2x Pumpkin Russian Imperial Stout

View attachment 1438737262677.jpg

View attachment 1438737283020.jpg

View attachment 1438737296766.jpg

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Thanks guys for your answers. I have brewed my first batch tonight, it is in a gallon jug in 5 gal bucket with cold pack and a blaket around, lets hope for the best.

 

[MaddDogg84]

Thanks guys for your answers. I have brewed my first batch tonight, it is in a gallon jug in 5 gal bucket with cold pack and a blaket around, lets hope for the best.

Congrats! Welcome to the obsession...I mean hobby.

 

[Birchrun_brewery]

Kit included
2 lbs dry golden light malt extract
2 oz willamette hoppes 5%acid
a bag of carb drops
6 grams mutton ale yeast
grain bags
4oz caravienne malted barley crushed on the spot and bagged.

Was thinking of gifting this to a friend who mr beers.or making it one myself in a make shift 2-1gallon fermenters.

I really wonder what 4 oz of malted barley looks like I'm a bag. It sounds so cute, is that correct ?? There's only 4 oz in your recipe ? I don't understand how this fits in ... ?