2 gallon batches

[beerlover87]

I went to a local carry out today they sell brewing supplies and I told him I had ordered a 2 gallon fermenter and he said that I should have went no smaller than a five gallon because I was going to put all that work into it and only get 21 beers well I don't see the problem with a small batch It's beer for me and to share with buddies until I get it down plus I have 6 kids lol so the room it will save helps what's the opinion on here ?

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[Bob-MTL]

The thing is, if you do kits, like pre-made malt (like Copper to name it), they all come based on a 5 gallon batch. So you will need to do something like 2 batch at a time, or scrap half of your stuff each time.

Now, if you do all grain, then I say you are in for the good stuff. Even more if you are a beginner, cause you will want to try a lot and doing 24 bottle of bad beer is a lot "easier" to live with than 64.

Happy brewing!

 

[boydster]

Check out the "1 gallon brewers UNITE!" thread, there's a pretty good sized crew that brews small batches. I like making 5 gallon batches, and having a few fermenters going really doesn't take up too much space for me so I can still have a good variety on hand. Do what works for you, there's no right or wrong answer about what batch size is best.

 

[bredle]

I like to make 5 gallon all grain batches when I know my recipe is tried and true (I've brewed it before, get it of the HBT recipe section, or Zymurgy). I do some experimenting in 5 gallon batches, but where 2 gallon batches are worth it to me is in recipe development/experimentation. I always do small batches as a brew in a bag to test them out first. I don't waste any yeast because I'll generally do a starter and keep some for another round, and pitch the required amount into the batch. Another reason to do smaller batches is when I brew something I like, but the wife and others don't like, then I'll generally brew small to keep a good rotation.

More importantly, do what works for you, not for the local home brew shop owner!

 

[beerlover87]

Well the feedback makes me feel better about my purchase I personally didn't see why the 5 gallon was necessary I do understand the kits are usually for 5 gallon batches but the company I bought my kit from does sell 2 gal pre made malt kits I think it will be fine until I get the art down and find a little more space for my fermenter and the all grain interests me verses the pre made kits

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[chickypad]

Yep, you shouldn't feel bad at all. Even if you can't find too many kits that size, if you don't mind buying the ingredients separately you can make any recipe you wish scaled to 2 gal. Brew on!

 

[beerlover87]

Well he acts as tho the company tried to get over on me selling me a 2 gallon kit and said the whole deal why put that much work into only getting 21 to 24 beers well that's really all I need at a time not sixty especially if I don't care for the brew lol

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[dkevinb]

If it's a Mr. Beer there are three pieces of good news. First, the fermenter is just fine. I've used mine for years. It's a very convenient size. Second, Mr. Beer was bought by Cooper's (an Australian brewery) a while back, and their kit quality has allegedly improved quite a bit. Their web site sure has better ingredients nowadays. Third, there's nothing to say you can't just buy your own ingredients and do whatever you want, which is what I've been doing lately. It's easy to scale the 5 gallon recipes down.

And despite the "it takes the same amount of time" argument it really doesn't. I've done both and if nothing else it's faster to boil a smaller amount of water and the equipment is easier to prep and clean. A lot of people use the two gallon (or smaller) batches for experiments or just for whipping together something quick in the evening.

Right now I have 2 1-gallon fermenters (1 cider and 1 mead) and my Mr. Beer LBK (ESB) full. Tomorrow I'm going to brew an APA into my 5-gallon fermenter. It's all good.

 

[AlCophile]

You should begin to collect vessels of all sizes; bottles, fermenters, measuring vessels, poly bottles, freezer containers, because you are going to generate odd sized brews, or decide you want to divide a batch to try something different, etc. If the container is sized to its contents, you won't have the problem of XS headspace which so many HBTers whine about incessantly. I just today scrounged two perfectly new 6 qt. pretzel jars made of PET. Free. Holds 10# of sugar.

 

[beerlover87]

I ordered a conical fermenter from demon brew I looked at Mr. Beer but liked the conical designs better It's supposed to arrive Tuesday I am super excited to get brewing no matter what size as long as I have something that tastes good and I can say I made it

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[bstacy1974]

I went to a local carry out today they sell brewing supplies and I told him I had ordered a 2 gallon fermenter and he said that I should have went no smaller than a five gallon because I was going to put all that work into it and only get 21 beers well I don't see the problem with a small batch It's beer for me and to share with buddies until I get it down plus I have 6 kids lol so the room it will save helps what's the opinion on here ?

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Am I the only one who caught the 6 kids portion of this thread! Maybe not. I only skimmed the responses.
Good for you. I have 4. Anything less than 4 and you're a quitter. ;-)
Like any business, some have good customer service and some don't. With internet mail order, you can choose not to do business with your local store. This is 'Merica, by God! I recently bought some new equipment specifically for doing 2 and 2.5 gal batches. It takes less time, keeps you in the house, and forces you to brew more often. All wins in my book.

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[dkevinb]

I ordered a conical fermenter from demon brew I looked at Mr. Beer but liked the conical designs better It's supposed to arrive Tuesday I am super excited to get brewing no matter what size as long as I have something that tastes good and I can say I made it

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That's a cool looking gadget. Enjoy!

 

[taoisilent]

The whole "It's pointless to go to all the trouble to brew a small batch" argument is completely fallacious. If the goal were truly to mass produce beer at minimal effort, we'd all just go buy it at the store. The volume you make (based on need, practicality, budget, etc) is immaterial. We brew because we ENJOY it. Because it's FUN.

There are many benefits to brewing in smaller batches. I brew 3 gallon AG batches that are easily done in my kitchen, year-round. I can easily heat strike water, sparge water, and conduct the boil right on the stove. Set-up and clean-up are a breeze.

Brewing small also means you get to brew more often, try new styles more frequently, etc...

It's all about what works for you and what you want. Brew big, brew small, brew on!

 

[beerlover87]

Thanks for noticing the part about six kids lol that's part of the reason I want to brew as a hobby to relieve stress I have a jeep that I enjoy working on but can't do that in the house obviously lol I know I will enjoy this and dont have to make my lady mad by bein outside wrenching while the kids are running up the wall having 4 I know you get that part for sure

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[beerlover87]

Thanks for all the feedback

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[bstacy1974]

Thanks for noticing the part about six kids lol that's part of the reason I want to brew as a hobby to relieve stress I have a jeep that I enjoy working on but can't do that in the house obviously lol I know I will enjoy this and dont have to make my lady mad by bein outside wrenching while the kids are running up the wall having 4 I know you get that part for sure

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The wife. Just one more reason to bring the brewing into the house. At least you can chat while your waiting on the mash and boil.
#3 of 4 is running a fever today so we stayed home from church. The wife works at our church so she has to go every Sunday. She walks in the house this afternoon and says "Why does it smell like wet dog in here? No, it smells like horse food!"
No dear, that's just hops. I brewed today. :rockin:

Stick with it my friend. You might only get a few brews in the first year of this hobby, but with time, those brew days will start to increase very rapidly.

 

[beerlover87]

Well I have a extra refrigerater in the house that does not get used so I am gonna try to do something with it so I can brew all year round. Just need to figure out how to get the temp controlled on it. Think its gonna be a fun hobby

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[Oginme]

There's a lot of good advice above. Don't get discouraged by the comments from the guy at you LHBS. There are a lot of good reasons to brew at the size you chose.

I brew 10 liter batches (~2.5 gal) because I can do it inside during the winter, which is about the only time of year that I have the free time to brew. I typically get a case of beer from each brew and can brew enough variety to keep me happy. For recipes, get some brewing software (I use BeerSmith, but there are other free brewing software options out there) and use that to scale any recipe you find to the batch size you want to brew.

 

[beerlover87]

Well with all the positive feedback I plan on sticking with the small fermenter I think 2 gallons at a time is plenty and I will definitely check out some brewing software or maybe try to look for some books on brewing.

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[dkevinb]

Well with all the positive feedback I plan on sticking with the small fermenter I think 2 gallons at a time is plenty and I will definitely check out some brewing software or maybe try to look for some books on brewing.

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"How To Brew" by John Palmer is a classic. The online version of the first edition is a bit dated at times, but it's a very good resource.

 

[Oginme]

Second the vote on 'How to Brew' by John Palmer. I recommend getting the latest version. Papazian's book, 'Joy of Homebrewing' is another that I frequently look to for information and ranks second to Palmer's book. Check your local library, I bet they have a few to check out and read before you decide if it is one you want to have on your shelf.

 

[C-Rider]

Cheap 2 gallon paint buckets at HD Check my video. I've modified a bt and now go for like 1.9 g in the fermenter. 1.75 gallons finished gives me 3 six packs.

 

[OaklandHills]

In case no one else has said this yet, get some kind of brew calculating software. I use Brewmate. The Tastybrew website has free calculators. Plus there are several commercial products. Any 5 or 7 or whatever gallon beer recipe can be scaled down to 2 gallons. Extract beers are real easy to make in 2 gallon size on top of the stove. All grain or partial mash all work fine in 2 gallon batch size. Enjoy yourself!

 

[LovesIPA]

I don't see the problem with a small batch It's beer for me and to share with buddies until I get it down plus I have 6 kids lol so the room it will save helps what's the opinion on here?

Here's my opinion: Brew what you like, brew how much you want, brew how often you want. The great thing about this hobby is it's very much one-size-fits-all.

On one hand you have your super in-depth, highly technical, spend lots of money, try to make the best beer humanly possible type of brewer, and on the other hand, you have the "recreational" brewer that makes extract batches, doesn't own a hydrometer, doesn't make starters, doesn't control fermentation temps, barely sanitizes anything, but has a great time doing it and makes decent beer.

The bottom line is that you get what you want out of the hobby and you enjoy doing it.

No one's opinion but yours matters, and that's my opinion.

 

[user 78027]

There are many advantages of small batches. I brew 2.5 gallon batches because I love the time I'm brewing, but the real benefit is that I can play around with new ideas and not get stuck with a bunch of not so good beer. It doesn't mean I don't drink it, I just have less to drink. I can also brew several beers at the same time and have more options when I'm picking what I'm going to drink.

Just enjoy what your doing, if you want to you can always upgrade to bigger batches when the kids leave home, or get old enough to help with the drinking

 

[beerlover87]

I think I will definitely have a lot of fun brewing. Guess I will find out for sure today..... Just waiting on that FedEx truck lol I can't lie am so pumped I am gonna be like a kid in a candy store when that kit gets here lol and I am sure my first batch will probably start today. What're everyones opinions on air locks should I pick one up ?

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[bstacy1974]

I think I will definitely have a lot of fun brewing. Guess I will find out for sure today..... Just waiting on that FedEx truck lol I can't lie am so pumped I am gonna be like a kid in a candy store when that kit gets here lol and I am sure my first batch will probably start today. What're everyones opinions on air locks should I pick one up ?

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Don't let your excitement overwhelm your process. Be sure to slow down and double check everything as you go through your brew day. Maybe make a checklist from the instructions included with your kit?
I would recommend an air lock for any fermenter. Others may have a different opinion. It will have to be vented in some way, otherwise you'll have a nasty mess to clean up.
I can't find any clear instruction on the Brew Demon website for venting. The drawing shows a vent with a plug. Is that hole big enough for a stopper and air lock? You might just need a rubber grommet for that hole. Otherwise, I'd say just leave your lid loose enough for the CO2 to escape.

 

[TimFarAway]

I just bottled from my BrewDemon last weekend. I used a #2 rubber stopper with airlock in place of the red plastic piece. I loved it, though the trub at the bottom came up above the spigot, so I just used a siphon. Loving it though, and it looks pretty cool.

If you have a spare fridge, it seems that the best thing you can do to improve good homebrew is control your fermentation temps. I just got my STC-1000 in the mail the other day, and found a cheap fridge on craigslist. I'll be wiring that up this saturday and brewing on sunday.


I like the smaller batches myself for variety, and there is room in the newfridge for two 2.5 gal fermenters at a time. BIAB is my choice for keepping it simple, and fun. Thinking about no-chill to make it even easier.

 

[beerlover87]

I think the kit I ordered came with the rubber grommet and I will definitely take my time with it bein my first time brewing. I am definitely excited tho FedEx is taking there sweet time with getting here tho. I have been to the door to check at least 10 times lol

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[beerlover87]

Kinda disappointed to hear about the trub coming up that was one of the reasons I was sold on the conical design. Hopefully mine stays towards the bottom

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[chickypad]

Yeah that design seems a bit odd. I don't understand why they would make a conical without a bottom dump valve, seems to defeat the main purpose.

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[beerlover87]

Well they say there is enough room to where the trub shouldn't rise to the tap but we will see

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[Randolf]

I do almost all 2/2.5 gal. batches. I have 8 small Mr. Beer and Brew Demon fermenters and try to have at least 3 going at all times. I usually brew 2 batches in one day and one on another day. For choice,you can't beat it. I get a 3.3 lb.Munton's LME ,an oz. of hops,and some yeast and let her rip. I like having a wide variety of types of beer. Also smaller batches take less time to bottle. It's all good though,however you do it,it sure is fun when you crack one open at first pour,and enjoy the fruits of your labors

 

[beerlover87]

I like the idea of small batches I also want to have more than one small fermentor in the future as soon as mine gets here demon brew sent my whole kit ..... But forgot to put my fermentor in they are makin it right tho I asked for a bubbler upgrade and they are hooking me up with that for the mistake

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[Oginme]

Kinda disappointed to hear about the trub coming up that was one of the reasons I was sold on the conical design. Hopefully mine stays towards the bottom

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I have a funnel with a screen mesh filter to help keep some of the larger particles and hops out of the fermentor. The other trick I use is that I gear my brewing for 11.5 liters of wort and transfer around 10 (Ok sometimes up to 11 liters on low hopped beers) into the fermentor, leaving a lot of the trub behind in the boil kettle. My trub is rarely above 0.8 liters.

Edited: spelling from typing too fast...

 

[Weezy]

One thing that is great about 2 gallon batches is that 3.3lb LME cans and 3 lb DME bags are the perfect base for a batch for that size. I do a few quick beers that I and others enjoy.

 

[beerlover87]

One thing that is great about 2 gallon batches is that 3.3lb LME cans and 3 lb DME bags are the perfect base for a batch for that size. I do a few quick beers that I and others enjoy.

Two gallon batches seem perfect. After you finish off a a batch of one you can start a batch of something new. Keep a variety around.

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[beerlover87]

Well my conical fermentor and bubbler upgrade is gonna be here today finally .... Been waiting it seems like forever so I get to start my very first batch ever today hope all goes well !!!

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[bstacy1974]

Well my conical fermentor and bubbler upgrade is gonna be here today finally .... Been waiting it seems like forever so I get to start my very first batch ever today hope all goes well !!!

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Pictures, please. I'd like to see this little fermenter in action. You got me wanting one for my small batches.

 

[beerlover87]

Pictures, please. I'd like to see this little fermenter in action. You got me wanting one for my small batches.

No problem I will post pictures on this thread. I will be more than happy to do so may be tomorrow before I get them up or late tonight, I will have to brew after the little ones are in bed so I can concentrate lol this is gonna be my first home brew so I really don't want to make any mistakes


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