Adjustments for a 1-Gal Test Batch

[PearlJamNoCode]

All my beers have been 5 gallon mini-mash batches, white bucket fermenter, you know. I'm interested in trying a few unique recipes (Peanut Butter Porter, Pumpkin Ale) and I'm not sure if I will like them, so I'd like to make a 1-Gal test batch. Besides reducing ingredients (obviously), what other adjustments to be made? I've identified the following...

• Smaller fermenter, 6.5-Gal bucket leaves too much headspace I imagine. Any recommendations?
• How should I purchase yeast. I usually use Wyeast but that's a lot of money for a gallon.
• How would I measure such small amounts (ie: 1/5th oz of hops)?

Any recommendations are welcome!

 

[Dogphish]

i would buy a 1 gallon or 3 gallon carboy if i were you. that does seem like too much of a fermenter for 1 gallon.

dry yeast is cheaper. you could try some different dry brands. you could also make a starter with your yeast, and use a little at a time. starters can last a few months.

i would get a small scale that reads grams, and convert your hops additions to grams. 1 ounce equals 28 grams. 1/8 ounce is 3.5 grams.

 

[Haputanlas]

I just bought a small scale from Harbor Freight for $10. It's awesome and reads down to the .1 oz level.

 

[PearlJamNoCode]

I just bought a small scale from Harbor Freight for $10. It's awesome and reads down to the .1 oz level.

I can't believe I didn't think of one of those small electric scales. They're always found in the backseat of a car on COPS!

 

[Haputanlas]

LOL, that's right.

 

[trevorc13]

I just did a one gallon mini mash. It was a cheap way to make high gravity all grain batch. I just scaled every thing down. Instead of 20 lbs of grain, I used 4. Fits perfect in a two gallon igloo cooler. Because it was a high gravity beer I just pitched a whole vial of yeast instead of having to use a yeast starter. The only thing I didn't take into consideration is the boil off and trub only yielded me 7 beers, but I'm fine with that. They taste great!

I used a 5 gallon carboy for my primary, then racked to a gallon jug. Worked out well. Have fun with it.

 

[Haputanlas]

Yeah, I've made batches that small. However, I always feel like the effort is too much for only 7 beers(At least for a full AG).

My test batches are now always 2.5 Gallons. This makes it very simple to scale all of the 5 gallon recipes and usually ends up with 2 gallons after the trub, blowoff, etc.

 

[PearlJamNoCode]

I've done some ready and I think 2.5 would be best for me actually, I could do a full boil since 2.5 is usually the amount I boil for my 5gal batches. I haven't stepped up to all-grain just yet.

Now just to find some recipes!