In Theory

[mhenry41h]

I have a 5 gallon converted cooler for my mash tun. I am a mega fan of Imperial IPA's and I find that I simply cannot achieve a high enough gravity to make them. This got me thinking, how about a small batch Brew Master's Collection? Could I not use my current equipment and simply make a 2.5 gallon batch of specialty stuff and bottle them in 22's? I can't see why this wouldn't work...

 

[bootsbier]

Sounds like a great idea to me. A lot of brewing software will scale the ingredients for you as well. So you could even do a 3 or 4 gallon batch. I always do 4 cause they are more manageable in the kitchen.

 

[joety]

I have a 5 gallon converted cooler for my mash tun. I am a mega fan of Imperial IPA's and I find that I simply cannot achieve a higher enough gravity to make them. This got me thinking, how about a small batch Brew Master's Collection? Could I not use my current equipment and simply make a 2.5 gallon batch of specialty stuff and bottle them in 22's? I can't see why this wouldn't work...

You could also try mashing in two stages. Use the wort collected from stage one as the strike water and part of the sparge water for stage two.

 

[Revvy]

There's a ton of small batch threads on here. I do it all the time, especially in the winter on my stove top. A lot of my experimental batches are done this way.

In fact there's so many on here that do small batch ag brewing that they asked for a subforum last week. So despite what other's might say lots of us do 2,5 to 3 gallon batches.

 

[bruin_ale]

I'd just get a new mash tun... but small batch works fine also.

 

[Wig]

If you aren't totally against extract... you could do a partial extract batch. Mash as usual, then add some extract to the boil to hit your target gravity while maintaining your desired (larger :rockin: ) batch size.

 

[bruin_ale]

^ That's another good/easy solution.

 

[mhenry41h]

Thanks for the advice! I think my first Brewmaster's Selection will be called Draconian Nobility Double IPA. Borrowing an idea from Sam Adams, Im thinking that making an Imperial with all of the noble hops could be a pretty cool idea for a rare brew.

 

[ksbrain]

Another vote here for using extract to cover the difference. Maybe even some corn sugar. I just hate the idea of a small batch. Sort of scares me for some reason.

 

[rjwhite41]

I wouldn't use corn sugar but extract is definitely the easy way to go about getting a full 5 gallon batch with your equipment.

 

[MVKTR2]

I too have a 5 gal cooler, Makita brand which seems to be more of a 5.5 gallon cooler fwiw. I use a braided hose setup with a piece of copper tubing with tons of holes in it (more holes than copper) to keep it from collapsing. I'd add a cheap n easy Corona style mill to help your efficiency, self-milling really is a blessing to efficiency.

For my big brews I routinely do 4 or 4.5 gallon batches. My last big brew in the early fall was a 1.093 OG 4.9 gallon barleywine made with 13 lbs 6 oz. of grain plus 1lb table sugar (to help dry it out). Turned out with 10.3% abv. Nothing wrong with that. Adding 1 or 2 lbs is dme is a fine solution for full 5 or 5.5 gallon batches.

Schlante,
Phillip

 

[bbrim]

I did a 3.5 G batch of Scotch ale. It was nice, I think 5 gallons would have killed me.

 

[mhenry41h]

I did a 3.5 G batch of Scotch ale. It was nice, I think 5 gallons would have killed me.

That is what I was thinking. Super high gravity beers aren't exactly something that you have 2 or 3 of a night. I'm thinking a 3 gallon batch of a 10 percent beer is a nice amount.

One brew at a time...

 

[Bensiff]

My double IPA recipe uses a about 10% corn sugar to dry it out and I can do 5 gallons in a 5 gallon cooler with a thick mash and maxing the capacity. But this is in the 8% ABV realm. But, like Revvy (I think) said on the last page, small batches are good for experimenting. I like to do 13-14 gallon batches from time to time to have an extra few gallons of wort to play with in my 3 gallon carboy. Play away with those small batches, it you from hitting the brewing duldrums.

 

[mhenry41h]

Bensiff, it appears that you really have to use some sugar. The recipe I'm toying with has a final gravity estimate of 1.022. That won't work. Sugar appears to be a must with a 1.090 - 1.100 beer.

One brew at a time...

 

[rcbishop]

There's nothing wrong with using DME to assist with your high gravity beers. Commercial breweries do it.