Small Batch Brewing

[HBT0701]

I'm interested in experimenting with a few brews and I don't want to waste the money and ingredients on 5 gallons of something that may not turn out. Problem is I only have 5-gallon carboys and 6.5-gallon buckets.

If I want to brew 1, 2, or 2.5 gallon batches, will it be okay to do it in the carboy? I understand the oxygen issue, but will exposure to only the amount in the airlocked carboy be enough to ruin the beer?

If not, I'll be investing in a smaller fermenter.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[HarkinBanks]

Go to home depot, the small white paint buckets are 2 plus gallons and cheap. They are hdpe 2 and fine for small batches. Buy some carb tabs and you can bottle directly from the bucket. Very easy!

 

[HItransplant]

I got some of those 1 gallon jugs of apple juice (glass jugs)... they are kinda hard to find at "normal" grocery stores so check whole foods or the like.

I used the apple juice to make apfelwein, and now I have 3 one gallon fermenters. You can use your 5 gallon carboy as a primary for any size batch (below 5 gallons that is), then just t/f to secondary in your glass jug(s)... or bottle straight from primary.

I find the recipes that I want to experiment with are the more expensive ones that I also want to batch age (bigger beers), or oak, or dry hop, etc.. which it turns out, are the only ones I secondary anymore.. the smaller beers dont cost too much more for 3 gallons vs 1 gallon.. so just make a 3 gallon batch, primary in your 5 galllon carboy, rack to bottling bucket and bottle.

thats what I do anyway.

 

[onipar]

I just found these gallon jugs of Lipton Iced tea on sale for $2. They are #1 PET plastic, plus they are thicker plastic than the gallon jugs of water. Plus they have the cool handle. I was thinking of getting a few more of these to make little sample batches. You can't put a full gallon in it, but if you get, say four, you could brew a two gallon batch, and then split it up between the jugs and try little changes like different yeasts, dry hopping, etc.

Plus you get a gallon of iced tea! :cross: In terms of money, this is the cheapest for me. 2 gallon buckets from HD are comparable at ~$3 + ~$2 for the lid, plus a grommet (50 cents?) and you have to drill the hole and all that. An empty gallon glass wine jug is over $5 plus shipping from Brew stores, or around $12 filled from the liquor store. Not sure how much the glass jug of apple juice is, but if you can find that cheap, i'd go for that.

Only problem is I don't know what size stopper would fit the opening...

 

[Zixxer10R]

I just found these gallon jugs of Lipton Iced tea on sale for $2. They are #1 PET plastic, plus they are thicker plastic than the gallon jugs of water. Plus they have the cool handle. I was thinking of getting a few more of these to make little sample batches. You can't put a full gallon in it, but if you get, say four, you could brew a two gallon batch, and then split it up between the jugs and try little changes like different yeasts, dry hopping, etc.

Plus you get a gallon of iced tea! :cross: In terms of money, this is the cheapest for me. 2 gallon buckets from HD are comparable at ~$3 + ~$2 for the lid, plus a grommet (50 cents?) and you have to drill the hole and all that. An empty gallon glass wine jug is over $5 plus shipping from Brew stores, or around $12 filled from the liquor store. Not sure how much the glass jug of apple juice is, but if you can find that cheap, i'd go for that.

Only problem is I don't know what size stopper would fit the opening...

View attachment 29557

Make sure you REALLY clean that bottle out before you use it for fermentation. Tea has a very strong lingering capability.

 

[onipar]

Make sure you REALLY clean that bottle out before you use it for fermentation. Tea has a very strong lingering capability.

You got it; thanks for the tip. I planned on soaking it in oxyclean, and if I *really* need to, hit it with a bleach solution. I think it'll be okay, the tea doesn't smell too strong.

It's funny, I have this "picker" friend (he constantly goes to yard sales/auctions/etc), and he just brought over a 5 gallon glass carboy for me. He said, "Just give me a couple beers and we'll call it even.

It's my first glass carboy, can't wait to give it a run. Guess I'll have to use it for secondary or smaller batches. Probably use that instead of the tea jug.

 

[JonM]

I picked up a 2-pack of 3-gallon better bottles a while back and they are great for doing 2.5-2.75 gallon batches.

I occasionally use a 5-gal for that size batch with no problems.

 

[supermoth]

Lucky you on the carboy score! Nice to have friends picking up useful stuff for you.

Doing 2 or 2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy would work fine, the CO2 produced by fermentation will drive off the oxygen. For a 1-gallon batch, I'd go with a container that has a narrower footprint, simply because it will make racking easier when it's done. Imagine racking off the yeast cake when the beer's only three inches deep.

Regarding HarkinBanks's comment, I'd advise making sure the bucket was food-grade, and not just HDPE. The HDPE stamp tells recyclers how to process the plastic, but doesn't necessarily guarantee food-grade.