Why do large (10+ gallon) batches?

[danthebugman]

When I first started I did the typical 5 gallon extract batch and a few of the beers I made didn't turn out like I expected they would. Probably mostly my fault. And 5 gallons was quite a bit to drink of those beers. Luckily some friends really liked them and so I was able to get the bottles empty for future brews pretty quick. I have recently made the switch to all grain and have been doing 3 gallon batches mostly. I brew in the comfort of my kitchen (no 100+ days in the summer and no freezing my butt off in the winter) and my stove will only really handle about 4 gallons of wort. I also don't have a lot of space to store beer and brewing equipment. But it also means that I can brew more frequently without worry of being overwhelmed with a particular brew. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. That said, I do sometimes feel that my return on investment (time spent brewing) could be increased. I expect that to be corrected once I try a few techniques to get more out of my brew day (partigyle, split boils, etc.). I also have been doing 1 gallon batches to test out recipes or to try crazy ideas. If they turn out great, then just scale up the recipe. If they suck then I'm out about 9 beers. So for my brewing life style 10 gallons or more at a time doesn't fit, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't have it's place elsewhere.

 

[dobes]

I have a herms system and make 10 gallon batches on it. The only bad thing is its in my garage which is far from my house and i have to run a hose for water for cleaning. So i put together a BIAB that i can do on my stove top in the winter which is only 5 gallons. I like doing the bigger batches cause I always like to have some homebrew on tap and 5 gallons would not cut it.
With the BIAB i hope that i will get more brew days in during the winter and if a nice day arises i will brew a 10 gallon batch in my garage.
The other thing, like many others said, is that i like experiment with my 10 gallon batches.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I do a combination. I brew 10 of anything I've brewed previously or that I have reason to think will turn out well. For screwing around I also brew small batches (between 1 and 2.5 gallons). This gives me the flexibility to always have delicious beer on tap from my 'production' system, whilst also allowing me to go completely off the wall with my 'pilot', and not feel bad when the circus peanut imperial stout turns my skin orange, and I have to dump it.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

Always do 2 x 5.5-6 gal batches side by side. With a brew-buddy helping out, it's not really any more work than doing 1 batch, and we always get 2 different styles. Since we split them, I only end up with 5-6 gal to take home (but he drinks slowly, so I end up helping clear his fridge up down the road.). English brown and a blonde from last weekend.


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[CJ1]

I started with 5 gallon kits, and I just haven't changed. Four to six beers per week makes 5 gallons last quite a while.

 

[rossi46]

I do 12 gallon batches, I can fill two cornies and a few bottles to give away. I usually have 4-7 flavors on tap if I can keep up with my thirsty friends.

 

[DU99]

i like a few different beers,so small batches are handy and i only have four 5 gal kegs.plus i just bought a party.and the downside of a large batch if it don't turn out or get an infection it's less to waste

 

[Renoun]

Group brews: ten gallons split two to four ways isn't that much beer. It's a social event with my beer loving friends.

 

[chuckp]

For the amount of time involved it pretty much takes the same amount of time to do 20 gallons as 5. For my system I've done everything I can to eliminate the time wasting steps.

chuck

 

[Setesh]

To give the other 5 gallons away
To pitch different yeasts for comparison (then give 5 gallons away)
As incentive to get people to brew with you (cause you're giving them 5 gallons)
Events/parties where you need a lot of beer (to give it all away)
Cause you are filling a small barrel and need top up bear for a year.
You plan on spicing/fruiting/oaking/souring/etc. 5 gallons and want another 5 of the same beer for blending.
Your pipeline is running dry
You don't have time to brew multiple batches, so you use the same base beer for two different end beers. EX = Chocolate Cherry Porter and a Vanilla Porter from the same base.
You are making a sour/lambic/etc. that needs so much aging time that brewing two 5 gallon batches a month apart makes no sense
You are making a barleywine (or other monster) and want to be able to sample it regularly to see how it changes and not run out.

Mostly, I just give away a lot of my beer. Making 10 gallon batches takes about the same time and gives me more beer to share.

 

[ChelisHubby]

I am still a new brewer with only 12 batches . as I learn it is helpful to only brew 5 gallons , I do get bored easily so I will probably stay at this size for a long time as I try different things.

 

[beerme70]

The question is, "why aren't you brewing 20 gallon batches?"

 

[ChelisHubby]

The question is, "why aren't you brewing 20 gallon batches?"

Can you imagine a new brewer with twenty gallons of beer that is bad, or infected or just something he doesn't like?

 

[AnOldUR]

It really doesn't take any longer to brew ten gallons than five so if it is a beer you really like, why not?

The trick is not to believe that all beer has to be drank. For me, the process is most of why I brew.

If you don't like it, dump it! If you do like it, share it!

 

[Gameface]

I'd do 1000 gallons if I could.

I have a fascination with large volumes of wort boiling away and then bubbling away. There really is no such thing as too much wort.

But there is such a thing as too little yeast.

 

[evanmars]

I like to brew, so multiple 5 gallon batches = more brewing time than fewer 10 (or more) gallon batches. I don't have an unlimited budget, so I'm already near the max of what I can brew.
I like to drink what I brew too much, 5 gallons doesn't seem to last very long. I'd probably end up going through 10 gallons in not much more time. ("I" means my wife, a few friends, and me).
I prefer to brew alone, so don't need more wort to split.
I don't have my keezer any more, so I am bottling. I hate bottling. Bottling 10 gallons at a time would be 4x worse (for me) than bottling 5 gallons. I also only have enough bottles for just over 10 gallons.
I like variety. Even my favorite recipes only get brewed once or twice a year.
I don't count my time as money, since this is a hobby that I do for fun, not to get a ROI. But, my money is money, so I hate to spend it on something that I just have to dump down the drain.
However, when I get set back up with a keezer and my electric rig, I may do a few 10 gallon batches and split the wort to use different yeasts.

 

[wardens355]

I have recently started brewing 10 gallon batches, fermenting in two carboys. This lets me experiment with different yeasts and dry hops, and allows me to set one aside for souring if desired.

 

[mikescooling]

You can't have too much good beer. I don't have to be stingy with it. And it's so much cheaper than buying it.

 

[Rivenin]

I keg and do 5g batches. I can't see myself doing 10g batches anytime soon. I like variety and can't think of a single beer that I would want to have more than 5 gallons at any one time. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of recipes I've re-brewed because I really enjoyed them, but even those I wouldn't want on tap more often than once or twice a year. Some people say they are a little sad when a keg kicks. I'm actually happy when one finally does so that I can put something else on. And that's with 3 taps available. I suppose if I had a half dozen or more taps it would make sense to have some house recipes that I kept on tap full time and for those 10g batches would make a lot of sense. But with only 3 taps, I need to keep them changing or I'll get bored.

Thats me as well.
I have equipment to do 10 gallon batches and do them, but rarely.
I like variety, i only have 2 taps.

if i do 10 gallon batches its' because i'm either planning to sour half the batch or split the batch with someone.

i think i've only done 10 gallon batches five or six times

Plus if i did 10 gallon batches, i'd be brewing MUCH less... i'ts prety much just me drinking in the house on a normal basis, my wife rarely has a glass. i'll bring a growler here or there, but it's pretty much for my consumption and of course, guests. but we don't have many people over

 

[FloatinAway]

I got a 10 gal (15 gal kettles) system for 4 main reasons

1. Trade kegs with other trusted brewers
2. Splitting the wort to make multiple beers from same batch
3. Ability to make more beer for special occasions (750ml bottles to friends and family for the holidays)
4. Doing less than 10 gal volumes of very high gravity beers that need a bigger mash tun.

 

[Hello]

I have not done many 10 gallon batches but it is when I think the recipe is good and I want more on hand. Beers that go faster are beers I tend to brew bigger batches.

 

[monkeyman1000]

I'm limited on space bc of my job (moving every 3-6 months) so small batches were a necessity at first. However I can't see myself going any bigger than I do now. I make 2-2.5 gallon batches. It takes me 2-3 weeks to drink that. I wouldn't know what to do with 10 gallons of beer. I'd end up giving most of it away.

 

[63belair]

I'm limited on space bc of my job (moving every 3-6 months) so small batches were a necessity at first. However I can't see myself going any bigger than I do now. I make 2-2.5 gallon batches. It takes me 2-3 weeks to drink that. I wouldn't know what to do with 10 gallons of beer. I'd end up giving most of it away.

I was in the same situation until my most recent job. Moving all the time = no room for equipment. As soon as my wife and I landed jobs that would be in the same location the first thing we did was buy a 15 gal kettle!

 

[bobeer]

I've done a few 10+ gallon batches with a buddy and we split the batch. I wouldn't want to do a 10 gallon batch alone because it's just too expensive and I couldn't drink it fast enough if it was an IPA or something that needs to be drunk fresh.
5 gallons seems good to me because just when I'm getting sick of what I'm drinking the keg kicks and it's on to the next one.

 

[runkelia]

I brew 12 gal and can't say it doesn't take more time as it takes more time to heat/boil, so I went from 5 1/2 hour brew day for 5 gallons to 7 1/2 hours for 12, but worth it as I'm lucky to brew once a month.

 

[ejluttmann]

I only keg and regularly brew 10 gallons for the following reasons:

- Since I only keg, not that much more time or effort between 5 and 10 gallons. Feels like a better use of my brewing time.
- I brew beer to share, so it's just not me drinking it.
- I like to have multiple types of beers on tap at the same time.
- It's a little cheaper to brew 10 vs 5 gallons at a time if I do a step up starter.
- Allows me to do split batches ... Like add coffee to 5 gallons and leave the other 5 gallons alone.
- I'll keg and serve the first 5 gallons, then let the second 5 gallons condition for a while. Gives me some reserve and most of the time the second tastes better than the first 5 gallons.
- Because I usually have enough in reserve, I don't ever feel like I "have to" brew, although I do brew often because I enjoy it.


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[Skagdog]

I put 6 gallons in a carboy at the end of the boil and generally end up with between 5-5.75 gallons when I rack it. I try my hardest not to disturb the yeast cake so I leave a little extra in there. Kinda like pouring some out for my homies.

What I do on brew days is brew twice. It only adds about 1.5 hours to a brew day and I end up with two beers. I've done IPA/Stout day, Hefe/Amber day, Amber/IPA day. It doesn't matter. As long as I have the grain bill I can brew any two on one brew day. The first couple times I double brewed I just brewed two IPAs or two blondes and hopped them differently to taste the difference.