1 gallon all grain setups from AHS

[carndog]

Has anyone tried the 1 gallon all-grain kits from Austin Homebrew? I have a bunch on extract brewing experiance, but never have done all grain. I think this would be a good start to get into all grain. I was looking for sample instructions on the site but couldn't find any. I don't this this is a BIAB setup.
1 Gallon kit at AHS

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

That looks insanely expensive for some very cheap parts. If you are already brewing you already have a thermometer, racking cane, hoses, sanitizer and airlocks. The only thing you need is an appropriate-sized fermentor and a mashing vessel. You could find a 1.1 gallon jug fairly easily if you know somebody who will drink a jug of wine. You could also find 1.5 or 2 gallon jugs for free or dirt cheap from a local restaurant or bakery. Drill a hole in the lid, add a grommet and insert the airlock. Hell, even if you bought the jug of wine and dumped it you would have only spent $11-13 and then you need to buy a $1 stopper for the airlock. Many HBS also carry those gallon or 1.1 gallon jugs. If it's not BIAB -- and it doesn't look like it comes with a straining bag -- then you need a mash tun or some form of strainer for the kettle/pot you use as a mash vessel. You could get a strainer bag for that size at any HBS for a couple bucks. It looks like you have to pay for that either way.

I just don't see why you would spend $33 for a bunch of equipment you have and a bucket and/or jug. The recipe kits are over-priced. Even if I had to buy dry yeast, an ounce of hops and the grain for one gallon it still wouldn't be $11.50-12.50 to brew a gallon. You could put together your own gallon recipes and shave a couple bucks (or more) off, especially if you are reusing your yeast.

 

[discokid2k]

I would just order the ingredients in larger quantities from AHB. I order from them all the time and the instructions are basic for every batch-seriously, the mash instructions NEVER change! Your better off just going head first into the AG realm for the price of the 1gal vs. 5.25 gal kits they offer and using beersmith or beer calculus to formulate your recipe specifics. I am also a fan of brew365.com's mash/sparge calculator. Once you get your system water measuements down. it is pretty accurate and will help refine your skills, IMO. One thing I can reccomend is have AHB crush your grain twice. I have seem a huge gain in efficiency since I started requesting that. Other than that, AHB will pretty much set you right every time. Great home brew shop and they always have great advice to give!

 

[kingwood-kid]

If you already brew extract, all you're really missing to transition to all-grain is a mash tun. Unless you have a decent-size igloo cooler with a spout, in which case, you're not missing anything. A lot of people construct fancy false bottoms or braids, but I've found that sticking a $1.97 stainless steel sink trap over the spout works nearly as well. If you want to make smaller batches (all-grain, partial-mash or extract), you can ferment 2 gallon batches in a six gallon bucket without issue. I enjoy brewing small batches, as it allows me more room for experimentation; you just don't really need to spend much extra money to do so. You could probably stick a rubber stopper in a 1 gallon water jug, although durability might be an issue.

 

[discokid2k]

I second the small batch idea as well. I do a lot of 3 gal batchs to gain experience and see what works together well, what doesnt, etc. I will try a recipes out on two 3 gal batches that came from the same 6 gal batch so I can go different directions with the boil, hops, yeast, and ferment. I would still buy some of the grain in bulk, it will save you $ in the long run.

 

[Toccata]

50 bux for 1 gallon of beer? The problem with these kits as stepping stones is that you'll use the equipment exactly once and than have to buy an all grain set up anyway. Great for a retailer, crap for a brewer. All grain is easy. You trade your time for a deeper level of involvement. Well worth the trade imo.

 

[Tiako]

50 bux for 1 gallon of beer? The problem with these kits as stepping stones is that you'll use the equipment exactly once and than have to buy an all grain set up anyway. Great for a retailer, crap for a brewer. All grain is easy. You trade your time for a deeper level of involvement. Well worth the trade imo.

This and the all grain eqiupment can be made cheap..


Its like when I bottled.. I only did it once then I was like **** this getting a keg

 

[carndog]

I think i will make/buy the equipment for a 5 gallon set up. I will still use it for small 1-2 gallon brews. Thanks everyone for their help.

 

[flipfloptan]

I think i will make/buy the equipment for a 5 gallon set up. I will still use it for small 1-2 gallon brews. Thanks everyone for their help.

Smart move. I went this route. I have bought a couple of 1 gallon glass jugs for around $4 and use my BIAB equipment to make smaller batches.

Next time you order a 5 gallon recipe add the grains/hops for a 1 gallon recipe.
I am testing several different wheat recipes for our summer staple brew in 1 gallon recipes. It only adds about $7 bucks more to the final bill. It is much cheaper. I have bought a liquid wheat yeast strain that I am building a big starter to use as yeast for all these batches. Save yeast from batches to use on 1 gallon recipes.

The yeast kills you on 1 gallon recipes.

 

[ACbrewer]

if you like glass, the 1 gallon jugs from wine are good (or you can buy then seperatly at a lhbs). I know someone who gets organic orange juice from trader joes and uses the 1 gallon glass for fermenting. If you are ok with plastic,and want a smaller container, you can get teh 20oz (by weight) cheese puffs in a plastic container from Target OR get a large UTZ pretzel container (Walmart or Target) eat the food and just drill out the lid. Those go in the 2gallon total volume range.

The biggest advantage I can see to a small container is storage space (either fermenting or empty)- ok I have a few of these and the other advantage is I got them essentually free, and they allow me the ablity to do small fermeting or splitting btaches without tying up one of my large fermentors.

A typical 5 gallon batch of beer (around 1.040 SG) someone calclulated made 300 gallons of CO2 at STP, thus even 1 gallon will go about 50 gallons and easily displace most if not all of the standard air in the head space, at least until it is opened.

 

[dstranger99]

Why go thru all that trouble for 1 gallon? I would invest in a 5 gallon partial mash to get my feet wet to AG..........

 

[BrewDocND]

I'm an extract with steeping grains brewer and every once in a while I'll make a 1.75 gallon brew-in-a-bag batch. The only thing I had to buy was a 2 gallon bucket, stopper and airlock, and a paint strainer bag. Super easy and cheap.

Brew software will help you scale down recipes

 

[carndog]

One of the reasons for the small kit is I spend a lot of my time at a condo that I travel to for work. I don't want or have room to cart all my brew stuff back and forth. I saw the one gallon brews setup and figured it was best for the condo brewing. I have watched a few videos on youtube and think I can build some equipment and make small batches. With the brew software I can take any recipe and set it up for my 1 gallon brews. I also came across the book "Beer Craft: A Simple Guide to Making Great Beer" which I'll probably pick up for the recipes.

 

[discokid2k]

I think i will make/buy the equipment for a 5 gallon set up. I will still use it for small 1-2 gallon brews. Thanks everyone for their help.

That's what I did. I have a lot of 5 and 6 gal fermenters but I wanted to experiment more so I asked a lot of my friends to save any 1 gal sangria jugs for me. I know have 6 1 gal sangria jugs and two 3 gal fermenters. I make batches using a smaller kettle or sometimes a make a 6 gal batch and split it into two or three batches and go with different hops and yeast for each one. It has become and obsession! My wife is so pissed that she ever gave me that 1st Mr. Beer kit>

 

[discokid2k]

One of the reasons for the small kit is I spend a lot of my time at a condo that I travel to for work. I don't want or have room to cart all my brew stuff back and forth. I saw the one gallon brews setup and figured it was best for the condo brewing. I have watched a few videos on youtube and think I can build some equipment and make small batches. With the brew software I can take any recipe and set it up for my 1 gallon brews. I also came across the book "Beer Craft: A Simple Guide to Making Great Beer" which I'll probably pick up for the recipes.

I also live in a condo and travel a lot for work. That is the other 1/2 of why I started doing smaller batches. I still built an AG setup for large batches but due to the fact that I cant have a propane burner here and electric stove tops suck at boiling 6 or 7 gallons, I downsized. This guy has a great DIY build on how to make some home brew equipment cheaply:
http://www.donosborn.com/