1 gallon batches

[Travis H]

Just wondering does anyone do 1 gallon runs to try out a recipe first before going to the 5 gallon or larger batches?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Yep, occasionally.

 

[Travis H]

Yep, occasionally.

I also get over a beer before I get through 5 gallons. Looking to have options in the fridge. Lol

 

[RPh_Guy]

2.5 gallons is a nice batch size for a lot of people, and there are 3 gallon Fermonsters, and appropriately-sized kegs if you do that.

1 gal can be painfully small if it turns out well.

 

[Travis H]

2.5 gallons is a nice batch size for a lot of people, and there are 3 gallon Fermonsters, and appropriately-sized kegs if you do that.

1 gal can be painfully small if it turns out well.

very true. I didn’t think of that idea

 

[OnePlate]

I recently fermented a 2-bottle batch in an orange juice bottle. Mash and boil were done BIAB-style in an InstantPot. Turned out good enough that I'm going to be scaling it up to 1.25 gallons soon.

 

[Travis H]

I recently fermented a 2-bottle batch in an orange juice bottle. Mash and boil were done BIAB-style in an InstantPot. Turned out good enough that I'm going to be scaling it up to 1.25 gallons soon.

nice!!!!

 

[Leezer]

I usually do 2.5 gal batches, but after trying a few things that didn’t turn out so great, I’ve started going back to my one gal roots to try out new stuff. It is a bummer to only have 8 to 10 bottles when the beer comes out great, but I’m looking forward to trying out some new and interesting recipes this way in the coming months.

 

[Oginme]

My standard batch is 10 liters (2.6) with an occasional 16 to 18 liter batch for beers I want to keep for aging or special occasions. I started doing 3 liter to 4 liter batches a couple of years ago for SMaSH recipes, where I did not want a large batch or even a case of bottles hanging around of single dimensional beer that needed to be consumed. Last spring, I began doing some recipe scoping using 3 liter batches which has worked great. I can make several 3 liter batches and turn them over fast so that has greatly shortened my ability to dial in a recipe.

I really don't view it as putting in a lot of work for a little beer. I view it as taking a test drive on a recipe without having to buy the car.

 

[Elric]

I started with 1 gallon batches. I also find i get bored of a beer to do a whole 5 gallon brew, but I was finding the 1 gallons a bit limiting output wise for the amount of time being sunk into it, so I have started doing 2-2.5 gallon batches now. I bought a 2.5 gallon keg to fit some of the batches and others i will either split between my 1gallon kegs or keg 1 gallon and bottle the rest.

 

[dwhite60]

I'm another. I find 2.5 to 3.5 gallons the perfect batch size for me.

 

[derekp83]

I've been thinking about doing SMaSH beers to get more familiar with hops. Planning to do two .75 gal batches at once with two pots, same malt bill, but different hops. Should be fun and informative, and at least that's a gallon and a half that will yield me around 15 beers or so. Using the common 1 gal jugs.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I've been thinking about doing SMaSH beers to get more familiar with hops. Planning to do two .75 gal batches at once with two pots, same malt bill, but different hops. Should be fun and informative, and at least that's a gallon and a half that will yield me around 15 beers or so. Using the common 1 gal jugs.

Basic Brewing Radio's Hop Sampler series might be interesting ...

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I really enjoy 2.5 gal batches. I do a mix of 5 gal batches, 5 gals split into 2 fermenters, or 2.5 gal batches. For the 2.5 gal batches I use a 5 gal kettle, my stove, a 3 gal Fermonster, and I have a pair of 2.6 gal Torpedo kegs. If the kegs were cheaper I would definitely get another pair.

I also enjoy doing extract based hop samplers following a process similar to Basic Brewing Radio. I find that around 1 gal is a good size for experimental stuff but it is a lot of time and effort for 6-8 beers and limits how much you have to share.

 

[soccerdad]

I am more likely to do 2 gallon batches as tests, but 1 G on occasion.