1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[trboyden]

Priming individual bottles is just the worst way to bottle beer. First you have a sanitation concern. When we batch prime we boil all the sugar in a small amount of water and stir it into the beer in the bottling bucket. When we bottle prime we put raw sugar in every bottle using the same spoon or measure. Second, when we batch prime we make one meaurement. When we bottle prime we make multiple tedious measurements. And hope we’ve done the math right.

YMMV, but people have been making beer for ages without all the sanitary and closed system practices that are recently popular. Plenty of breweries still open ferment and then transfer to clearing/bottling line tanks. Many beer making books still demonstrate going from a fermenter to a bottling bucket where priming sugar is added, the solution is stirred and then transferred to bottles. No CO2 purging required. The little bit of oxygen you would get in the process is needed by the yeast remaining in the wort to convert the priming sugar to CO2 in the bottles. Is there a huge quality difference in the beer made with this process vs forced carbonation? Subjectively maybe, but technically or realistically, no. Could it have an impact on the "freshness" of the beer in a month or so? Maybe, but who wants to drink month old beer anyways? It's always best right out of the bright tank. Best example of that is Harpoon Winter Warmer. Totally different taste getting it fresh at the brewery vs the bottled beer by the time it hits the packie. That is one of the reasons I switched to smaller batches myself. I prefer fresh beer, not something that has been sitting a year in bottles or a keg.

 

[hotbeer]

I think people are overly concerned about air and oxygen during the bottling process. It's not that big a deal. Or at least I have not found it to be a big deal to worry about to ad infinitum.

I siphon to an open pot with my priming solution and stir the beer into the solution till I don't see the wavy pattern of the higher density priming solution in the beer any more.

There have been times I had air bubbling in my siphon hose and I was somewhat concerned that maybe this would be the time that I had a bad tasting batch that people fear aeration is going to do during the bottling process. --- so far every batch has been good to great.

Though it does look like my most current batch of Afternoon Wheat Ale got over carb'd. I planned for a full gallon when doing the calc's but messed up siphoning and stirred up the trub. So I only put 87 fl oz or so in the solution that was planned for almost 128 fl oz.

Probably should add the priming solution after I see how much I siphon out. Also wondering what more time conditioning will do for the over carbonation. Maybe it'll behave better in another week or two.

 

[Jamesfromdogriver]

Priming individual bottles is just the worst way to bottle beer. First you have a sanitation concern. When we batch prime we boil all the sugar in a small amount of water and stir it into the beer in the bottling bucket. When we bottle prime we put raw sugar in every bottle using the same spoon or measure. Second, when we batch prime we make one meaurement. When we bottle prime we make multiple tedious measurements. And hope we’ve done the math right.

I add sugar to the bottle bucket and taste the beer. If its nice I bottle it.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I finally bought my 1800w induction burner for my 1 gallon batches. It’ll be here Saturday. I’ll keep this thread updated with how it works!

 

[Drewch]

I finally bought my 1800w induction burner for my 1 gallon batches. It’ll be here Saturday. I’ll keep this thread updated with how it works!

I've used one to do several 4L batches. Very convenient as long as you have an induction-compatible kettle.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I've used one to do several 4L batches. Very convenient as long as you have an induction-compatible kettle.

I just have a generic polar wave 5 gallon SS kettle that I’ve used for years. That should be fine right?

 

[Drewch]

I just have a generic polar wave 5 gallon SS kettle that I’ve used for years. That should be fine right?

From " What Cookware Is Compatible With Induction Cooktops? "

Testing for Compatibility
To tell if a pot or pan is compatible with your induction stove, hold a magnet to the bottom.

• If the magnet clings to the underside, the cookware will work on an induction cooktop.
• If the magnet grabs the pan softly, you may not have good success with it on your cooktop.
• If there is no pull on the magnet, it doesn't contain the right metals and will not generate heat.

 

[HardyFool]

Hey all,

If you're looking for some one gallon insta delight, check out my new fledgling page, @justninebottles

Cheers!

- Adrian

 

[Phoenix7801]

I like using my gallon jugs and LBMB to test out batches. Right now I’m working on a Sack Mead that started as a 1/2 gallon with Mesquite honey. Added more honey and racked it to a gallon. Let it go dry, added more honey and them into a LBMB.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I have a confession...I have a growing addiction to 1-gallon sized fermenters!!

For the past few years I have used some 1 gallon PET bottles, and I have had a few 1.5 gallon DIY fermenters (that I really liked but the hard plastic cracked on 2 of them). I have a 1 gallon jar that I have so far only used for making starters.

I recently picked up a pair of the glass 1.5 gallon Little Big Mouth Bubblers that I have used a few times. I was curious about how they compared to the PET versions (the glass ones are rather heavy and a bit awkward) so I went ahead and picked up a pair of the PET Little Big Mouth Bubblers. Also, recently I added a 1-gallon Fermonster to a recent MoreBeer order (that one tops out at around 1.2 gallons).

Right now they are all empty and I am finding that bottles are a bit of a bottleneck right now. This is due to a mix of recently bottling 3 gallons, bottling some Belgian beers, and bottling beers for a competition. I plan to brew more SMaSH batches and do some split yeast batches.

 

[shoreman]

Curious to see if anyone does “Short & Shoddy” 1 gallon batches? Short & Shoddy

I just brewed a 1 gallon Belgian-style pale last night with 30/30 mash and boil. 1.5 hours total which may be nice for after work brew sessions.

I've been brewing all my beers this way for the past couple years. Don’t have a lot of time these days but still want to brew.

has anyone gone lower in time in these? Any issues?

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Curious to see if anyone does “Short & Shoddy” 1 gallon batches?

I have been moving many of my batches, of all sizes, to 30 minute boils. It has mostly been for hoppy beers, but I want to try it out with other styles.

I have not played with a 30 minute mash yet. My generally feel is that the mash is just sitting there insulated and not consuming any electricity/gas or requiring any attention. For a morning brew, I get the mash going then fix coffee and breakfast. For an evening brew, I get the mash going then fix and eat dinner.

I have been tempted to try a no-chill, no-boil raw ale one day. Combined with a 30 minute mash, it could potentially mean a 1 hour brew day.

P.S. While I love Brulosophy, I have not quite figured out how brewing on a $1K worth of equipment, temperature controlled fermentation, closed keg transfers, etc. qualifies as “Short & Shoddy”.

 

[shoreman]

The only issue I’ve had was last winter with a German Pilsner - I’m not sure if it was the short boil of pils malt or some issues with the lager yeast (the yeast got stuck in the pandemic shipping issues) there was some DMS in this beer and I dumped a bunch.

I use pils base malt for everything and haven’t had an issue besides the above. Try it out on other styles.

 

[pdcm]

I did a 30/30 stout with some leftover bits and I was pretty happy with it. I've been meaning to try it again, but I got distracted with several other things I wanted to experiment with. I wanted to alter the grain bill just a bit and then brew it twice (back to back days?) as both a 60/60 and a 30/30 to see if I can even tell the difference. It was definitely a shorter brew day, especially with the small batch size.

 

[Drewch]

Curious to see if anyone does “Short & Shoddy” 1 gallon batches? Short & Shoddy

I just brewed a 1 gallon Belgian-style pale last night with 30/30 mash and boil. 1.5 hours total which may be nice for after work brew sessions.

I've been brewing all my beers this way for the past couple years. Don’t have a lot of time these days but still want to brew.

has anyone gone lower in time in these? Any issues?

I do 30/30/No-Chill 4L batches. Sometimes I stretch to a 40- or 45-minute mash.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Curious to see if anyone does “Short & Shoddy” 1 gallon batches?

A couple of years ago, I tried some 20/20 and 30/30 batches. The beers were fine, but I settled in on 45/30 for lighter SRM styles and 60/60 for darker SRM styles. Since then, I've made some improvements to how I mash - so your question is may be the inspiration for me to try 20/20 or 30/30 again. If I were in an "experimental brewing" mindset, exploring 15 minute boils with lighter SRM styles would be interesting.

 

[shoreman]

I may give the 20/20 or 15/15 a shot once I get a few 1 gallon batches down. I want to see how the fermentation goes in my mr beer fermentor - I’ve done plenty of 2 gallon batches in those, but these are my first 1 gallons.

my main motivation is to save time - I’m really more into recipe generation and yeast/fermentation at this point in my homebrewing journey. I’ve mashed and boiled plenty of batches and that part of the hobby is just a chore.

 

[AlexKay]

Just an anecdote about glass Little Big Mouth Bubblers:

I had one break the other day. I was lifting it out of the chest freezer, super carefully, and there were no bumps or even sudden movements. The thing just came apart in my hands. Minor cuts on my hands, and broken glass and a gallon of beer on the floor. It had seen two or three fermentations, max. I'll be retiring my other three, as of now, and replacing them with corny kegs and plastic LBMBs. (I'd go all corny keg, but four won't fit side-by-side in my chest freezer.)

 

[shoreman]

Is anyone here using the Mr Beer barrel fermentors for 1 gallon recipes? They are about 2.25 gallons and I’m a little concerned about the headspace and the no seal.

thinking about picking up 2 gallon buckets but not finding any ported ones - I like to bottle right off of primary

 

[Drewch]

Thinking about picking up 2 gallon buckets but not finding any ported ones - I like to bottle right off of primary

A drill, a holesaw, and a bottling spigot off the internet will fix that.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

The only issue I’ve had was last winter with a German Pilsner - I’m not sure if it was the short boil of pils malt or some issues with the lager yeast (the yeast got stuck in the pandemic shipping issues) there was some DMS in this beer and I dumped a bunch.

My most recent 1-gallon batches were 30 minute boils for SMaSH beers comparing Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pils with Avangard Pils. I am not sure how sensitive I am to DMS, but the beers turned out very crisp and clean.

Just an anecdote about glass Little Big Mouth Bubblers:

Good info and something to watch out for. The PET LBMB do look like a nice option, if a little pricey. I originally wanted a pair of those, but they seemed to be out of stock for quite a while so I got a pair of the glass ones.

 

[shoreman]

I’ve been brewing with Avangard Pilsner for the past 4 years with no issues on short boils - great malt. I buy a sack each year.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I may give the 20/20 or 15/15 a shot ...

From what I've read over the years, for many people, it may take 20 to 30 minutes for the mash to "do it's thing" and that a longer (45 to 60 min) mash is a time proven way to know that the mash is done without measuring it. A starch conversion test of some time may be helpful when looking for the minimum mash time for a recipe or style.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Recently brewed a session-ish APA (OG 44) using a concentrated boil (OG 88) and pilsen DME. Color was appropriate to style. For a 1st attempt, I'm happy with the result and may 'dial in' the recipe over time.

Also recently brewed a BIAB session-ish (OG 44) Amber Ale using a concentrated (OG 88) boil. Color also came out as expected. Another recipe that I may 'dial in' over time.

Revisited a couple of presentations over at Briess's Resource Library (link). There's an AHA 2005 presentation, "Wort and Malt Extract Color Development" that has more 'science-y' information than the BBR podcasts (Aug 25, 2005; Nov 17, 2005).

Might buy some pilsen/light LME and revisit "Light IPA Color Challenge (link)" .

 

[satchelkits]

Hey all. I am new on the forum and excited to be here as it has answered 100's of my questions over the years since I started brewing.

I recently started a company focusing on 1 gallon recipe kits because I was tired of the batch size being stigmatized. I found there to be limited options and the price points of those options to be too high. I also didn't like that most 1 gallon companies either focus on all grain or extract and that their instructions are often meh.

So here I am!

Above all, I am here to learn all I can and spread the knowledge I have. Power to the small batch brewer!

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

I am here to learn

First question (yes, there are more): have you read

• Speed Brewing, chapters 1 & 2
• Simple Homebrewing

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Light colored APA challenge: concentrated boil
The "Light colored IPA challenge" reformulated to use all the DME from a single three pound package.

Purpose: Visually observe how much wort darkens during the boil

Approach: Collect three wort samples to observe color of wort before / after boil.

1. Standard boil wort at flame-on
2. Standard boil wort in fermenter
3. Concentrated boil wort in fermenter

All color samples are at OG 44.

Ingredients / special equipment

• 3 lb package pilsen DME (44 PPG)
• 1 oz Magnum (AA 15)
• 3 small containers for color samples

Assume

• boil off rate: 1 qt in 30 min; adjust for your equipment
• boil intensity: 'level 1' boil (Boiling Wort Visual Reference).

Batch 1: 30 min boil @ OG 44

• Collect color sample #1 before flame-on:
  • Add 1 lb DME to 1 gal water;
  • collect sample #1
  • Add 1 qt water to get to "start of boil" volume
• 30 min boil, level 1 intensity
  • @30: 4 g Magnum (AA 15)
  • @5 (optional): Yeast Nutrient, Irish Moss
• Chill, confirm OG;
• collect sample #2 after any trub has settled
• Pitch yeast

Batch 2: 30 min boil 2 @ OG 88

• Add 2 lb DME & water, bring to boil, no need for color sample
• 30 min boil, level 1 intensity
  • @30: 11 g Magnum (AA 15)
  • @5 (optional): Yeast Nutrient, Irish Moss
• Chill, adjust wort to OG 44
• collect sample #3 after any trub has settled
• Pitch yeast

Compare the three color samples.

Ideas for the wort / beer
Ferment with different strains of yeast. Dry hop, add a hop tea, hop extracts, specialty honey; . Carbonate some bottles at a different volume. Experiment with adding CaCl and/or CaS04 in the serving glass.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

And, to be clear, I am not suggesting that people use concentrated boils in place of a partial boil with late additions.

 

[satchelkits]

First question (yes, there are more): have you read

• Speed Brewing, chapters 1 & 2
• Simple Homebrewing

I will check these out, thanks!

To be clearer, I am referring to there being limited companies that sell pre-packaged 1 gallon recipe mixes for a lower price point.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

and that their instructions are often meh.

There seems to be a consensus here at HomebrewTalk that kit instructions are bad. Other discussion sites don't seem to talk about kit instructions. In 2021, there are a couple of online stores with good (my opinion) kit instructions. Some online stores still haven't changed - meh instructions, still in business.

[1 gal] batch size being stigmatized

A 1 gal batch in a 1 gal carboy expecting 10 bottles with fiddly process steps (e.g. add/remove blow off tube) may deserve to be stigmatized.

the small batch brewer

Batch sizes, seem to come in three different volumes:

• 5 gal (standard),
• 2.5 gal (small), and
• 1 gal (stigmatized)

Over the last couple of years, discussion in "1-gal brewers unite" has started to include slightly larger fermentation vessels (1.5 gal / 2 gal) which support scaling down from 2.5 gal batches without becoming fiddly.

Viewing batch size, based on packaging volume, may yield some interesting insights into home brewing:

• standard: 48 bottles (roughly 5 gal)
• small: 24 bottles (roughly 2.5 gal)
• "12-pack" brewing: 12 bottles
• "6-pack" brewing: 6 bottles

FWIW, Basic Brewing Radio brews many of their experimental batches (hop samplers, malt samplers, 'water chemistry' samplers) as a six pack. And there are additional good uses for 1 gal carboys (storing StarSan, fermenting extra wort from a five gal batch, split wort experiments, ...).

One of the strengths of "12-pack" brewing vs "1 gal carboy" brewing is that mash temperatures are easier to control.

• Heat water to strike temp, add the grains, measure the mash temperature (to confirm the math that estimated the temperature), wrap the kettle, walk away.
• Early on, I found that measuring mash temperature caused an additional 1-2F drop in mash temperature over the next 15 minutes.

eta: With regard to making quality kit instructions for a new brewer, I wonder if the minimum size for those instructions is roughly a chapter in a book (c.f. How to Brew, 4e, chapter 1; Speed Brewing, Simple Homebrewing).