1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[Gunnarubex]

I brew in 1 gallon batches for several reasons. I live in a spider hole of an apartment, so I don't have room for 5 gallon carboys and large burners, etc. Second, my wife doesn't really drink beer, so what I brew I have to drink on my own, or share it. Third, I'm fairly new to brewing and don't want to be known as that guy who gives out crappy beer. And fourth, it's really nice to have several different beers in different stages of production. This way I don't have to wait around when one runs out, there's always something fresh coming up.

 

[zgo]

I've been doing one gallon AG batches for about 6 months now (after a year of extract stuff with friends), and it's great for a number of reasons:
1. Variety
2. Educational (series of smash brews)
3. Honing a method that I can--when I have the dough--scale up to larger batches with bigger and better equipment. Even then, though, I'll probably only do 3 gallons, just to keep a variety of beer around.

The only thing is that it isn't cost effective. I don't have a decent LHBS around here (the one we've got sells grains by the pound, and just a few at that), so I have to order everything online. Unless you're planning on brewing every week and order all the ingredients at once, the cost per bottle is less than decent. If you do order stuff for four brews at the beginning of each month, then you'll have crushed grains sitting around for weeks. The yeast alone accounts for almost 40% of the cost even though I'm only using half a pack. This is why I'll be going to 3 gallons in the near future.

 

[cmybeer]

I'm a recent convert to the one gallon batches. I've got two small ones under my belt so far, each experimental batches I wrote the recipes to and am greatly anticipating the results.

 

[BigBill]

Just curious approximately what size boil do you start with? I like the ideea of using 1G batches to mess around with things.

 

[bleme]

The yeast alone accounts for almost 40% of the cost even though I'm only using half a pack.

This is why I wash my yeast. It is incredibly easy and if you plan your brews lightest to darkest, weakest to strongest, one pack of dry yeast will be good for 20 brews.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Hey Labrat can you explain your blow off tube set up? I like the simplicity of it and could be an easy fix to what I am doing. Thanks.

Its just a three piece airlock base with a short blow off tube shoved onto the center post. It blows off into the cup of sanitizer bungee corded to the jug.l

 

[AgentHubcap]

I've been using my 1 gallon carboy for experiments and "wife beers". She doesn't drink much, so she doesn't care that I only get 10 or so from the batch.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Today I bottled one gallon of a black ipa called You Never Go Back. If it turn out then I'll make 8 gallons. I love the 1 gallon test batches.

 

[kc1123]

Just curious approximately what size boil do you start with? I like the ideea of using 1G batches to mess around with things.

1.2 gallon boil approx.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Just curious approximately what size boil do you start with? I like the ideea of using 1G batches to mess around with things.

I use the BIAB method, so I start with just shy of 2 gallons. After removing the grains, I'd estimate that I have 1.2 to 1.5 gallons for the boil, and I end up very close to one gallon (give or take a few oz's).

 

[wormraper]

I was thinking of doing a couple of small 2.5 gallon batches using the BIAB all grain method. can I put them each in a 6.5 gallon ale pail or do I need something with less headroom like a 3 gallon bottle etc.??

also can you split one package of yeast across 2 batches since it's a smaller 2.5 gallon batch vs. a 5 gallon?

 

[mrgstiffler]

I was thinking of doing a couple of small 2.5 gallon batches using the BIAB all grain method. can I put them each in a 6.5 gallon ale pail or do I need something with less headroom like a 3 gallon bottle etc.??

also can you split one package of yeast across 2 batches since it's a smaller 2.5 gallon batch vs. a 5 gallon?

Yes, you can primary in a larger vessel no problem. If you use a secondary, then it should be a smaller vessel though.

For the yeast, it depends on what kind you're using. If you're using White Labs or Wyeast, then 1 package is typically not enough for a 5 gallon batch but is just about the right amount for ~3 gallons or so. Check out the pitching rate calculator: http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

 

[daksin]

I never much got the "not enough space" argument. I live in a 580sqft condo, grabbed a turkey burner that I use on my patio, and BIAB all-grain. At the moment I've got 10 gallons in 3 kegs serving, and 25 gallons fermenting in my living room, out of the way. My brew day is 4-4.5 hours, from strike to end of cleanup.

If I didn't want to buy the turkey burner, my only investment would be the pot (MLT and boil kettle in one) and I can get that to a boil nicely as it sits over two of my apartment-size stove burners. I could potentially still be doing what I'm doing.

That said, my first batch was a 1 gallon and I still have that jug. Definitely cool for experimental batches. I guess if you're absolutely intent on not buying anything other than ingredients, 1 gallon batches make sense, but if you have a 7 or 8 gallon pot already, that's all you need to do bigger batches. I like the portability of 1 gallon, though. I can't exactly pick up my buckets and just drop them in another room if we're having company. That's a bit of an endeavor, and bottling 12 bottles instead of 52 certainly has its appeal.

 

[wormraper]

Yes, you can primary in a larger vessel no problem. If you use a secondary, then it should be a smaller vessel though.

The the yeast, it depends on what kind you're using. If you're using White Labs or Wyeast, then 1 package is typically not enough for a 5 gallon batch but is just about the right amount for ~3 gallons or so. Check out the pitching rate calculator: http://www.mrmalty.com/calc/calc.html

one package of the liquid Wyeast isn't enough??? strange they only give you one packet of yeast in the ingredient sets at both my LHBS places and the kits that come from NORTHERN Brewers for the 5-5.5 gallon kits

 

[D_Nyholm]

one package of the liquid Wyeast isn't enough??? strange they only give you one packet of yeast in the ingredient sets at both my LHBS places and the kits that come from NORTHERN Brewers for the 5-5.5 gallon kits

Yeah, using liquid yeast you need to make a starter to up the cell count. Dry yeast only needs about 1 package for normal gravity beers.

 

[wormraper]

Yeah, using liquid yeast you need to make a starter to up the cell count. Dry yeast only needs about 1 package for normal gravity beers.

ah, gotcha, I always assumed making a starter was pretty mandatory for liquid yeasts. in that case if I'm doing two 2.5 gallon batches can I just make a starter and for the yeast and split the result between the 2 smaller fermenters?

 

[mrgstiffler]

ah, gotcha, I always assumed making a starter was pretty mandatory for liquid yeasts. in that case if I'm doing two 2.5 gallon batches can I just make a starter and for the yeast and split the result between the 2 smaller fermenters?

Check out the pitching rate calculator I posted. That will tell you how much of a starter you need.

 

[wormraper]

Check out the pitching rate calculator I posted. That will tell you how much of a starter you need.

thanks, 1.25 liters of starter should be enough to split between two batches. although I may end up making my 2.5 gallon batches with simpler beers so nottingham yeast may be enough and with that I can just split the pack

 

[BlakeL]

I started with a Brooklyn Brew Shop kit and have two other 1g recipes planned for the next few weeks. I'm a big fan of the small batches because my house is very small and I just don't have room for 5g stuff.

 

[jonmohno]

People doing 5 gallon batches may not brew as frequently and as many styles/experiments as small batch brewers. I found 1 gallon was not quite enough beer to have save and keep so i do about almost 2 -well using 2 gallon fermenters.Plus not many people i know are too interested in beer or craft beer so i dont give much out.But the family/friends i have given them too give me very good feedback-and i tend to give them my "better" beers so at least i know a consensus is they are ok at least.One of my buddies and i had some local beer on tap then back to my house and he tried "homebrew" for the first time and he said he liked it "alot"better than the local ones he had at the bar.Everybody finishes my beer which makes me know im doing something right at least.

All grain is a breeze with small batch all grain biab stovetop also. Which made it a very simple step from partial/extract batches.Plus you can experiment at low cost and not be stuck with too many of just ok beer(nothing wrong with that-though).There would not be good beer if there wasnt anything lesser,right?Which leads to great beer to excellent,to holy **** i made that-beer?

 

[blakelyc]

I do 1-gallon meads and such and I love the idea of doing 1-gallon beers. Would anyone care to share photos of their 1-gallon all-grain setup? I am confused about the bias method vs methods requiring sparging, etc. thus far I am an extract + steeping grains brewer at 5-gallons. 1-gallon batches may gain me spousal support for larger batches if they are successful. How do you scale yeast for 1-gallon?

Cheers,
-Blake

 

[kitchensqueen]

This is the thread for me. I'll be brewing for the first time this weekend - an all grain one gallon batch of brown ale from the Brooklyn Brew Shop book. I didn't get a kit, but instead purchased the basic ingredients from Midwest. I got all the equipment I need, plus enough grain, hops and yeast to do two batches for the same price as one of their kits. The kits are neat, but I love getting more for my money.

Space and variety are the two reasons I'm starting out with small batches. A lot of people think that everyone should have room for a 5 gallon carboy, but my husband and I are living with our 8 month old son in a small one bedroom apartment. There just isn't space for one right now, but a gallon jug I can manage.

I also like the idea of getting to try new beer more often than a larger batch would afford. Wish me luck this weekend - I'm excited to get the ball rolling.

 

[Calichusetts]

I do 1-gallon meads and such and I love the idea of doing 1-gallon beers. Would anyone care to share photos of their 1-gallon all-grain setup? I am confused about the bias method vs methods requiring sparging, etc. thus far I am an extract + steeping grains brewer at 5-gallons. 1-gallon batches may gain me spousal support for larger batches if they are successful. How do you scale yeast for 1-gallon?

Cheers,
-Blake

I hit 70% using two pots and a strainer. I use a 12 quart pot for mashing (You want to use something low, the higher the water line in the pot, the less heat you will use) and a 16 quart for my boil (avoid boilovers). I mash for a little over an hour then dump the grains into one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VZOOOY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Get one that matches the diameter of your pots (hopefully your pots are the same size) so you can simply put the strainer on top of the pot, dump in your grains.

Let it drain for a minute, I often lift it up and tilt in several directions, then put the grains on top of the other pot, and SLOWLY pour the wort back through the grains, try to pour over every area but more than half through the middle. Repeat two more times.

Add the grains back to the mash pot, add your sparge water. I also have a 1 gallon pot I transfer my wort to and start heating up immediately. Stir like crazy, wait a few minutes. Repeat the whole process. I have hit 75% but my last 6 batches are all 69.5% And this is with precrushed grains as well.


Thats it. I have a few other small mesh strainers I use to pour the wort through into a chill pot to capture all the hop material, etc. A smaller pot is nice to chill in because I can easily fit it in my sink/ice-bath

As for yeast...a half pack without rehydration will take care of most beers, even higher gravity like I usually do. 3 grams is usually what you need. I often do double batch brewdays so I can use the whole pack right there.


No pics as of now, doing a fathers day triple batch brewday (Just got citra, simcoe, centinneal and summit for a few single hopped IPAs and my tasty original recipe) but I will take some then...good luck!

 

[kicary]

Well....there you go! I never knew people brewed in batches smaller than 5 gallons. I was introduced to this craft doing 5 gallons at a time. I love having 2 cases of beer when I am finished.

 

[ZedBrewer]

Add the grains back to the mash pot, add your sparge water. I also have a 1 gallon pot I transfer my wort to and start heating up immediately. Stir like crazy, wait a few minutes. Repeat the whole process. I have hit 75% but my last 6 batches are all 69.5% And this is with precrushed grains as well.

Hi Calichusetts,

Can I just ask you to clarify what you're doing in this step? It sounds to me like you take the first runnings and recirculate them through the grain a couple of times, then basically soak the grains for a few minutes in your sparge water, collect second runnings, recirculate THOSE through the grains a couple of times, then dump the second runnings into the boil kettle along with the first runnings. Is that more or less it?

My procedure has been to collect the first runnings, then to pour the sparge water through the grain into the same pot as the first runnings, then to circulate the whole volume of wort once or twice through the grain again. My efficiency seems to be in the low to mid 60s, so I'm wondering if I can boost that a bit by adopting something more like your method.

Thanks!

 

[Calichusetts]

Hi Calichusetts,

Can I just ask you to clarify what you're doing in this step? It sounds to me like you take the first runnings and recirculate them through the grain a couple of times, then basically soak the grains for a few minutes in your sparge water, collect second runnings, recirculate THOSE through the grains a couple of times, then dump the second runnings into the boil kettle along with the first runnings. Is that more or less it?

My procedure has been to collect the first runnings, then to pour the sparge water through the grain into the same pot as the first runnings, then to circulate the whole volume of wort once or twice through the grain again. My efficiency seems to be in the low to mid 60s, so I'm wondering if I can boost that a bit by adopting something more like your method.

Thanks!

I too was getting low 60s with your method. You are correct...I run the "first runnings" through the grain 3 times, allowing about a minute for it all to drain each time as I lift the strainer and tilt it in different directions. Add them back to the sparge, stir like crazy and let it sit for a few minutes, the repeat the draining process. I am not recirculating the first runnings with the sparge, that is already heating up.

Other things that have helped me are stirring fairly often during the mash, every 5 to 10 minutes, not using a bag, and extending my mash to 75 minutes. Once I get my own grain mill I can really see how well this works but I haven't fallen below 70% in quite some time now.

Good luck!

 

[ZedBrewer]

Thanks very much for the clarification!

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

My 1st batch was a brooklyn brew shop summer wheat. Yech. But i was intrigued enough to keep trying. Found a lhbs and bought ingredients for a pale that turned out really well. I did the 2-pot sparge thing maybe 3 times before switching to single pot biab.

Got tired of ending up with 7 grolsch bottles after all that work and upgraded to 7.5g kettles and a 10g mash tun, but i have some 1g test batches planned.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

And fwiw i think the bbs kits are an OK way to start but if you have an lhbs you can jump into 1 gallon biab for less money with some help from anyone who was brewed before.

 

[ZedBrewer]

And fwiw i think the bbs kits are an OK way to start but if you have an lhbs you can jump into 1 gallon biab for less money with some help from anyone who was brewed before.

I started with BBS, and that's basically where most of my current process comes from, though I don't use their kits any more.

But all this raises another question that's been flitting around in my head. If I were to just do a full-volume mash in one pot, then dump the contents of the mash pot through a strainer or colander into the boil kettle and let it drain for a few minutes, is that really any different from BIAB?

Another way to put the question, I guess, is what purpose does the bag serve in the BIAB method, other than giving you a convenient way to separate the grains from the sweet wort?

Thanks!