1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[muleskinner90]

Thanks, cheesecake! Just learned what cold crashing mean. Will it hurt to cold crash it on the 20th day and bottle on the 21st day?

 

[cheesecake]

Nope as long as fermentation is complete

 

[muleskinner90]

Nope as long as fermentation is complete

Speaking of that, I am on my way to buy a hydrometer and have a brew. What is the best way to use a hydrometer on a 1 gallon batch without losing the sample? Can I just make sure the hydrometer and sample jar are sanitized and pour it back in?

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Speaking of that, I am on my way to buy a hydrometer and have a brew. What is the best way to use a hydrometer on a 1 gallon batch without losing the sample? Can I just make sure the hydrometer and sample jar are sanitized and pour it back in?

If everything is sanitized properly then yeah, you can just pour it back in.

 

[truekey]

I'm always scared to pour back in but I really hate racking and finding out I only have enough to fill half a bottle or so at the end. Luckily I bought star San so this should be less of an issue now.

 

[rawkstar320]

Amazon had refractometers for a about $20. You have to do some calculating once fermentation starts, but it only takes a drop of liquid to get a reading.

I use mine all the time, I only use my hydrometer when I'm in a hurry to bottle (as in, is it ready to bottle today...100% sure). But that doesn't/shouldn't happen often.

 

[muleskinner90]

I would let it ferment for another week and then cold crash it for 24 hours and then bottle it. Cold crashing will help everything fall out. Just put the fermenter in the fridge to cold crash

Can I cold crash it in my non-insulated garage if the low for that night is 25 degrees? I plan on doing it this Sunday. Also, will cold crashing affect my priming? I had planned on priming for 2 weeks. Before cold crashing, should I take off the airlock and replace with a sanitized piece of foil with a rubber band?

 

[solbes]

Is your garage attached? Mine is and is always 10 degrees warmer than outside temps because it shares a common wall. 25 would not scare me at all, if so. It will take 24 hours at least for your beer to come into temp equilibrium anyway.

Cold crashing does not affect priming unless it gets below freezing temps (remember beer freezes a few degrees below 32 b/c of the alcohol). If you have star san or vodka in your airlock, no issues if the colder temps suck some in the fermenter.

 

[muleskinner90]

It is an attached garage. I do have the Star San in the airlock.

 

[truekey]

Made a 1 gallon partial mash batch today. Amber DME, Vienna and crystal 60 malts. I decided to be brave and did a hydrometer reading before I dumped the rest into my primary. 1.060... Hoping to get 6% ABV

I love one gallon batches because I get to stay warm in my kitchen.

 

[BGBC]

Woo! Ordered the ingredients for my first two 1 gal batches last night. Strategically planning two brews I think my fiance will enjoy (Brandon O's Graff and a Honey Wheat). Gotta get her buy-in early!

 

[bellmtbbq]

200 pages! Congrats folks.

I'm brewing that Munich to Kiwi Pale Ale I was talking about last weekend, Friday. I'm hoping I'll enter this in my first competition but who knows.

 

[fifthcircle]

Did my first one gal batch yesterday. (been doing 5gal for about 1.5yrs)
I wanted to try a tiny batch with some new to me hops. NZ Hallertau and Pride of Ringwood. I went for an IPA style. Got a little under 1gal in the growler...bummed about that.

Also, I didn't really think about it, but when I was messing with the recipe in Beersmith, the littlest change dramatically changes the beer. I think 1gal brewing is harder than 5gal, in that respect.

 

[dougen]

my frist batch of brewing beer..a 1 gallon kit from brooklyn brew shop chestnut brow ale(christmas gift-i make wine so this is a change),didnt add the chestnuts thou but an all grain kit...if it comes out good have to ask my buddies for their bottles...lol

i know there is no bung and blow off tube just took a pic before i put them on

 

[muleskinner90]

Just performed my first gravity reading. Didn't take an OG reading. Today is the 16th day since brew day. Brewing an Irish Red Ale. Gravity reading tonight was 1.006. Going to take one tomorrow and the next. If no change, will cold crash on Sunday and bottle on Monday. I bought a wine thief yesterday but can't use it because it won't fit through the neck of my fermenting jug. Sanitized a turkey baster and used that tonight. Used the wine thief as a sample jar.sanitized everything. Returned sample to jug. Everything sound good with my procedure?

 

[divrguy]

It is an attached garage. I do have the Star San in the airlock.

Good to go!

Made a 1 gallon partial mash batch today. Amber DME, Vienna and crystal 60 malts. I decided to be brave and did a hydrometer reading before I dumped the rest into my primary. 1.060... Hoping to get 6% ABV

I love one gallon batches because I get to stay warm in my kitchen.

Nice, welcome!

Woo! Ordered the ingredients for my first two 1 gal batches last night. Strategically planning two brews I think my fiance will enjoy (Brandon O's Graff and a Honey Wheat). Gotta get her buy-in early!

Smart move BGBC

200 pages! Congrats folks.

I'm brewing that Munich to Kiwi Pale Ale I was talking about last weekend, Friday. I'm hoping I'll enter this in my first competition but who knows.

GO FOR IT! Good luck

Did my first one gal batch yesterday. (been doing 5gal for about 1.5yrs)
I wanted to try a tiny batch with some new to me hops. NZ Hallertau and Pride of Ringwood. I went for an IPA style. Got a little under 1gal in the growler...bummed about that.

Also, I didn't really think about it, but when I was messing with the recipe in Beersmith, the littlest change dramatically changes the beer. I think 1gal brewing is harder than 5gal, in that respect.

I agree fifth circle. Sometimes the 1 gallon brews are quite difficult when scaling down. I noticed sometimes that beersmith would delete ingredients ( make it zero) when my initial amounts were very small in a 5 gallon batch like 4-6 oz so now I don't check the box to match sometimes when scale way down and play with it from there.

my frist batch of brewing beer..a 1 gallon kit from brooklyn brew shop chestnut brow ale(christmas gift-i make wine so this is a change),didnt add the chestnuts thou but an all grain kit...if it comes out good have to ask my buddies for their bottles...lol

i know there is no bung and blow off tube just took a pic before i put them on

That's sounds like a great kit. Keep us posted!

Just performed my first gravity reading. Didn't take an OG reading. Today is the 16th day since brew day. Brewing an Irish Red Ale. Gravity reading tonight was 1.006. Going to take one tomorrow and the next. If no change, will cold crash on Sunday and bottle on Monday. I bought a wine thief yesterday but can't use it because it won't fit through the neck of my fermenting jug. Sanitized a turkey baster and used that tonight. Used the wine thief as a sample jar.sanitized everything. Returned sample to jug. Everything sound good with my procedure?

You're almost there muleskinner. You can actually take a sample and then wait 2 days and take another. No change and your good to go. That way you save one sample.

 

[Mooglebass]

I brewed my first all grain Saturday, it was centennial blonde, that's on the forums. I brewed 1.5 gallons of it so i could have some fun with the half gallon. I plan on adding raspberries to it. I know to cook them down to 160 degrees to kill stuff, but my question is how much? 1 cup, half cup, i am not sure where to start with this part of it.

Also my caribou slobber and american wheat from northern brewer are all gone, they were well received. So it looks like i will have o start brewing more. Just the wife dont like the smell when i brew in the house. Turkey fryer time it is. llol

 

[Leadgolem]

Good to go!



Nice, welcome!



Smart move BGBC



GO FOR IT! Good luck



I agree fifth circle. Sometimes the 1 gallon brews are quite difficult when scaling down. I noticed sometimes that beersmith would delete ingredients ( make it zero) when my initial amounts were very small in a 5 gallon batch like 4-6 oz so now I don't check the box to match sometimes when scale way down and play with it from there.



That's sounds like a great kit. Keep us posted!



You're almost there muleskinner. You can actually take a sample and then wait 2 days and take another. No change and your good to go. That way you save one sample.

What he said.

I just found out I can grow kiwi outdoors here. I'm kinda confused, I like in Colorado. Isn't kiwi a tropical plant?

 

[Epimetheus]

I just found out I can grow kiwi outdoors here. I'm kinda confused, I like in Colorado. Isn't kiwi a tropical plant?

Hardy kiwi is a type of vine. It can grow to zone 5 and does nicely here in MA. The fruits are the size of a large grape, same green color and less fuzz on the outside. Very, very sweet, sort of like a concentrated New Zealand kiwi. Vines take several years before they produce. Uh, I'm getting carried away with gardening again. (slaps self)

Agree that small batches can be more difficult. Small changes of ingredients are magnified. Mash temps can be difficult to hold because there is less thermal mass. I'm gonna stick to 2.5 gal until I find a way to closely control the mash temp.

 

[mkh]

I got a 1 gallon kit from Brooklyn Brew Shop over the holidays and am going to fire it up this weekend at some point. Glad I read some fo the threads on it, def need to get a couple bigger pots.

 

[h4mmy86]

Plan to do my first one gallon batch momentarily! Been doing 5 gallon batches for a while now, just wanted to do some small scale experimentation. Pretty excited about this.

 

[truekey]

Sounds okay to me. I'd just be extra cautious cleaning that turkey baster.


Today, even though this isn't a good thing, I'm particularly proud. I got beer fermenting so hard right now I got some foam coming out my blowoff tube. Temp is a constant 66 degrees. It's the Nottingham ale yeast.

 

[truekey]

Grats! One gallon is super easy to get full boil, full utilization. It's a little time consuming for not much beer but its also much cheaper and low risk

 

[rawkstar320]

Sounds okay to me. I'd just be extra cautious cleaning that turkey baster.

Today, even though this isn't a good thing, I'm particularly proud. I got beer fermenting so hard right now I got some foam coming out my blowoff tube. Temp is a constant 66 degrees. It's the Nottingham ale yeast.

Mine do that all the time.....

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

So I'm having a bit of a conundrum.

I am getting ready to buy my kit and stuff and I come across a website that sells Amber Glass Bottles (you know like the same basic color as the brown bottles used for brewing) and they sell them in packs of 4 for 18 bucks. Pretty great deal but shipping is also 18 bucks.

So do I buy the bottles that will keep out more light and be less likely to get skunky beer but pay 9 bucks each, or do I go with the clear glass jug from the LHBS for 5 bucks a pop.

 

[TCGoose]

Just cover the clear jug with an old black t shirt or black garbage bag and stash it in a dark closet/cabinet/box. That'll keep out plenty of light.

 

[cheesecake]

So I'm having a bit of a conundrum.

I am getting ready to buy my kit and stuff and I come across a website that sells Amber Glass Bottles (you know like the same basic color as the brown bottles used for brewing) and they sell them in packs of 4 for 18 bucks. Pretty great deal but shipping is also 18 bucks.

So do I buy the bottles that will keep out more light and be less likely to get skunky beer but pay 9 bucks each, or do I go with the clear glass jug from the LHBS for 5 bucks a pop.

Any link to those bottles

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

I would just use the clear ones and keep them in a dark place.

I'm back! Just bought ingredients for 3 batches and will be bottling 3 batches next week. Finally things are starting to slow around here and I can relax a bit.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Actually strike that, I just realized I over bought grain for my two berliner wiesses. So now I can either make 3 or find something else to do with a mix of pils and wheat. Any suggestions on something fun to do with an extra pound of pils and wheat (about 1.031 if I brewed straight) I have some dme I could boost it with too.

 

[Leadgolem]

So I'm having a bit of a conundrum.

I am getting ready to buy my kit and stuff and I come across a website that sells Amber Glass Bottles (you know like the same basic color as the brown bottles used for brewing) and they sell them in packs of 4 for 18 bucks. Pretty great deal but shipping is also 18 bucks.

So do I buy the bottles that will keep out more light and be less likely to get skunky beer but pay 9 bucks each, or do I go with the clear glass jug from the LHBS for 5 bucks a pop.

Those better be way bigger then beer bottles. Northern brewer sells a case of 24 of those for 12 bucks. http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/brewing-equipment/bottling/beer-bottles-12-oz.html

Hopefully I misunderstood and those are 1 gallon jugs. If they are 1 gallon jugs, could you post a link please?