1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[biggdaddymatt]

hey guys, been reading up on brewing 1 gallon beers for quite awhile now...i am looking to brew 1 gallon batches because i dont drink a lot, and i dont have a lot of space...i was looking at different kits, primarly the northern brewery 1 gallon kits and the brooklyn 1 gallon kits. which do you guys prefer? i definitely want to go All Grain and have more control over my brews. also, is there a reason a lot of 1 gallon brews i see done are with BIAB? can you use BIAB with the brooklyn or nothern brewery kits?

I got the small batch brewing kit from northern brewer. Comparing them I think its the better of the 2. They are about the same price but you get more with the nb kit. Other more experienced people can comment on the biab process but I don't see why you couldn't do it with both. As long as you got an all grain recipe or by the ingredients for one.

 

[hvtopiwala]

ok cool, one thing im a bit confused with, is why do a BIAB vs just doing a normal brew?

 

[Leadgolem]

ok cool, one thing im a bit confused with, is why do a BIAB vs just doing a normal brew?

Please define normal brew in this context? Are you referring to an extract brew?

 

[hvtopiwala]

sorry, i meant BIAB vs non-BIAB. like doing an all grain brew without using the BIAB method. (not sure if im wording it correctly!)

 

[Leadgolem]

Here is a good description of the three common mashing methods. I think you mean, why BIAB vs fly or batch sparge.
http://www.bagbrewer.com/mashing-methods.html

Simply put, BIAB is easy to do well. Also, with only 1 gallon of desired final liquid volume you can do it in a large cooking pot. No special equipment but the bag needed.

 

[hvtopiwala]

BIAB it is for now do you recommend using the northern brewers 1 gallon kit for that? and what size kettle shall i grab?

 

[Leadgolem]

BIAB it is for now do you recommend using the northern brewers 1 gallon kit for that? and what size kettle shall i grab?

I should probably get back to you after I've actually done it. I understand the mechanics of it, and the arguments for the different methods, but I'll let someone who has more experience provide you a better answer.

 

[cheesecake]

Which R.I.S. did you make? Clone or yours? After having a Rasputin R.I.S. I'm thinking I have to clone that. It's fantastic!

Ill post it up when I get time to get on my netbook where its saved.

 

[cheesecake]

BIAB it is for now do you recommend using the northern brewers 1 gallon kit for that? and what size kettle shall i grab?

Ive done biab and non biab. They both work. I would try to go with a 3 gallon pot. And are you refering to there 1 gallon equipment kit?

 

[lebucheron]

Go for a 5 gal pot for 1 gal batches, then you can do the no-sparge method with decent space left for stronger brews (I did a 2.5gal batch in one, but it's just baaaarely enough room in there for everything.)

 

[bellmtbbq]

As I move into 2-2.5 gallon batches, I'll probably pick up a 3 gallon better bottle. Works for one gallon batches too I guess

 

[hvtopiwala]

Ive done biab and non biab. They both work. I would try to go with a 3 gallon pot. And are you refering to there 1 gallon equipment kit?

yeah i was referring to this kit: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...er-kits/1-gallon-small-batch-starter-kit.html should i get a second 1 gallon jug for the second fermentation tank if i want to do that?

so if i get a 5 gallon pot, am i actually going to be boiling that much water? haha...if i am, my concern is how do you guys move your pot from your stove to the water bath without spilling it everywhere??

 

[biggdaddymatt]

With the nb kit doing extracts you are only boiling 5 quarts of water.

 

[hvtopiwala]

wut about doing all grain?

 

[brevity]

wut about doing all grain?

I've done a 2.5 gallon all grain batch with a full boil in a 5 gallon pot. Pre boil volume is about 3.5 gallons for me. Lifting and moving the pot with 2.5 gallons is no big deal for me.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

I have a 3 gallon pot that I do full volume biab mashes in and only topped it out with a 1.120 og barleywine

 

[jwalk4]

I have a 3 gallon pot that I do full volume biab mashes in and only topped it out with a 1.120 og barleywine

Really? 1 gallon Full volume No sparge BIAB in a 3 gallon pot? I have a 3 gallon pot and wanted to do BIAB for 1 gallon brews but wasn't brave enough to get my grain wet, fearing I would run out of space.

 

[jwalk4]

So, for a 1 gallon recipe calling for 2.25 lb of grain and 2.55 gallons of strike water to mash in, then according to the Greenbay Racker Can I mash it Calc? I should use up close to 2.71 Gallons of space in my pot.

Does that sound about right to you?

 

[bleme]

Really? 1 gallon Full volume No sparge BIAB in a 3 gallon pot? I have a 3 gallon pot and wanted to do BIAB for 1 gallon brews but wasn't brave enough to get my grain wet, fearing I would run out of space.

It really helps if you squeeze the grain bag like a boa with a nice juicy rat.

 

[hvtopiwala]

ok im about to pull the trigger on the 1 gallon kit from northern brewery, gonna find a 5 gallon kettle...should i get extra 1 gallon jugs for secondary fermentation and bottling?

 

[lebucheron]

I don't do the secondary thing (and it seems like that's the consensus here), but a nice bottling bucket is key!

 

[cheesecake]

http://beersmithrecipes.com/listrecipes/13121/cheesecake



here are some of my shared recipes

 

[thewhoner]

Lol.. Funny I'm laid back about brewing but such a anal bast*** about other stuff. I just harvest some trub some times. In a jar.. It works.



What's a metal mash! a mash tun made out of metal? I'm confused lol

duh, have nothing but children of bodom play in the background while mashing


lol, yeah, I meant a metal mash tun. But after looking around, BiAB has to be the best way.

 

[thewhoner]

http://beersmithrecipes.com/listrecipes/13121/cheesecake



here are some of my shared recipes

help yourself you say?

don't mind if I do.

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Really? 1 gallon Full volume No sparge BIAB in a 3 gallon pot? I have a 3 gallon pot and wanted to do BIAB for 1 gallon brews but wasn't brave enough to get my grain wet, fearing I would run out of space.

Yep, here is a picture of me mashing 4.75# of grain in my 3 gallon pot for a barleywine.

 

[cheesecake]

help yourself you say?

don't mind if I do.

just remember final volume is 1.25 and i boil off quite a bit so you may have to adjust the recipes to your setup

 

[Leadgolem]

ok im about to pull the trigger on the 1 gallon kit from northern brewery, gonna find a 5 gallon kettle...should i get extra 1 gallon jugs for secondary fermentation and bottling?

Doing a secondary, or not doing a secondary, is a matter of great and frequent debate on this forum.

I would recommend getting 3 primaries though, once you start brewing you aren't going to want to wait for your first one to be empty before starting the next.

 

[PsyDanny]

I am in the middle of my 2nd every brew - a 1-gallon Everyday IPA (all grain). Big time fun. So I think I will head out to my lhbs tomorrow to pick up another carboy and a few other items so I can get started on a 3rd batch of something.

Anyhow - I am eager to learn, and would like to start making use of software tools. I have a trial copy of Beersmith2. However, being a tenderfoot, I am clueless as to how I should set up my equipment preferences. I don't even know what half of the parameters mean.

So I was hoping if I laid out what I have been using, someone could guide me through the relevant settings.

I do my all-grain mash in a pot originally used for spaghetti (such as would have an insertable/removable strainer - which I am not using for the mash). Stainless steel, I think (at least it is not aluminum). I figured the volume to be about 1.75 gallons with liquid filled to the ridge where the top of the strainer would fit.

I then pour the mash into a large strainer that fits into a larger stainless steel pot, that can hold 3 gallons. That is also the pot that I use for the wort boil.

The wort is then ran through a large plastic funnel into a gallon glass carboy.

So - how does that likely to translate into equipment preference settings?

Thanks for the help.

 

[hoppyhoppyhippo]

http://beersmithrecipes.com/listrecipes/13121/cheesecake



here are some of my shared recipes

Thanks for the recipes. I may try your russian imperial stout.

 

[jongrill]

ok im about to pull the trigger on the 1 gallon kit from northern brewery, gonna find a 5 gallon kettle...should i get extra 1 gallon jugs for secondary fermentation and bottling?

Find yourself some two gallon buckets for fermenting. I started with the same kit and the jugs do not give your krausen enough room! I was cleaning off the ceiling each time!

 

[divrguy]

ok cool, one thing im a bit confused with, is why do a BIAB vs just doing a normal brew?

That's not a hard and fast answer and there is no real right answer. I do both. Both will yield great results and most times I do sort of a hybrid. In some of my small batches, I brew in a pot, transfer my mash to a cooler in a bag with a traditional bazooka tube and spigot but will add all my water to it so I can skip the sparge. Saves me one step especially on a normal gravity beer. But the next beer may be a 1.080 beer and I will use a traditional batch sparge so its again not about right and wrong but just what works for you.

 

[divrguy]

http://beersmithrecipes.com/listrecipes/13121/cheesecake

here are some of my shared recipes

Downloaded the RIS. looks very nice will have to whip that one up! Thanks

 

[divrguy]

I am in the middle of my 2nd every brew - a 1-gallon Everyday IPA (all grain). Big time fun. So I think I will head out to my lhbs tomorrow to pick up another carboy and a few other items so I can get started on a 3rd batch of something.

Anyhow - I am eager to learn, and would like to start making use of software tools. I have a trial copy of Beersmith2. However, being a tenderfoot, I am clueless as to how I should set up my equipment preferences. I don't even know what half of the parameters mean.

So I was hoping if I laid out what I have been using, someone could guide me through the relevant settings.

I do my all-grain mash in a pot originally used for spaghetti (such as would have an insertable/removable strainer - which I am not using for the mash). Stainless steel, I think (at least it is not aluminum). I figured the volume to be about 1.75 gallons with liquid filled to the ridge where the top of the strainer would fit.

I then pour the mash into a large strainer that fits into a larger stainless steel pot, that can hold 3 gallons. That is also the pot that I use for the wort boil.

The wort is then ran through a large plastic funnel into a gallon glass carboy.

So - how does that likely to translate into equipment preference settings?

Thanks for the help.

For me on beersmith, my epiphany came when I sat down and poured exactly 3 gallons in a 5 gallon pot and boiled for one hour to test my boiloff. Prior to that I guessed on my 5 gallon, 8 gallon, 10 gallon and keggle and Never hit my numbers. After that, I completed a runon all of my pots to get my equipment profile correct and wow what a difference it made. Also, took my mash tun, filled it with water and dumped it. The water I couldn't get out was my mash tun dead space setting and now my 2 mash tuns are correct. So, I found that to be one of my biggest hurdles. Getting My equipment correctly entered into Beersmith. Good luck

 

[PsyDanny]

For me on beersmith, my epiphany came when I sat down and poured exactly 3 gallons in a 5 gallon pot and boiled for one hour to test my boiloff. Prior to that I guessed on my 5 gallon, 8 gallon, 10 gallon and keggle and Never hit my numbers. After that, I completed a runon all of my pots to get my equipment profile correct and wow what a difference it made. Also, took my mash tun, filled it with water and dumped it. The water I couldn't get out was my mash tun dead space setting and now my 2 mash tuns are correct. So, I found that to be one of my biggest hurdles. Getting My equipment correctly entered into Beersmith. Good luck

So do you do these boiloffs with just water, or with wort while actually brewing? For the latter, my question becomes how you measure what is left of a given wort after boiloff without risking infection?

As far as the mash tun dead space, I suppose that is just knowing exactly how much you put in, then measuring the dump off and doing the math - the dead space being what liquid remains clinging to the tun via surface tension and the like, correct?

 

[divrguy]

So do you do these boiloffs with just water, or with wort while actually brewing? For the latter, my question becomes how you measure what is left of a given wort after boiloff without risking infection?

As far as the mash tun dead space, I suppose that is just knowing exactly how much you put in, then measuring the dump off and doing the math - the dead space being what liquid remains clinging to the tun via surface tension and the like, correct?

I did it with water. You can surely do it with wort and just be clean about it. My mash tuns heave dead space because of the way I have them set up.

 

[zeg]

I wouldn't do a straight test boil-off with wort, there's no need. Before my first brew, I did a test with water to get an idea, and it's been accurate enough. If you want to be sure you know how wort will behave, just measure your volumes with a batch, don't bother with a separate "test."

Keep in mind that your boil-off rate will depend on many factors, including boil vigor, gravity, amount of hops and other junk around, air temperature, etc. These will make precision measurement fairly useless. I haven't done any calculations, but I think you'd be lucky to be consistently within a pint of the actual boil off unless you do similar recipes under similar conditions every time.

 

[mkh]

Alright, so I this is my first batch, and though I've read a ton, and I'm sure it's all in here somewhere, but just wanted to get some reassurance. Did the 1 gallon brooklyn brew shop kit for the evyday IPA. Everything seems to be going smoothly.They say bottle after two weeks, but most people say let it go for 3. I'm going out of town though and probably wouldn't get to it until 3.5-4 weeks. What difference, if an y would that make?

 

[cheesecake]

Alright, so I this is my first batch, and though I've read a ton, and I'm sure it's all in here somewhere, but just wanted to get some reassurance. Did the 1 gallon brooklyn brew shop kit for the evyday IPA. Everything seems to be going smoothly.They say bottle after two weeks, but most people say let it go for 3. I'm going out of town though and probably wouldn't get to it until 3.5-4 weeks. What difference, if an y would that make?

It will be fine. I would just let it sit. Most of my beers go for 4 weeks

 

[jwalk4]

^

Agreed, let it sit for 4 weeks. You'll probably be glad you did.

 

[divrguy]

I wouldn't do a straight test boil-off with wort, there's no need. Before my first brew, I did a test with water to get an idea, and it's been accurate enough. If you want to be sure you know how wort will behave, just measure your volumes with a batch, don't bother with a separate "test."

Keep in mind that your boil-off rate will depend on many factors, including boil vigor, gravity, amount of hops and other junk around, air temperature, etc. These will make precision measurement fairly useless. I haven't done any calculations, but I think you'd be lucky to be consistently within a pint of the actual boil off unless you do similar recipes under similar conditions every time.

Not a test boil!! Making beer!! Lol