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This might be the dumbest question ever posted in these forums, but here it goes. Why wouldn't I want to just pour my cooled wort straight from my pot into the 1 gallon fermenter using a sanitized funnel? Because the trub would get transferred as well?
 
This might be the dumbest question ever posted in these forums, but here it goes. Why wouldn't I want to just pour my cooled wort straight from my pot into the 1 gallon fermenter using a sanitized funnel? Because the trub would get transferred as well?

It's not the dumbest question. There are a few risks. First cold glass getting introduced hot wort can be a disaster on the glass itself. These aren't glass jugs build to withstand high heat and massive changes, you could easily break your glass jug and then all your beer is wasted.

On the beer aspect, there's the risk of hot side aeration. Which can hurt your shelf life, add unwanted favors, etc.
 
muleskinner90 was talking about cooled wort, but even if not, HSA is not a concern for homebrewers. Previous wisdom on this matter has been pretty thoroughly debunked/recanted.

Again, if you've cooled the wort to the point that you could pitch yeast, the heat won't be a problem. I'm not sure where the line is between safe and unsafe temperatures, but I think pitchable temperatures should be well within the safe range.

Trub is probably the biggest reason, particularly for a one-gallon batch, since you really don't want to give up fermentor space. Still, you could always brew some excess and just live with lower efficiency by not pouring the trub. You could also pour it through a sanitized stainless steel strainer. That's not a bad approach.
 
It's not the dumbest question. There are a few risks. First cold glass getting introduced hot wort can be a disaster on the glass itself. These aren't glass jugs build to withstand high heat and massive changes, you could easily break your glass jug and then all your beer is wasted.

On the beer aspect, there's the risk of hot side aeration. Which can hurt your shelf life, add unwanted favors, etc.

I've only brewed once. I followed the NB instructions and cooled the wort in an ice bath and when the sides were cool to the touch, I siphoned to the 1 gallon fermenter. If I use the same method of cooling, would I be okay to poor directly into fermenter? Wouldn't the temperature of the wort be the same either way?
 
Purchased an ounce of AU Galaxy hops at the HBS. Been looking for months. 3 bucks a ounce so better be good. Thinking of a 1 gallon SMaSH or using them in an IPA with Mosaic and Caliente.
 
I've only ever done 5 gallon batches, but I'm thinking my next few will be 1 or 2.5.

I've got the procedure down. I've finally made beer that I think is great by following recipies from others. Now, I want to experiment with grains and hops and learn what everything tastes like.

So, I'm thinking of lots of mini-batches so I can drink 2-5 times as many combos. Take lots of notes. Then I go back to 5-gallon batches of my favorite discoveries.
 
I've only brewed once. I followed the NB instructions and cooled the wort in an ice bath and when the sides were cool to the touch, I siphoned to the 1 gallon fermenter. If I use the same method of cooling, would I be okay to poor directly into fermenter? Wouldn't the temperature of the wort be the same either way?

My bad I misread what you originally said. The idea of siphoning is you get less trub. I personally pour through a strainer on top of a funnel. Just try to pour very slowly and carefully as stopping and going can stir up more trub. But through the cooling process you'll be fine. Maybe you'll lose a small amount of beer but that would be tops.
 
jongrill said:
That's what I use now.... I find it inefficient

I use an ice bath for both 1 and 5 gallons. Even with 5 gallons it is down to pitching temp in 15 minutes.

I put a little ice in the bottom of my ice chest then set my brew pot on top of that ice. I fill in the area around the pot with ice. Then I salt the ice and top off with water. I stir the wort slowly and it is 65F in no time at all.
 
I do the funnel for cooled wort to fermentor in 1g jug. I have a funnel with strainer from LHBS its a good 8" across big one. 1st time i did it strainer clogged. 2nd time I used my paint strainer bag in funne along with one in funnel and it didnt clog so try that of course all sanitized.
 
vlesperance said:
I've only ever done 5 gallon batches, but I'm thinking my next few will be 1 or 2.5.

I've got the procedure down. I've finally made beer that I think is great by following recipies from others. Now, I want to experiment with grains and hops and learn what everything tastes like.

So, I'm thinking of lots of mini-batches so I can drink 2-5 times as many combos. Take lots of notes. Then I go back to 5-gallon batches of my favorite discoveries.

I think you are on the right track. A lot of us do mini batches to taste what a single hop tastes like with a single malt.... I do anyway. It has really helped me out a lot! Cheers!
 
I think you are on the right track. A lot of us do mini batches to taste what a single hop tastes like with a single malt.... I do anyway. It has really helped me out a lot! Cheers!

+1 I think this is extremely important in order to have delicious success in writing your own recipes.
 
Small wort chiller for one gallon batches... Anyone?

I put 4 ice packs at the base of my sink...put in some salt then fill it a couple inches with cold water. Add ice and cool my wort. Its so effective I have to kind of rush to get my yeast ready and everything sanitized or I can easily get my wort into the 50s in only a few minutes, 15 at most
 
Calichusetts said:
I put 4 ice packs at the base of my sink...put in some salt then fill it a couple inches with cold water. Add ice and cool my wort. Its so effective I have to kind of rush to get my yeast ready and everything sanitized or I can easily get my wort into the 50s in only a few minutes, 15 at most

This time of year I just use my pool water. Plenty cold. Fall or spring, I use my pre-chiller because its about the right size for a small batch and in summer, pre--chiller and big chiller while pumping it to the pool. Saves water.
 
Small wort chiller for one gallon batches... Anyone?

I made my own from some copper tubing and some hose, works great, even faster than chilling it out in the snow like I tried last weekend. Wound it around a large PVC pipe coupling so it fit nicely in my pot, put a garden hose fitting on one hose with an adapter I got from Home Depot to attach it to my kitchen faucet, and let the other end drain into the sink. I can post a picture of it later if you'd like.
 
I do the funnel for cooled wort to fermentor in 1g jug. I have a funnel with strainer from LHBS its a good 8" across big one. 1st time i did it strainer clogged. 2nd time I used my paint strainer bag in funne along with one in funnel and it didnt clog so try that of course all sanitized.

I do the extact same thing, works fine.
 
My wife tried the NB Irish red ale I brewed. Her first response was that it was very carby. How do I rectify that? Will it get less carbonated the longer it sits in the fridge? I let it condition at room temperature for two weeks. I followed the northern Brewer directions and used their fizz drops.
 
Un-capping and re-capping will bleed off some of the carbonation but you are better off enjoying as they are and doing better on the next batch.

I guess you could also pour in a glass ahead of time and set in the fridge for a while...
 
My wife tried the NB Irish red ale I brewed. Her first response was that it was very carby. How do I rectify that? Will it get less carbonated the longer it sits in the fridge? I let it condition at room temperature for two weeks. I followed the northern Brewer directions and used their fizz drops.

Maybe its just me but thats why I dont use those carb drops, Id rather use a carb calculator or do the math to get the carb volumes I want.
 
My wife tried the NB Irish red ale I brewed. Her first response was that it was very carby. How do I rectify that? Will it get less carbonated the longer it sits in the fridge? I let it condition at room temperature for two weeks. I followed the northern Brewer directions and used their fizz drops.

Well the ale shouldn't be WAY too carbonated. But it is true, those drops do carb on the high side. I would think an Irish red would be at 2.2 -2.4 PSI. The drops are probably 2.6-3.0.

Hats off to your wife for catching that though.

Next time: acquire some priming sugar, do the measurements (there are plenty of online calcs to help), boil 1 cup of water, mix in the sugar, rack beer on top of solution, (stirring GENTLY is optional), bottle away!
 
jwalk4 said:
Next time: acquire some priming sugar, do the measurements (there are plenty of online calcs to help),

What exactly do I measure? Also, racking means combining, correct?
 
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