1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[dadshomebrewing]

I am thinking about adding the priming sugar to the batch next time instead of using the NB "fizz drops." Do I add 1 oz of corn sugar to water, stir, bring to boil, cool to room temp, pour to bottling bucket then rack wort to bottling bucket?

Pretty close... You may want to adjust your amount up or down a tick depending on the style.

Also... You can also use table sugar, or dry malt extract, as priming sugar. Works real well if you don't have corn sugar around.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

Are you able to do multiple batches in a day and then combine them?

I wouldn't do that.

We're I doing multiple batches I would make different, but similar, beers using similar ingredients.

Like a brown, a porter, and a stout.

Something like that.

 

[Antler]

I wouldn't do that.

We're I doing multiple batches I would make different, but similar, beers using similar ingredients.

Like a brown, a porter, and a stout.

Something like that.

Ah I can't really do that because I have a 5g recipe already mixed and crushed in a big vacuum sealed bag.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

Hi All...

I finished reading through all 200+ pages earlier in the week.... I have wanted to get into brewing for over a year, but between the cost of the equipment and not knowing what to do with 5 gallons of beer, I kept putting it off. I thought about smaller batches, but this thread helped solidify some things! So I want to thank everyone -- HomeBrewTalk rocks!!!! :rockin:

Tonight I brewed my first beer!!! 1.5 gal of EdWort's Haus Pale Ale (all grain). I really wanted to brew a Boddingtons clone, but my LHBS didn't have the 'proper' yeast.

If you're on the fence, JUMP! DO IT! Start brewing, go all grain and don't look back -- it was easy using BIAB!

It took 4 hrs from start to end of clean up, and I think I could speed some steps up once I get the process down.

I think I'm going to have to prime the pipeline over the next few weeks, as this was fun.

My set up is middle of the road:
12 qt Cuisinart kettle w/pasta basket and steamer (didn't use the basket, but the steamer was invaluable when squeezing the grain post mash out).
3 gal Better Bottles w/3 piece airlocks
Dual scale refractometer
A nice stirring spoon that I notched for volume measurements
Portable scale to weight the hops to 0.01g
Table top bottle capper
Mini auto siphon
Auto shutoff/spring loaded bottle filler
I think that's it...

Here are some picts. Sorry about the crappy quality -- I'll use a real camera next time.

Boil; nothing special, but I did use a small paint strainer to contain the hops.

I took advantage of the midwest winter and chilled the beer in snow while it was 6F outside...

I am fermenting in a Better Bottle. For temp control, I'm using... wait for it.... a Cool Brewing fermentation cooler -- that I won from HBT this summer!!! I haven't seen any posts (not to say there aren't any) where someone was employing something they won from this site. Thanks again to HBT and Cool Brewing!

Dude!!!

Nice.

Btw... Welcome from the southwest side of the city.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

Ah I can't really do that because I have a 5g recipe already mixed and crushed in a big vacuum sealed bag.

Why not try different hop treatments, with the same grain bill?

I do that kind of stuff often so I can learn what different things do, or how they taste.

I like to tinker with things a lot. Doing the exact same thing five times would make my head explode.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

So what do you typically use as a primary for one gallon batches? I ask because im considering some smaller runs on experiments. A one gallon glass jug wouldnt leave enough room for a krausen would it (or do people usually run blow tubes in one gallon jugs)?

One gallon carboys... And ALWAYS a blowoff tube.

Only need to learn that lesson once.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

Ok guys... Will try to catch up again on brew day.

Stay warm

 

[Calichusetts]

1-gallon jugs do work, but there is some danger of blowout especially if your yeast are extra-happy or overpitched. Just run a blowout tube for the first few days and then put the airlock on (or leave the blowout tube, it's all good).

Remember, a blow-out means your yeast are really in on the effort to make beer for you. They love you and want you to be happy. Rejoice as you mop the suds off the ceiling.

My first batch in a 1-gallon glass jug was great, the second was a blowout mess. It keeps life interesting

You'd be surprised...I just did an 8%+ IIPA at 60 with s-05. Krausen never came within an inch of the top. Notty can be brutal to a 1 gallon but its all about temp control. Wine jugs are great, many sizes from 1-3 gallons if you know where to look but 1 gallon jugs work fine for me with proper temp control

 

[Leadgolem]

I am thinking about adding the priming sugar to the batch next time instead of using the NB "fizz drops." Do I add 1 oz of corn sugar to water, stir, bring to boil, cool to room temp, pour to bottling bucket then rack wort to bottling bucket?

I would suggest using a priming sugar calculator.

 

[lumpy5oh]

I would like to do up a small batch of Caribou Slobber; but Northern doesn't ship to Canada. I have found a recipe for a Moose Slobber clone 5gal batch. My question is when scaling a recipe is everything scaled evenly? It seems like the hops and grain amounts would be pretty small.
Thanks

 

[biggdaddymatt]

I have a question for the ones that keg. Have you ever kegged a one gallon batch in a 5 gallon corny? If so does it affect the beer in any way?

 

[bleme]

My question is when scaling a recipe is everything scaled evenly? It seems like the hops and grain amounts would be pretty small.
Thanks

I always start by converting to grams and scaling evenly, then tinker with the next batch if it needs it.

 

[BigRock947]

I have a question for the ones that keg. Have you ever kegged a one gallon batch in a 5 gallon corny? If so does it affect the beer in any way?

You may want to ask this in the bottling/kegging section because those guys know a lot about kegging.

If i were to guess, I don't think it would do anything to the beer. You would have to use a lot of co2 to bleed off the o2 and to carb the beer. But I'll admit I'm not an expert by any means.

 

[BigRock947]

I would like to do up a small batch of Caribou Slobber; but Northern doesn't ship to Canada. I have found a recipe for a Moose Slobber clone 5gal batch. My question is when scaling a recipe is everything scaled evenly? It seems like the hops and grain amounts would be pretty small.
Thanks

I always start by converting to grams and scaling evenly, then tinker with the next batch if it needs it.

With 1 gallon batches, you'll have to play with the ingredients for sure. I brewed a Blue Moon clone which I tried the other day. Not bad but a little too much orange zest than I would like...so back to the drawing broad.

The beer is drinkable and at only 9 bottles I not drinking a lot of it

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

I would suggest using a priming sugar calculator.

The Tastybrew calculator rounds up to the nearest 0.1 oz of sugar when trying to determine the sugar amounts for small batches. You probably want to enter 100 gallons into the calculator, then divide the amount of sugar by 100 to get sugar per gallon.

EDIT: The Tastybrew calculator also gives some wonky numbers sometimes. There are some good calculators on the Knights of the Mashing Fork website:

http://kotmf.com/

 

[muleskinner90]

Would it be okay to boil the sugar water a day before bottling day, cover it with aluminum foil and let it sit at room temperature? I was thinking of making the sugar water in a measuring cup then just boiling that in the microwave.

 

[boomguy]

First post here in the 1 gallon realm but I have been reading and following this thread for a few months now. You guys got me stoked on the variety that can be made with this style and like alot of you have said, if it screws up there are only nine or ten bottles to consume. So far I have made an English brown, belguim blonde, IIPa, and this last one was a three gallon smash that was then split up into gallon jugs with different yeasts

Here is the youtube link for the New Albion smash that I made, interesting history lesson and I think will be a darn fine beer!
New Albion Video

 

[BigRock947]

Would it be okay to boil the sugar water a day before bottling day, cover it with aluminum foil and let it sit at room temperature? I was thinking of making the sugar water in a measuring cup then just boiling that in the microwave.

I wouldn't do it the day before. I make up my priming sugar the same way on bottling day. 1 cup of hot water isn't going affect 1 gallon of beer so go ahead and put the hot sugar water into your bottling bucket and rack the beer onto the priming sugar.

 

[muleskinner90]

I wouldn't do it the day before. I make up my priming sugar the same way on bottling day. 1 cup of hot water isn't going affect 1 gallon of beer so go ahead and put the hot sugar water into your bottling bucket and rack the beer onto the priming sugar.

Ah, very good. Thanks. Is it okay to use another 1 gallon glass jug as my bottling bucket?

 

[muleskinner90]

...or I might just use my 8qt brewing pot as my bottling bucket.

 

[muleskinner90]

When imputing the temperature data into the priming sugar calculator, do I go with the average ambient temperature?

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

When imputing the temperature data into the priming sugar calculator, do I go with the average ambient temperature?

I would. But how much is your ambient temperature changing? You should try to make sure that you're fermenting someplace with a more or less stable temperature suitable for your yeast. It's *really* important that you do this.

 

[muleskinner90]

I would. But how much is your ambient temperature changing? You should try to make sure that you're fermenting someplace with a more or less stable temperature suitable for your yeast. It's *really* important that you do this.

From 67 to 70, but stays at 67 mostly.

 

[BigRock947]

...or I might just use my 8qt brewing pot as my bottling bucket.

This would be easier...

Are you using a mini siphon?

 

[muleskinner90]

This would be easier...

Are you using a mini siphon?

Yes.

 

[BigRock947]

Yes.

Then I would use the pot for sure...

 

[muleskinner90]

Then I would use the pot for sure...

Will do! Thanks!

 

[zeg]

When imputing the temperature data into the priming sugar calculator, do I go with the average ambient temperature?

I think you want to go with the highest temperature at which the beer spent a significant amount of time post-fermentation.

You don't need to be super precise. The difference between 67 and 70 is negligible (0.894 oz vs 0.872 oz for one test, 2.5% difference). It's more important if your beer was kept at 50° vs 70°F. (only 0.7 oz, 22% difference)

Physically, the question is whether the CO2 in the beer had time to come to equilibrium with its environment. In your case, the room may have varied from 67-70, but the beer would have held pretty steadily at the average, so you are correct to use that.

 

[muleskinner90]

I think you want to go with the highest temperature at which the beer spent a significant amount of time post-fermentation.

You don't need to be super precise. The difference between 67 and 70 is negligible (0.894 oz vs 0.872 oz for one test, 2.5% difference). It's more important if your beer was kept at 50° vs 70°F. (only 0.7 oz, 22% difference)

Physically, the question is whether the CO2 in the beer had time to come to equilibrium with its environment. In your case, the room may have varied from 67-70, but the beer would have held pretty steadily at the average, so you are correct to use that.

Awesomeness!

 

[PsyDanny]

It just needed to be said.