1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[divrguy]

Do all you 1-gallon brewers use pretty much the same method for bottling? bottling bucket with spigot? Do you use a different vessel rather than the typical 5-6gallon bottling buckets that are out there?

also, for all-grain brewers..any problems with holding mash temps for a long enough period of time?

Everybody has a way that works for them. I got my advice from Revvy's bottling tips thread. Great thread. Made a dedicated 2 gallon and 3 gallon bucket. Drilled the hole and screw the spigot into a PVC 90 with threads on one side and a slip fitting on the other. I measure it so it would sit pretty much flat on the bottom of the bucket. Then, took it to a sanding wheel and put a slight chamfer on one side to allow the beer to get pulled in. On the end of the spigot, add 1 inch piece of vinyl tubing and then push in the bottling wand. That way, it stays attached to the bucket, you push the bottle up under the spigot and the siphon begins, works pretty slick. I also marked my buckets with 1 1.25 1.5 2 and 2.5 gallon marks( you get the jist) so I actually rack to bottling bucket, measure the volume and then go boil my priming sugar. Pour it in, give a few sanitized spoon swirls and away I go.

 

[zeg]

I've only done a couple small batches (one 1-gallon and one 1/2-gallon, neither a "real" batch, long story....). It's worked pretty well to just use my 7 gallon bottling bucket. I don't use a dip tube, just tip it forward when it gets low. This is good enough that I don't lose any useable beer---it leaves less than a full bottle behind, and I'm not interested in sealing partial bottles.

I do the same thing as divrguy (and many others) with the short tube to attach the wand to the spigot. It works well, though I haven't tried any other methods.

 

[Calichusetts]

Thunder Chicken - a few questions on the Everyday IPA. Did you pretty much stick to the BBS script, such as fermenting two weeks? If so, what was your FG?

I did a fermentation two weeks, the first few day in my dining room where ambient temp hit near 72, then the remainder in the basement where it is more mid-60s. Now I have had it sitting on my porch (in Minnesota) for a Cold Crash since Sunday - temps mostly in the 20s, but may have been high 30s to 40 for a bit the last two afternoons.

I will probably bring it in in the morning to settle on a shelf before attempting bottling. However, I am bit concerned that the color a bit darker than I expected - more like a "black tea" than iced-tea. Just wondering.

Also, your comment about bottling sugar: did you use honey like the recipe suggests, and if so, how much? Any particular suggestions?

My first BBS batch was a Chocolate Maple Porter - following the BBS recipe book instructions using 3 tablespoons maple syrup seemed to over carbonate many of the bottles resulting in more beer on my ceiling than inside my glass.

It should be clearer than that...especially with cold crashing. Color is really no "issue" with beer but I too found that kit a bit darker in terms of a IPA. I think you will see it a lot lighter in the morning

3 tablespoons does seem to be on the high end. I find that you really don't want a giant heap on it, just enough to come to the rim of the spoon, this tends to be a carbonation level I like. 2 tablespoons is slightly low for my taste but works. You really need to get a scale and weight it out. I have never had a bottle bomb with three though

Do all you 1-gallon brewers use pretty much the same method for bottling? bottling bucket with spigot? Do you use a different vessel rather than the typical 5-6gallon bottling buckets that are out there?

also, for all-grain brewers..any problems with holding mash temps for a long enough period of time?

I got a 2 gallon bottling bucket from small batch brewing (something like that) he's on this thread a lot and sells kits and such. Shipped quickly and has a measured out scale along the side. This is really useful. As with my first reply...many people think they are bottling 1 gallon, when in fact you are usually bottling anywhere from .75 to .85

Having a nice readable level on the side to tell you where you are at really helped my dial in my carbonation level.

 

[dougen]

Just bottle my bbs nut brown ale got 9 bottles out of the gallon...can't wait two weeks to try it...only thing I did different was use dextrose instead of honey to carb it..used the beer Cal. on my phone app and 2.5 called for .9oz of dextrose

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

Do all you 1-gallon brewers use pretty much the same method for bottling? bottling bucket with spigot? Do you use a different vessel rather than the typical 5-6gallon bottling buckets that are out there?

also, for all-grain brewers..any problems with holding mash temps for a long enough period of time?

If you click the blog link in my signature, there are two posts for the killer bee, where I walk through step by step brewing and bottling.

 

[BigRock947]

Hey everybody:

Just swinging by to say hello. Good to see some new 1 gallon brewers here and the regulars helping them out.

Plan to get brewing again in March when the ice is off the lakes and ponds and I'm done ice fishing. The supply is getting low with more consuming than brewing.

 

[BikerBrewer]

I recently bottled my first one gallon batch and just brewed the Brooklyn Brewshop Everyday IPA.
One gallon brewing is damned addictive.

I'll second that!

 

[zeg]

As with my first reply...many people think they are bottling 1 gallon, when in fact you are usually bottling anywhere from .75 to .85

Bear in mind that the volume you need when computing priming is the total volume of beer going into the bottling bucket, plus the volume of the priming solution. This will generally be greater than the amount you bottle unless you are able to get every bit out of your bottling bucket.

 

[sherma]

I usually rack to my brew pot, mix with priming sugar, then siphon into bottles. Spigot would be easier and would work as well.

I put my "mash tun" (also the brew pot) into a warm oven (150F ish) to keep the temps for an hours. Works very well.

I brew one gallon batches and do both of these procedures. Agreed that it works well. I use an auto siphon and spring loaded bottle filler to minimize oxidation when bottling. Along with helping avoid splashing, the spring loaded bottle filler also gives you the correct fill level on the bottles.

 

[bleme]

If you attach your bottling wand to you auto siphon, will it continue to siphon from bottle to bottle or will it need pumped?

 

[JollyIsTheRoger]

If you attach your bottling wand to you auto siphon, will it continue to siphon from bottle to bottle or will it need pumped?

Once it is started it will continue to go

 

[bleme]

Once it is started it will continue to go

Good to know. I've always used a spouted bottling bucket but I'm sometimes asked over to friends to brew with them. I never know what all they have so its always good to know what all the options are.

 

[divrguy]

Hey everybody:

Just swinging by to say hello. Good to see some new 1 gallon brewers here and the regulars helping them out.

Plan to get brewing again in March when the ice is off the lakes and ponds and I'm done ice fishing. The supply is getting low with more consuming than brewing.

Hey bigrock! How's the fishing been? I went out last week and got a couple keepers nice size cod! Man I miss ice fishing!

 

[poobaca]

hey everyone,

I made my first brew a few days ago from a 1 gallon brooklyn brew kit that I got for Christmas. I already want to make another one and rather then go out and spend $40 and follow their recipe Id like to do something on my own. I plan on getting a 1 gallon glass jug and then heading to my lhbs for the grain and other things. In the kit they say that once it is placed in the jug to ferment to put a air tube out of the top and into a bowl of sanatizer for 2-3 days, then switch to the airlock. Just wondering if that step is necessary. Ive watched a few youtube videos and looks like they just put the airlock in.

 

[gavcoop]

Def put in the air tube, you will foam all over the place if you dont because you have very little head room in a one gallon jug.

 

[BikerBrewer]

hey everyone,

I made my first brew a few days ago from a 1 gallon brooklyn brew kit that I got for Christmas. I already want to make another one and rather then go out and spend $40 and follow their recipe Id like to do something on my own. I plan on getting a 1 gallon glass jug and then heading to my lhbs for the grain and other things. In the kit they say that once it is placed in the jug to ferment to put a air tube out of the top and into a bowl of sanatizer for 2-3 days, then switch to the airlock. Just wondering if that step is necessary. Ive watched a few youtube videos and looks like they just put the airlock in.

If you're fermenting in a gallon jug you'll need a blowoff tube because there isn't enough head space inside. If you use a 2 gallon bucket for a primary like alot of guys do it isn't necessary because there's plenty of room for the fermentation inside. I use gallon jugs and always use a tube the first couple days then switch to an airlock, I always get a bit of blow off the first 2 days.

 

[jongrill]

If you're fermenting in a gallon jug you'll need a blowoff tube because there isn't enough head space inside. If you use a 2 gallon bucket for a primary like alot of guys do it isn't necessary because there's plenty of room for the fermentation inside. I use gallon jugs and always use a tube the first couple days then switch to an airlock, I always get a bit of blow off the first 2 days.

Blowoff tubes are a necessity! Cleaning beer particles off my ceiling was not fun.

 

[BigRock947]

Hey bigrock! How's the fishing been? I went out last week and got a couple keepers nice size cod! Man I miss ice fishing!

I've been having good luck with Blue Gills and Crappie...finally got my first Walleye through the ice last week. I should have taken a picture...it was a 9" monster...LOL. Fish and an IPA has been my favorite meal. Stout has been my beer of choice while the ice...yum.

 

[Antler]

I've been having good luck with Blue Gills and Crappie...finally got my first Walleye through the ice last week. I should have taken a picture...it was a 9" monster...LOL. Fish and an IPA has been my favorite meal. Stout has been my beer of choice while the ice...yum.

I went fishing a few days ago for trout. Had some bad luck.

Ice Auger: 1
Antler: 0

 

[poobaca]

If you're fermenting in a gallon jug you'll need a blowoff tube because there isn't enough head space inside. If you use a 2 gallon bucket for a primary like alot of guys do it isn't necessary because there's plenty of room for the fermentation inside. I use gallon jugs and always use a tube the first couple days then switch to an airlock, I always get a bit of blow off the first 2 days.

Good to know , thanks. Where do you guys usually get a 2 gallon bucket? I had read a thread that you can sometimes get them from bakery's, but if I strike out there is there a store to buy them?

Also wondering about the robber stopper used on a gallon jug. I'm assuming I can find these at Home Depot, do they have the hole on them already for the blow off tube and airlock or would I have to make the hole?

 

[sherma]

Also wondering about the robber stopper used on a gallon jug. I'm assuming I can find these at Home Depot, do they have the hole on them already for the blow off tube and airlock or would I have to make the hole?

A gallon cider jug will take a #6 or a #6-1/2 stopper. Your LHS should have both. Also, you will want to use 5/16" tubing for the blowoff. 3/8" tubing won't fit in the holes in those stoppers.

 

[Ostomo517]

Good to know , thanks. Where do you guys usually get a 2 gallon bucket? I had read a thread that you can sometimes get them from bakery's, but if I strike out there is there a store to buy them?

Also wondering about the robber stopper used on a gallon jug. I'm assuming I can find these at Home Depot, do they have the hole on them already for the blow off tube and airlock or would I have to make the hole?

You can probably find both at your LHBS

 

[bleme]

I just checked Home Depot's website and they carry undrilled stoppers online but not in stores. You are probably better off getting your stopper wherever you get your ingredients.

 

[divrguy]

I went fishing a few days ago for trout. Had some bad luck.

Ice Auger: 1
Antler: 0

Dude, that's narly! Whats that all about!

 

[divrguy]

Forgot what it was like to do a big batch here's my flameout addition!!

 

[dtfleming]

Thanks to this thread, I now have a 2gal Mash Tun, 2gal buckets mini siphon, and grain and hops on the way for a couple of 1gal batches.

 

[Antler]

Dude, that's narly! Whats that all about!

Saw some guys talkin about ice fishing, figured I'd post my fishing catch from last week, 14 stitches, lol

 

[bleme]

Forgot what it was like to do a big batch here's my flameout addition!!

Good Golly Miss Molly! That looks like more hops than most of my batches have total!

 

[Scottie61]

Hey all,

Just having fun being a new brewer. I've only drank the Am. Light from my Christmas Mr. Beer kit so far, but I've got three new 1 gallon batches going.

My 1st batch is bottled, and I did a gallon of Apfelwine just tonight.

I love all the info and experience to draw from on this forum, having fun just putting brews together and excited to drink more of it.

Thanks!

Scottie

 

[jtd_419]

Good to know , thanks. Where do you guys usually get a 2 gallon bucket? I had read a thread that you can sometimes get them from bakery's

If you have a Costco nearby their bakery here just gave me five w/gasketed lids yesterday