1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[Daveyg]

So this is about 36 hours later, my 2nd one gallon batch and this kit came with a smack pack for yeast and I pitched the entire package and this thing is bubbling like crazy, trying to figure out how to post a video.

 

[Daveyg]

Still trying to figure how t post video clip.

 

[WVHomeBrewer]

I've been looking everywhere for 1 gallon kits to "cut my teeth" on and found it really hard to justify buying a kit for $14-$15 bucks and turn around and pay $7-10 to ship. I have found a couple of recipes online and ordered the ingredients for them though more beer and found out I can get enough for 2 gallons for about the same price... (On simple dme kits). Check out perrys brewer they specialize in 1 gallon all grain with everything (grains, grain bag, hops, dry yeast sanitizer, priming sugar and even caps) for 14.99 and offer free shipping on their kits. I think they have about 6 different ones. No minimum.... I just ordered a summer sassion spice that will be here tomorrow http://perrysbrewer.com

Also if you have Amazon prime you can get a few of the different Brooklyn brew shops kits for $15ish

For experimentation or lack of space to brew 1 gallon kits are great, But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal. BTW making 1 gal batches by cutting grain bill 1/5 doesn't always work.

 

[banks741938]

For experimentation or lack of space to brew 1 gallon kits are great, But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal. BTW making 1 gal batches by cutting grain bill 1/5 doesn't always work.

And your point is?????????? I think one gallon batches let me practice all the keys steps that I need to master in all styles. I can do all grain, extract/mini mash, or straight extract if I want with a one gallon kit with just the minimal equipment. If I do mess something up being a newer brewer I'm out $15, compared to $25-50 for 5 gallon batches...

 

[fstfrd00]

~4 weeks back I brewed BBS WGD Brown, not a kit but just using the recipe. Didn't have much of a head but tasted great. Smooth, full, and I could taste the chocolate in it.

 

[MaddDogg84]

I am currently doing a gallon hefeweizen kit. The kit says to add HALF the yeast packet that came with it. I am wondering if I should make a starter with the whole packet and add just half?

I pitch half a dry yeast pack when I am starting a yeast cake, then I reuse it 3 or so times. So I can easily get 6 batches out of 1 packet. I don't rehydrate. I have before, doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[gromitdj]

...But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal.

Thanks for your insight. Now if you will kindly read this thread from the beginning, you will see that there a number of people that disagree with you. Including myself. There is no difference between brewing 1, 2.5, or 5 gallons (or 10 for that matter). Please feel free to elaborate further if you would like.

....BTW making 1 gal batches by cutting grain bill 1/5 doesn't always work.

For all intents and purposes it works just fine. I'm sure a lot of 5 gallon brewers would gladly use a scaled recipe from Stone or Russian River without blinking an eye. I don't see how this is any different. Any recipe used should be scaled appropriately for efficiency.

 

[ericbw]

For experimentation or lack of space to brew 1 gallon kits are great, But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal. BTW making 1 gal batches by cutting grain bill 1/5 doesn't always work.

Hahaha. I think you're on the wrong thread to be knocking 1 gallon brewing.

What doesn't work about that method?

 

[Daveyg]

But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal.

Not sure I agree, I am a complete noob and have only done two batches but to me the fundamentals like sanitizing and basic principals are absolutely the same I get what your saying that the scaling down may not always be precise. A few people have voiced that the work is the same for a much less yeild but I am content doing it this way, cheers.

 

[Calichusetts]

For experimentation or lack of space to brew 1 gallon kits are great, But you are not really "cutting your teeth" doing 1 Gal batches because there are great differences between brewing 1 gal and 5 gal. BTW making 1 gal batches by cutting grain bill 1/5 doesn't always work.

To be honest, unless your brewing on a turn-key 3 bbl system, your not really brewing. 5 gallons is pretty much a joke and people that do it should put brewing in quotation marks...

 

[singybrue]

3bbl? You're just a hobby Brewer! Real Brewing starts at 30bbl!

 

[Oberon67]

Here's my Hop Gravy barleywine in primary, cold-crashed and ready to rack.

UPDATE: When I finally bottled this, I got five whole bottles of beer.

I opened the first one on Thursday, which was a little early but I was dying to try it... two thumbs up. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to make five gallons of the stuff.

 

[ericbw]

UPDATE: When I finally bottled this, I got five whole bottles of beer.



I opened the first one on Thursday, which was a little early but I was dying to try it... two thumbs up. Now all I gotta do is figure out how to make five gallons of the stuff.

Looks like you'll need to brew 10 gallons to get five!!

 

[Egs21eric]

Any other 1-Gallon Brewers experiencing extremely high evaporation rates? I have been a 5 gallon brewer for 8 or so years and recently put together a 2 Gallon Mash Tun

Pre-Boil Volume: 1.64 Gallons
Batch Volume: 1.00 Gallons
36.6% Evaportation Rate

Now that i have it dialed in it's not really an issue, it just adds a small amount of extra sparge time. I assume the main reason is the low volume of liquid in a largeish kettle, I will have to try a taller narrower kettle some time.

 

[Egs21eric]

I just through together a 2 Gallon Mash Tun , 8 or so batches through it and it is working great. Only thing to note is that I shortened the braid to just run across the bottom, the crazy design in the picture created some serious channeling on the first batch.

I was even able to use the fittings from my 5 and 10 gallon mash tuns, so this literally cost me about 15 bucks to put together.

Why I Started 1-Gallon Brewing?, Mainly to work on test batches before scaling to 5 or 10 gallons.

What I Recommend:

1.) Pick a Yeast Strain (Kolsch 2565 For Me Right Now)
2.) Create 3 1-Gallon Recipes Using That Yeast (Norther German Altbier, Kolsch, and California Common)
3.) Split One Big Yeast Starter Into Three.
4.) Wash and Harvest Yeast From All 3 Batches, Gives Me Enough For A 5 Gallon Batch.
5.) Pick Your Favorite Of The Three Beers, Scale It Up To A 5 Gallon Batch, You Already Have The Yeast For It.
6.) Repeat Steps 1-5 With A New Yeast. :rockin:

I am having a blast doing this as well as leaning how flexible some of these yeasts can be! I will post the beer pics, recipes, and ratings once they are all done.

 

[Daveyg]

Any other 1-Gallon Brewers experiencing extremely high evaporation rates? I have been a 5 gallon brewer for 8 or so years and recently put together a 2 Gallon Mash Tun

Pre-Boil Volume: 1.64 Gallons
Batch Volume: 1.00 Gallons
36.6% Evaportation Rate

Now that i have it dialed in it's not really an issue, it just adds a small amount of extra sparge time. I assume the main reason is the low volume of liquid in a largeish kettle, I will have to try a taller narrower kettle some time.

I found a brand new 3 gallon cooler in my garage and used it recently for a mash tun, I am trying to find a ball valve for it but could not find it at Home Depot, what size threads are on your ball valve?

 

[fuzzy2133]

Any other 1-Gallon Brewers experiencing extremely high evaporation rates? I have been a 5 gallon brewer for 8 or so years and recently put together a 2 Gallon Mash Tun

Pre-Boil Volume: 1.64 Gallons
Batch Volume: 1.00 Gallons
36.6% Evaportation Rate

Now that i have it dialed in it's not really an issue, it just adds a small amount of extra sparge time. I assume the main reason is the low volume of liquid in a largeish kettle, I will have to try a taller narrower kettle some time.

Unfortunately yes any evaporation rate of 1/2 to 1 gallon seems to be normal. I loose between 3/4 to 7/8 of a gallon to evaporation on 2.5 to 3 gallon batches.

 

[Egs21eric]

Unfortunately yes any evaporation rate of 1/2 to 1 gallon seems to be normal. I loose between 3/4 to 7/8 of a gallon to evaporation on 2.5 to 3 gallon batches.

No problem, just double checking that I wasn't alone.

 

[Egs21eric]

I found a brand new 3 gallon cooler in my garage and used it recently for a mash tun, I am trying to find a ball valve for it but could not find it at Home Depot, what size threads are on your ball valve?

I used all brass 1/2" parts. i believe the nipple was 1 1/2" long and I actual used the exact white gasket from your picture, had to stretch it a bit but no leaks.

 

[ohiobeer29]

wow i have missed quite a bit here
just bottled zombie dust clone got 8 bottles out of it

will bottle hopslam clone this weekend
and will move goose island bourbon county stout to second and add in willet bourbon and 1 oak cube to age for at least 6 months unless after tasting its ready sooner

 

[Egs21eric]

Just put 3 1 gallon batches into primary. What should I brew with this leftover hodgepodge of Pilsen, munich, 2 row pale, crystal 60l, kolsch yeast, random noble hops......

 

[ericbw]

Just put 3 1 gallon batches into primary. What should I brew with this leftover hodgepodge of Pilsen, munich, 2 row pale, crystal 60l, kolsch yeast, random noble hops......

Cream ale if you have some corn or rice.

 

[FatsSchindee]

Just put 3 1 gallon batches into primary. What should I brew with this leftover hodgepodge of Pilsen, munich, 2 row pale, crystal 60l, kolsch yeast, random noble hops......

Sounds like you have the ingredients for a Düsseldorf Altbier. From the BJCP guidelines:

Ingredients
Grists vary, but usually consist of German base malts (usually Pils, sometimes Munich) with small amounts of crystal, chocolate, and/or black malts used to adjust color. Occasionally will include some wheat. Spalt hops are traditional, but other noble hops can also be used. Moderately carbonate water. Clean, highly attenuative ale yeast. A step mash or decoction mash program is traditional.

It may be on the lighter end of the spectrum without the chocolate or black malts, depending on how much Munich you use. And White Labs gives that yeast a 4 for making an Alt (out of 4; meaning great choice for style).

 

[Egs21eric]

I

Sounds like you have the ingredients for a Düsseldorf Altbier. From the BJCP guidelines:

Ingredients
Grists vary, but usually consist of German base malts (usually Pils, sometimes Munich) with small amounts of crystal, chocolate, and/or black malts used to adjust color. Occasionally will include some wheat. Spalt hops are traditional, but other noble hops can also be used. Moderately carbonate water. Clean, highly attenuative ale yeast. A step mash or decoction mash program is traditional.

It may be on the lighter end of the spectrum without the chocolate or black malts, depending on how much Munich you use. And White Labs gives that yeast a 4 for making an Alt (out of 4; meaning great choice for style).

I should have enough munich and Crystal 60 to get the color but at a higher gravity. One of the three in primary is a northern German alt so a dusseldorf using the same yeast and hops could be fun to taste the differences

 

[Daveyg]

Second batch done and clearing up nicely.

 

[ohiobeer29]

Second batch done and clearing up nicely.

looks good

 

[FatsSchindee]

I

I should have enough munich and Crystal 60 to get the color but at a higher gravity. One of the three in primary is a northern German alt so a dusseldorf using the same yeast and hops could be fun to taste the differences

[emoji106]
That's a great idea... Side by side comparisons with one or two variables are fun (and tasty, of course!)

 

[Egs21eric]

1 Gallon Brewers!

getting ready to bottle three batches. how much water volume do you use when priming with corn sugar? I don't want to dilute this liquid gold.

 

[FatsSchindee]

1 Gallon Brewers!



getting ready to bottle three batches. how much water volume do you use when priming with corn sugar? I don't want to dilute this liquid gold.

I still go off of what Papazian says in the bible (even as old as it is) - one pint of water for a five gallon batch. I just round the 16 oz down to 15 to make the math easier... so 3 oz per gallon.

 

[brisboy]

Just bottled a chocolate porter (that's what I'm calling it anyway) and planning the next brew. Love that I can brew every few weeks, end up with a big store of different styles (don't drink much), and always choose something different or something to match the meal.

1 Gallon is awesome.