1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[pricelessbrewing]

I think the general rule of thumb is 15 minutes before the end of the boil to sterilize it. I looked for some recipes, and the ones I saw either did that, or at the start of the boil, so I think you'd be okay either way.

Sugar addition timings don't really matter that much, apart from a slight change of utilization for hop additions.

Also boiling doesn't sterilize, it sanitizes.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I think the general rule of thumb is 15 minutes before the end of the boil to sterilize it. I looked for some recipes, and the ones I saw either did that, or at the start of the boil, so I think you'd be okay either way.

I heard on HBT that boiling changes the sugars a bit so the yeast will like it better. I don't have any personal experience with that though since I have only ever done all malt/malt extract brews so far.

 

[ericbw]

Sugar addition timings don't really matter that much, apart from a slight change of utilization for hop additions.

Also boiling doesn't sterilize, it sanitizes.

Could make it darker the longer you boil.

 

[StoutFan]

Gravity affects hop utilization and time affects color. But it does depend on the types, amounts, and times in the boil to really see the difference.

 

[Brewpreacher]

Ok, small batch Brewers! I am new and on my third batch. First one (APA) was ok. Second (Honey Porter) better. I have my third (Red Ale) my first full grain fermenting now and the bubbling sounds great.

I like to secondary for clarity, so my question is do I wait a week, or should I do secondary as soon as the first fermentation stops and settles? I have waited a week on the first two.

 

[bransona]

Ok, small batch Brewers! I am new and on my third batch. First one (APA) was ok. Second (Honey Porter) better. I have my third (Red Ale) my first full grain fermenting now and the bubbling sounds great.

I like to secondary for clarity, so my question is do I wait a week, or should I do secondary as soon as the first fermentation stops and settles? I have waited a week on the first two.

Get a stable fg over 2-3 days, then secondary.

Or, my personal favorite, don't secondary. Just go with gelatin.

 

[Griffin495]

Long time lurker on this forum and this thread. Was planning on reading it all before joining in but its taken me at least 2 weeks reading here and there at work and I'm only on page 192. Damn!! This thread has gotten me back into brewing after only brewing one batch in 14months after my son was born.

I'd have to go back in my notes to see how many one gallon batches I've done, but this month, I've done a 2 gallon Bavarian Hefeweizen that I split into 2 batches and a chocolate stout and Friday I'll be doing a Citra Pale Ale. Really excited about that one.

I also joined the FB group somebody mentioned a few pages back.

This one gallon thread got me hooked again...bad. Also have a 5 gallon Cream Ale and a Nut Brown ready to go. Just have to find the time.

 

[PADave]

Ok, small batch Brewers! I am new and on my third batch. First one (APA) was ok. Second (Honey Porter) better. I have my third (Red Ale) my first full grain fermenting now and the bubbling sounds great.

I like to secondary for clarity, so my question is do I wait a week, or should I do secondary as soon as the first fermentation stops and settles? I have waited a week on the first two.

Give the primary 3 weeks and you'll be fine.

 

[Griffin495]

Looks like I won't be brewing that Citra IPA on Friday. I should check the calendar on the fridge before I open my mouth. Looks like daycare is closed that day so me and the kid will be hanging out. No way to watch a 14 month old by myself and brew. Hopefully, Saturday or Sunday will work out. Bummer. I was getting all excited.

 

[phug]

It's doable. I've got an 11 month old and have done a biab 3 gallon batch while home alone with her. Just time it so that nap time starts during the mash. And make good use of lunch time if they can feed themselves

 

[badlee]

@Brewpreacher, I have yet to do a secondary on anything other than a lager.
Anything under sg1.055 from pitch to bottle day takes two weeks.
Bigger beers get one extra week out of respect.

 

[Griffin495]

It's doable. I've got an 11 month old and have done a biab 3 gallon batch while home alone with her. Just time it so that nap time starts during the mash. And make good use of lunch time if they can feed themselves

I wish I could. My boy is up and walking running about getting into everything and if I walk off he follows me and gets into whatever I'm doing. I'm afraid to try brewing with the way his nap schedule has been this week at daycare. 30 minute naps!! Hope its just a phase. As for lunch, don't think so. That kid eats like a champ. Plows through his food. Meals are done in like 15 minutes tops. More like 10. That's ok. I have so much sick, comp and vacation time saved up, I'll just take a day off next week and brew.

 

[MadHomebrewer]

I wish I could. My boy is up and walking running about getting into everything and if I walk off he follows me and gets into whatever I'm doing. I'm afraid to try brewing with the way his nap schedule has been this week at daycare. 30 minute naps!! Hope its just a phase. As for lunch, don't think so. That kid eats like a champ. Plows through his food. Meals are done in like 15 minutes tops. More like 10. That's ok. I have so much sick, comp and vacation time saved up, I'll just take a day off next week and brew.

Try out the 15min pale ale recipe on here. I used Citra for my hop and it was awesome. Makes a quick and tasty beer!

 

[Lepetitnormand]

hum it has been a while since I posted here and 3 month since I brewed a 1 gallon batch, I did do 4 2.5 gallon batch in the mean time though.

Anyway I have a Kentucky common in the brew cabinet that should ferment hopefully well. All grain 3hours from start to finish clean up included. I think I can shave some time here and there though.

Next one a cream ale with a citrusy is aroma, got to think about that one though, I have the base recipe for the cream ale but I am yet decided on what hop to add and which amount ...

 

[ericbw]

Ok, small batch Brewers! I am new and on my third batch. First one (APA) was ok. Second (Honey Porter) better. I have my third (Red Ale) my first full grain fermenting now and the bubbling sounds great.



I like to secondary for clarity, so my question is do I wait a week, or should I do secondary as soon as the first fermentation stops and settles? I have waited a week on the first two.

I go 3-4 weeks in primary, no secondary. But I have done 2 weeks primary and 2 weeks secondary. But I don't do secondary anymore.

 

[deanoaz]

Pliney The Elder and Heady Topper Clones Brew Day
One reason I do 1 gal batches , didn't want 2.5,3, or 5gal of each to drink. I'm not an IPA fan, but wanted to see what these are all about, plus I try any beer at least once. Cant buy them here so have to make them.

Its nice to see someone here has the same reason for doing 1 gal. batches; I'm not a big beer/ale drinker, so I don't want a lot of bottles collecting in the closets. I do like the ales better than the beer, so I will be focusing there. I am just starting with my first batch, so it is all new to me. I will be watching your posts.

Newbie question: I noticed the oven....do you boil the wort there vs stove-top?

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I've heard some people will use the oven for a set it and forget it method of maintaining the mash temp for small all grain and partial mash batches.

 

[deanoaz]

I've heard some people will use the oven for a set it and forget it method of maintaining the mash temp for small all grain and partial mash batches.

Ahh.....another Arizona brewer. I live over in Peoria and am brewing my first 1 gal. (first of any size!) batch tomorrow. I bought one of the Caribou Slobber kits to start with. I will probably do a few more before I have any confidence in adjusting ingredients. I know I don't know the logistics of oven heating, but how do you control the wort boil time? It seems like that would be hard.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I think you are right. Once you have the sweet wort from mashing your grains you would then boil it on the stove top. If you were doing an extract batch you would probably do the whole thing on your stove top.

 

[deanoaz]

5-10gal brewer here, bought a BBS kit on clearance sale at Bed Bath and Beyond, figured for the low low price of $15 it was worth it just for the equipment. It was quite fun actually, I have already scaled down some recipes I have wanted to try but didn't want 2.5/5/10 gallons to drink.

I can brew on a week day now: Come home for lunch, heat water, mash in, place in 150deg oven. Get home from work finish the sparge and boil while cooking dinner. Chill in ice bath while eating dinner.

Explain how you can use the oven to do your wort. Unless you have extremely short work days, it sounds like you leave the wort there for ~4 hours @ 150 deg. My first kit has the wort boiling for 45 minutes. Is yours all-grain and you can do hold for that long at that temp? I know, I'm a newbie.

 

[schiersteinbrewing]

Its nice to see someone here has the same reason for doing 1 gal. batches; I'm not a big beer/ale drinker, so I don't want a lot of bottles collecting in the closets. I do like the ales better than the beer, so I will be focusing there. I am just starting with my first batch, so it is all new to me. I will be watching your posts.

Newbie question: I noticed the oven....do you boil the wort there vs stove-top?

I use the oven for mashing, boil on the stove top.

 

[schiersteinbrewing]

Explain how you can use the oven to do your wort. Unless you have extremely short work days, it sounds like you leave the wort there for ~4 hours @ 150 deg. My first kit has the wort boiling for 45 minutes. Is yours all-grain and you can do hold for that long at that temp? I know, I'm a newbie.

I work 5 min from my house, and I'm off at 4pm. I take lunch about 1-1:30pm. Come home turn oven to 150, eat lunch while mash water heats up, mash in, place in oven at 2-230, sits in 150 deg oven until I get home, when I get home drain bag and boil while preparing dinner or helping with homework.

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

He's mashing grain in the oven, not boiling.

 

[deanoaz]

He's mashing grain in the oven, not boiling.

Ahaa! Got it now. I knew it was probably a newbie question. I delved into Papazian's bible and got it clarified. Thanks all for clearing it up for me.

 

[EnderRoark]

hey everyone,

i just have a question about preserving yeast to use for gallon batches. I'll be using a recipe with Wyeast Activator 1272 but since it has the capacity for 5 gallons I was wondering what the best way to save the rest of the yeast that i dont use.

 

[jimdkc]

A Wyeast Activator actually has a capacity for 5 gallons IF you make a starter with it.

So, half a Wyeast Activator is pretty much perfect for a 1-gallon batch.

I'd use half, store the other half in a sanitized container in the fridge, and plan on using it in the next week, if possible.

 

[FatsSchindee]

A Wyeast Activator actually has a capacity for 5 gallons IF you make a starter with it.

So, half a Wyeast Activator is pretty much perfect for a 1-gallon batch.

I'd use half, store the other half in a sanitized container in the fridge, and plan on using it in the next week, if possible.

Or, if you're not planning on brewing again that quickly (or are, but with another yeast), save it for longer and then use it in a starter when ready...

 

[EnderRoark]

Or, if you're not planning on brewing again that quickly (or are, but with another yeast), save it for longer and then use it in a starter when ready...

would I need to add anything in the sanitized container (such as nutrient)? or can I just have it by itself.

 

[Griffin495]

Love this thread. Took the advice of others on Saturday when I was at the grocery store and asked the lady at the bakery if they have any buckets. Only got one 2 gallon bucket, but now I got a source of free fermenters. I do like my 1 gallon glass jugs, but I think I'll be scaling up my recipes to 1.25 or 1.5 gallons so I can get closer to a 12 pack.

Also picked up a 5 qt bucket at Lowes for a couple bucks. Whipped out the Dremmel and made a hole and popped in my spout from my 5 gallon bottling bucket. That should make bottling day easier.

 

[jimdkc]

Or, if you're not planning on brewing again that quickly (or are, but with another yeast), save it for longer and then use it in a starter when ready...

Yes! This!

would I need to add anything in the sanitized container (such as nutrient)? or can I just have it by itself.

No, don't add anything... You want it to sleep, not be active!