1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[MaytagMan]

Hey all,
Well, I read the first 75 pages of this thread, and from 500 to current. I am sold on gallon brewing for a variety of reasons. I got a BBS Oatmeal Stout kit that got me researching....


While I will follow the kit's instructions as they are for the first batch, I want to start amassing some equipment so I can get started with other kits/recipes as well. I have several questions, but will only do one or two at a time so as not to overwhelm you with my newbness...


1. I am looking into a Thermoworks MTC Therm reader and a K-37-X-T to monitor mash temps as I eventually plan to hold mash temp in the oven. Since the MTC is only rated to 122*, I figured I would keep it outside the oven with the wire probe running into the kettle in the oven. Would this work? Meaning, Does the whole K-37 probe monitor temp so that I will get the oven temp in that reading too? (Does that Q make sense?) MAybe an option is I can have the probe in the covered pot with the connecter only outside of the pot, then I could just connect the reader every so often to check the temp? Or is there an easier way? And what about monitoring temp of cooling wort?




2. Eventually, the plan is to do full volume boil BIAB with the goal of about 1.5 gallons into the fermenter (supposed to yield approx. 12 bottles correct?) Would a 5-gallon kettle be an appropriate choice? Also, I would like a kettle with volume markings so that I can figure that portion out easier... I could go with a 5.5 gallon Ss Brew Kettle that seems to solve the problem. I assume if I can boil in the kettle, I can keep it in a 170* and less oven. And if I got the therm with it, that would seem to solve both problems above, plus has a ball valve. Then perhaps get a more cost effective thermometer for monitoring cooling wort.


Thanks for all the info... I'm sure there will be many more questions as this addiction....errr.... hobby develops.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Hey all,
Well, I read the first 75 pages of this thread, and from 500 to current. I am sold on gallon brewing for a variety of reasons. I got a BBS Oatmeal Stout kit that got me researching....


While I will follow the kit's instructions as they are for the first batch, I want to start amassing some equipment so I can get started with other kits/recipes as well. I have several questions, but will only do one or two at a time so as not to overwhelm you with my newbness...

Hey sorry that I am not able to help on those, but good luck with your endeavor.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Hey guys,

I hope one of you can help.

I just bottled two 1 gallon batch last night that were brewed using the brooklyn book. As I borrowed the book from the local library, I do not have it anymore and figured out I forgot to make a note of the ABV and was wondering what he expected ABV is to see how close far from it I am.

I hope one of you has the book on hand and is willing to provide me the expected ABV for both beer.

The recipe were

Table beer ( low ABV beer)
Blonde Chamomile (just brewed it chamomile less)

Cheers



My new batch is actually cooling in the sink ( Kiss Your Cousin Kentucky Common's recipe from HBT using Maris otter instead of 2 row )

 

[jimdkc]

Table Beer is an estimated 4.2% ABV.
And Blonde Chamomile comes in at 5.8% ABV.

 

[Lepetitnormand]

Table Beer is an estimated 4.2% ABV.
And Blonde Chamomile comes in at 5.8% ABV.

Hey thank you , I guess I made some session beer then.

I came up with 2.8% and 4% respectively.

Got to keep working on my efficiency and adjusting my recipe adequately. It sounds like this morning brew is going to be really low too ... ho well try and learn

 

[swallace]

I tried my first BIAB today. I used Beersmith to calculate the water volumes. I was way off on the final wort. I did a 2 gallon, 60 minute test boil last night and I lost .75 gal. Beersmith calculated I needed 7.99 quarts.

I probably ended up with 1.33 gallons. I'm guessing squeezing the bag had a little to do with it.

 

[fuzzy2133]

I tried my first BIAB today. I used Beersmith to calculate the water volumes. I was way off on the final wort. I did a 2 gallon, 60 minute test boil last night and I lost .75 gal. Beersmith calculated I needed 7.99 quarts.

I probably ended up with 1.33 gallons. I'm guessing squeezing the bag had a little to do with it.

Yes squeezing and how long to let the grain drain are variables that software do not know.

 

[ohiobeer29]

good to see things are well here haven't had time in forever to brew but this weekend might be that time again

 

[BykerBrewer]

I tried my first BIAB today. I used Beersmith to calculate the water volumes. I was way off on the final wort. I did a 2 gallon, 60 minute test boil last night and I lost .75 gal. Beersmith calculated I needed 7.99 quarts.

I probably ended up with 1.33 gallons. I'm guessing squeezing the bag had a little to do with it.

Beersmith is an excellent tool once you get the software working with your process/equipment. It may take a couple brews to gather the information you need to input, but just take good notes and understand what your doing before relying too heavily on the calculations it so nicely provides. Also, this would not throw your calculations off by a third of a gallon on the one gallon scale, but the quantity of hops used I have begun taking into consideration when calculating my volumes. Those wonderful little pellets can absorb a lot of liquid. Best of luck!

 

[headfullahops]

I currently brew 5 gallon batches and am seriously considering picking up a couple 1.4 gallon fermenters to do 1 gallon batches of special high ABV brews to bottle cage & cork style. I love having 5 gallons of 5-7% ABV beer on draft, but having that much 8-12% ABV really slows down the rotation for me. Besides, the big beers make a great presentation for sharing in the Belgian cork-top bottles. I think I just talked myself into it. Cheers!

 

[ericbw]

I currently brew 5 gallon batches and am seriously considering picking up a couple 1.4 gallon fermenters to do 1 gallon batches of special high ABV brews to bottle cage & cork style. I love having 5 gallons of 5-7% ABV beer on draft, but having that much 8-12% ABV really slows down the rotation for me. Besides, the big beers make a great presentation for sharing in the Belgian cork-top bottles. I think I just talked myself into it. Cheers!

Do it.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Want to do some 1 gallon BIAB. Best way to calculate how much water I will need? I'd like to do a full volume mash and no sparge. My first grain bill would be 1.75#.

 

[badlee]

Google brewmate.
It is free to download and has a very good biab setting(you can choose it as a default setting if you like).
I have used this programme for years.
It is very basic with regards to ingredients,but you can easily add your own.

 

[gromitdj]

Want to do some 1 gallon BIAB. Best way to calculate how much water I will need? I'd like to do a full volume mash and no sparge. My first grain bill would be 1.75#.

Since you know the quantity of grain already. I'll provide how I would approach it. According to How to Brew, grain absorbs 0.5 quarts of water per pound (he refers to it as water retention coefficient) so...

1.75 x 0.5 = .875 quarts (28 oz.) + 1 gallon + boil off = total amount of water

You'll also need to add any kettle losses you'll have.

Obviously, the amount of water used will effect your efficiency, so you may want to calculate the amount of grain based on an assumed efficiency until you can nail down what it is.

If you own How to Brew, Palmer provides great detail on the no sparge calculations in Chaper 17, Lautering.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Boiling my first 1 gallon BIAB now. My mash temp dropped quite a bit because I didn't realize my pot wouldn't fit in the oven without taking the racks out so I didn't bother with it. Hopefully it still turns out alright!

 

[TonyKZ1]

Congrats, let us know how it goes.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Congrats, let us know how it goes.

So far so good. 1.25 gallon in the fermenter, hit my gravity of 1.040 exactly! It's a blonde, and I'm going to rack it onto jalapenos next week!

 

[treacheroustexan]

So just following up. I bottled my first 1 gallon BIAB yesterday. It was a blonde ale and I added 1 split, roasted and frozen jalapeno to the primary. It tastes awesome!! Excited to try a bottle!

 

[DurhamUK]

Hi All,

Woundering if anyone has done a 1gal Ginger Beer that has turned out great? Maybe even a crabbies clone?

Thanks

 

[violinguy]

Happy Thanksgiving all you little-batch brewing folk!

On this last Monday, I bottled my Festivus Miracle. It tasted very nice with just the right amount of spice. It'll be a nice Christmas eve indulgence with my father who will be visiting.

Tomorrow, I'm brewing an all-grain IPA recipe from Brooklyn that I got as a gift a while back. In between hops additions, I'll be putting up the Christmas tree.

Best to all of you 1-gallon fellows this holiday season!

VG

 

[AZBeer]

Bottled a Xmas Porter last week for...well...Christmas. BIAB Robust Porter that I dry hopped with willimette, and added vanilla, chocolate, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Got an IPA with some experiment hops and a true hefe for a friend on deck.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

This may or may not be helpful for folks brewing 1-gallon batches:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=596056

It is written from the point of view of a brewer using Brooklyn Brew Shop equipment and mixes, but it should apply to any 1-gallon situation, including (maybe especially?) someone coming up with his/her own recipes.

Hope this helps -

Ron

 

[Oleary]

I just brewed my first batch and realized a 2 gallon stock pot just isn't going to cut it. I followed the directions (Northern Brewer's Caribou Slobber one gallon extract) starting at 1.25 gallons but ended at about .75. I added .25 tap water and it's in the fermenter. I don't have high hopes but then again, first batch... Anyway, my question is what kettles are y'all using? I spent the afternoon on Amazon looking at everything from a 3 gallon stock pot to a 5.5 Anvil with spigot and thermometer. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[harrke]

I use a three gallon stock pot.

 

[AZBeer]

I use a 10qt stock pot. I get about 2qt/HR boil off, and usually shoot for 5qt into primary to get a solid 12pack. 1 gal gets you about 9 beers IME.

 

[violinguy]

I'm seeing a lot of people here recommending a 16 qt from Walmart or Target. You can get one as low as $19. Of course, you get what you pay for so watch out for burnt LME if you go that route.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I got lucky and found a 16 quart stock pot on sale for $40 at the restaurant supply place. For brewing and cooking in general don't overlook the commercial restaurant supply places, the prices are typically cheaper and the quality better.

I'm scaling down from 5 gallon batches due to an injury (I haven't done many 5 batches anyway). I settled on 1.75 gallon batch size because I found 2 gallon NFS plastic buckets cheap to use for fermentors. Plus 1.75 gallons fills about 10 Bombers which I consider to be the correct size for one serving . I found a vegetable steamer at the Walmart that fits the bottom of the pot perfectly. Add a 24" grain bag and a few binder clips and my BIAB set up is pretty much done. (Re-using the wort chiller from the old set-up.)

Misc stuff I also added to the new set up:
-I picked up a single burner sportsmans stove, at 15,000 btu it should heat the smaller pot fairly fast. The burner will serve double duty for home canning and get me out of the kitchen, much to my spouses delight I'm sure.
-Found a used thermocouple converter for my Fluke DVOM so I can monitor temps very precisely. This will serve double duty in the smoker and for general cooking. I am sick to death of the cheap kitchen thermometers available at department stores.
-Found a pack of three type K thermocouples cheap on E-bay.$3

Looking for a cheap way to add a thermowell to the lid of my pot. I'll probably just use a copper tube closed off with lead free solder.

All told I'm under $100 into the set up. If you skip the misc stuff it would be under $50

By the way, first post here, howdy.

 

[Brownalemikie]

I got lucky and found a 16 quart stock pot on sale for $40 at the restaurant supply place. For brewing and cooking in general don't overlook the commercial restaurant supply places, the prices are typically cheaper and the quality better.

I'm scaling down from 5 gallon batches due to an injury (I haven't done many 5 batches anyway). I settled on 1.75 gallon batch size because I found 2 gallon NFS plastic buckets cheap to use for fermentors. Plus 1.75 gallons fills about 10 Bombers which I consider to be the correct size for one serving . I found a vegetable steamer at the Walmart that fits the bottom of the pot perfectly. Add a 24" grain bag and a few binder clips and my BIAB set up is pretty much done. (Re-using the wort chiller from the old set-up.)

Misc stuff I also added to the new set up:
-I picked up a single burner sportsmans stove, at 15,000 btu it should heat the smaller pot fairly fast. The burner will serve double duty for home canning and get me out of the kitchen, much to my spouses delight I'm sure.
-Found a used thermocouple converter for my Fluke DVOM so I can monitor temps very precisely. This will serve double duty in the smoker and for general cooking. I am sick to death of the cheap kitchen thermometers available at department stores.
-Found a pack of three type K thermocouples cheap on E-bay.$3

Looking for a cheap way to add a thermowell to the lid of my pot. I'll probably just use a copper tube closed off with lead free solder.

All told I'm under $100 into the set up. If you skip the misc stuff it would be under $50

By the way, first post here, howdy.

Congrats, sounds like you're on your way to some great brew sessions. However, maybe you should have checked Amazon.....I bought a 16 quart stock pot w/lid for $26 (free delivery) with Amazon Prime. Have been using it for 6 months with great success. Anyways, good luck to ya!

 

[jimdkc]

...1.75 gallons fills about 10 Bombers which I consider to be the correct size for one serving .

I agree! 10 bombers is a good serving size!

 

[ericbw]

I got lucky and found a 16 quart stock pot on sale for $40 at the restaurant supply place. For brewing and cooking in general don't overlook the commercial restaurant supply places, the prices are typically cheaper and the quality better.



I'm scaling down from 5 gallon batches due to an injury (I haven't done many 5 batches anyway). I settled on 1.75 gallon batch size because I found 2 gallon NFS plastic buckets cheap to use for fermentors. Plus 1.75 gallons fills about 10 Bombers which I consider to be the correct size for one serving . I found a vegetable steamer at the Walmart that fits the bottom of the pot perfectly. Add a 24" grain bag and a few binder clips and my BIAB set up is pretty much done. (Re-using the wort chiller from the old set-up.)



Misc stuff I also added to the new set up:

-I picked up a single burner sportsmans stove, at 15,000 btu it should heat the smaller pot fairly fast. The burner will serve double duty for home canning and get me out of the kitchen, much to my spouses delight I'm sure.

-Found a used thermocouple converter for my Fluke DVOM so I can monitor temps very precisely. This will serve double duty in the smoker and for general cooking. I am sick to death of the cheap kitchen thermometers available at department stores.

-Found a pack of three type K thermocouples cheap on E-bay.$3



Looking for a cheap way to add a thermowell to the lid of my pot. I'll probably just use a copper tube closed off with lead free solder.



All told I'm under $100 into the set up. If you skip the misc stuff it would be under $50



By the way, first post here, howdy.

Can you explain what you're doing with the thermocouples? Just curious!