1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[Sharkbrewingco]

It all depends on the other characteristics in the mash. I have a calculator for modeling the acid/base characteristics of the mash.

In general, I would hazard a guess that most Pale grists would take between 2-4% and darker roast heavy grists between 1-2%.

I always model the whole mash and use the spreadsheet to calculate exact percentages though.

I use Beersmith to create/store my recipes. I just finished bottle conditioning an Irish Red ale. I only put one ounce of acid malt because my gut didn't trust Beersmith's recommendation of about 3 oz. Well When I opened up a bottle my beer was sour. This was my first batch with adding acid malt. My fermentation was between 64 and 67 F. That's why I am looking to see if the acid malt was the culprit. I read somewhere that I should have put in only .02 lbs. of the malt.

• 2.25 lbs Maris Otter Pale Malt

• 3 oz Caramel Malt (10L)

• 2 oz Caramel Malt (120L)

• 1 oz Roasted Barley

 

[ba-brewer]

@Sharkbrewingco I did not calculate the amount of acid malt for your grain bill but 1oz is about 3% which does not seem like it should cause a beer to taste sour. I use about 3% in my pale lagers without getting any sourness.

There are some yeast that can make a beer taste tart, I seen people mention S-04 being one of them.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

@Sharkbrewingco I did not calculate the amount of acid malt for your grain bill but 1oz is about 3% which does not seem like it should cause a beer to taste sour. I use about 3% in my pale lagers without getting any sourness.

There are some yeast that can make a beer taste tart, I seen people mention S-04 being one of them.

I used Nottingham. If it caused by fermentation temperature, I brewed several batches before this beer with no problems.

 

[Big Monk]

I used Nottingham. If it caused by fermentation temperature, I brewed several batches before this beer with no problems.

Everyone’s tastes are different but at 3% of the total Grist, it’s highly unlikely that Sauermalz was the culprit.

I’ve gone upwards of 8% with no sourness or tang in the finished product.

 

[Druman07]

With one gallon batches, who has messed around with mash ph? What technique do you use to lower the ph?

Salt additions and lactic acid. A little goes a long way. For raising PH I was using baking soda, but next time I do a dark recipe, I and going to try pickling lime which can control the PH without adding NA to the recipe.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

HHHmmmm, I will have to look at my fermentation process then. For now, I am going to try brewing with out the acid malt on my next brew day to see what happens. I may need to get a shorter thermowell to move the probe to a different location in the fermenter.

 

[ba-brewer]

I used Nottingham. If it caused by fermentation temperature, I brewed several batches before this beer with no problems.

I don't think Nottingham is one I have seen as being tart, but there are other british yeast that can be. Not sure what the mechanism is to trigger it though.

I have also seen people using pretty high percentage of acid malt to fake a sour type beer and not getting much sourness.

Brewing a beer without the acid malt makes sense to isolate the issue. There are wild things that can cause sourness, I would not use the slurry from that batch.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

I don't think Nottingham is one I have seen as being tart, but there are other british yeast that can be. Not sure what the mechanism is to trigger it though.

I have also seen people using pretty high percentage of acid malt to fake a sour type beer and not getting much sourness.

Brewing a beer without the acid malt makes sense to isolate the issue. There are wild things that can cause sourness, I would not use the slurry from that batch.

I haven't gotten to that point of were I reuse yeast so no worries there. I have an IPA in the fermenter now. I did use acid malt there. We shall see how this turns out.

 

[ba-brewer]

Hopefully it is one off event. For the record how sour was your beer, anything else seem out of place, carbonation level ok?

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

Hopefully it is one off event. For the record how sour was your beer, anything else seem out of place, carbonation level ok?

Sourness stood out pretty good to where I wasn't going to buy a bottle of an Irish red ale to compare it with. The sour was on the back end when you drink it. Carbonation was towards the weak side for the bottles I poured. However I bottled some beer with 1/2 tsp each and other with a little over 1/2. I wanted to see if there was a difference in volume. I was looking for 2.5. When you poured it into a glass it didn't create much of a head and it went away quickly. I even poured it vigorously.

 

[ba-brewer]

Low carbonation does not sound like it was contaminated with wild yeast or bacteria, but if that changes over time to over carbonated then maybe.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

Low carbonation does not sound like it was contaminated with wild yeast or bacteria, but if that changes over time to over carbonated then maybe.

Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer. I believe I saw the same floaters on my red ale. Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing. I soak the bucket with a cleaner overnight and fill the entire bucket with Star San. Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).

 

[Big Monk]

Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).

There are sufficient bacteria on any malt to sour a batch of wort. Take for instance the fact that you can make Sauergut by inoculating a volume of wort with raw uncrushed grains.

Sauermalz itself is hardly more of a culprit than any other malt, especially if it was store in a dry place and sealed.

Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer.

This sounds like a more likely smoking gun.

 

[ba-brewer]

Well I may have found out why my beer has a sour tasted. I went to rack my IPA to a secondary and I saw a bunch of stuff floating on top. There is also a opaque film covering the beer. I believe I saw the same floaters on my red ale. Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing. I soak the bucket with a cleaner overnight and fill the entire bucket with Star San. Still sort of thinking the acid malt was behind this since its around a year old (vacuum sealed).

If your acid malt(or any malt) came into contact with the boiled and cool wort that could cause trouble. Being in the mash then boiled should not cause problems.

If that is a plastic bucket I would retire it. Should give what ever else that came into contact with the red ale a extra good cleaning too. Racking canes and transfer tubes are cheap, I would retire those as well.

 

[bleme]

Well I think I will no longer be using this specific bucket. I am pretty good with cleaning and sanitizing.

Depending on how cheap you are, there are a few other options available for sanitizing (UV light, iodopher, boiling water or bleach) that will kill things StarSan doesn't get.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

If your acid malt(or any malt) came into contact with the boiled and cool wort that could cause trouble. Being in the mash then boiled should not cause problems.

If that is a plastic bucket I would retire it. Should give what ever else that came into contact with the red ale a extra good cleaning too. Racking canes and transfer tubes are cheap, I would retire those as well.

Yes, I am replacing my bucket, lid and cleaning sponge. Going to clean the heck out of funnel, spigot and coil (SSBrewtech FTS) I use for temperature control.

 

[Immocles]

Ive done about eight or so 1G jugs in recent months, most following the same recipe lines (1-1.25lb DME, small steeping grains, hops the only real difference, 1/3 to half pack of us-05 yeast, fill to the same line) and my most recent one has fermented waaaay differently than the rest. Usually it would be active for about 3-4 days, then slowly fizzle out and do its thing. This one was super active for 2-3 days, then started to slow up, then absolutely took off late morning yesterday to the point where I pulled the airlock and used a blow off. It is still bubbling pretty fiercely through the blow off, and the jar of sanitizer has gotten pretty murky (how often/when should I change this water?) from the Krausen. Is this simply a byproduct of the nighttime temperatures getting more mild in my area? I've only just started to attempt to control temperatures, and I'm curious if this will be a new regular experience ( I'll need to buy more hose...) as I'm able to keep temps steadier.

 

[Pelican of the Desert]

Well, I am pretty impressed with this uKeg, from Growlerwerks, and with my latest 1-gallon brew: an Earl Grey Tea Pale Ale.

I have one of these too! The uKeg 128 in copper, my father in law gave it to me for Christmas and I absolutely love it. Mine has worked flawlessly and I've had it filled probably 6 or 7 times, typically I bring home two growlers from the local brewery and fill it up myself since "by law" they can't fill a vessel that's larger than 64oz. I've had beer in mine for up to 3 weeks and the last glass has always been as fresh as the first. The uKeg's aren't cheap but they're pretty killer.

I've attempted home brew in it as well but as I learn things along the way, I prefer bottles...and I don't like tying the uKeg up for weeks waiting for beer to condition if I don't have to.

 

[Pelican of the Desert]

Here's my process when I brew one gallon batches, (actually closer to 1.25 gallons). Like you I'm also fermenting in the 1.4 gallon Little Big Mouth Bubblers. I bought a smaller siphon from my LHB shop and I siphon into a 2 1/2 gallon food-safe bucket I picked up at Lowes. I drilled a hole in it and installed a spigot. I have a two or three inch long hose coming off the spigot and a bottling wand attached to the other end of the small piece of hose. I rack to the bucket (no sugar at this point). Using a tip I picked up from @TwistedGray I use a sanitized funnel and measuring spoon to add between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp of table sugar (depending on style), to each empty bottle. I rack the beer on top of the sugar, usually getting 10 to 12 bottles per batch, and then cap the bottles.

I haven't really had an bubbling issues with the siphon as long as I keep it fully submerged. Have you tried a different siphon?

get a standard racking cane and cut to size for your small fermentor. You can use some of the cut off part as the bottling wand.


I put a sanitize glass pipette(any sort of straw like thing will work) into the transfer tube and start a siphon. I remove the pipette after beer is well down the tube but before beer gets to the end of the tube. Allow a little beer to leave the tube then Pinch off the tubing. Hold the tubing and install your bottling wand. Pinch the tube to stop flow between bottles.


edit:this requires sugar be pre-measured and put into the bottles

I put bottling spigots on my fermenters.

Thank you all for you feedback and ideas! I haven’t had much of a chance to check back in on this but I have learned some things in the past month, these being the formative days of my brewing journey.


The shorter racking cane idea is golden and something that I’m going to do. Since my original post explaining that I was getting tons of air in my siphon, I’ve transferred a couple more batches (one into my uKeg which is easier by far than bottling) with pretty good success. Part of it was getting comfortable with the racking cane and learning how to get it going without introducing air into the stream. I intend to shorten the cane with hopes of easier and better performance, as suggested, as well as employing my wife to help me as a second set of hands would make a huge difference as has also been suggested. It’s a lot to handle for one person.


Since my last post I’ve also experimented with different fermenters and invested in some different equipment to try out. I have a 2 gallon batch of Black Ale in a 3 gallon FastFerment that’s ready to bottle any day. Once this is out, I intend to fill it back up with a batch of bourbon barrel porter. One little big mouth is also full of hefe that's coming along nicely, so I'll get to test out my shortened racking cane on this bugger in a couple weeks. I also purchased a 3.5gal Ss Brewtech Mini Bucket to play around with that’s waiting on my doorstep as we speak. Some of the aerated beers that I bottled anyways have actually turned out pretty dang good so I’m excited to see how things work out with the next few batches now that I’ve worked some things out.


I can’t say enough about how much I love this forum and this particular thread, what an awesome resource for new brewers just starting out in this hobby.



Brian.

 

[Sharkbrewingco]

Since my last post I’ve also experimented with different fermenters and invested in some different equipment to try out. I have a 2 gallon batch of Black Ale in a 3 gallon FastFerment that’s ready to bottle any day. Once this is out, I intend to fill it back up with a batch of bourbon barrel porter. One little big mouth is also full of hefe that's coming along nicely, so I'll get to test out my shortened racking cane on this bugger in a couple weeks. I also purchased a 3.5gal Ss Brewtech Mini Bucket to play around with that’s waiting on my doorstep as we speak. Some of the aerated beers that I bottled anyways have actually turned out pretty dang good so I’m excited to see how things work out with the next few batches now that I’ve worked some things out.

Brian.[/QUOTE]

I also have the Mini Bucket. I use it to brew either a 1.5 or 2.5 gallon batch. I lose to close a half gallon to trub. I keg this batches. I also use the FTSs to regulate fermentation temperatures.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I am really digging these "1 gal" fermenters (they have about 1.5 gals of total room...some 3/4 gal hop sampler batches going now). The containers are from Walmart (around $14 each) and they were easy to drill for the stopper and spigot. The very edge of the picture shows a glimpse of a fermenter using a 2 gal stainless pot from Walmart that did not turn out as well as I had hoped...but did make me realize that I want to ferment in clear fermenters.

 

[Immocles]

I am really digging these "1 gal" fermenters (they have about 1.5 gals of total room...some 3/4 gal hop sampler batches going now). The containers are from Walmart (around $14 each) and they were easy to drill for the stopper and spigot. The very edge of the picture shows a glimpse of a fermenter using a 2 gal stainless pot from Walmart that did not turn out as well as I had hoped...but did make me realize that I want to ferment in clear fermenters.

View attachment 618569

I’d like that post twice if I could. Once for the fermenters and again for the azacca hops.

 

[Pelican of the Desert]

I am really digging these "1 gal" fermenters (they have about 1.5 gals of total room...some 3/4 gal hop sampler batches going now). The containers are from Walmart (around $14 each) and they were easy to drill for the stopper and spigot. The very edge of the picture shows a glimpse of a fermenter using a 2 gal stainless pot from Walmart that did not turn out as well as I had hoped...but did make me realize that I want to ferment in clear fermenters.

Those are really cool! I also love being able to watch fermentation through a clear container, that's one of the things I love about my little big mouth bubblers. I keep them under a big Home Depot moving box to block out any light, but checking on them each day as they bubble away always gives me a sense of satisfaction. The stainless mini bucket I have won't offer that same visual satisfaction that's for sure. Very cool fermenters and extra points for creativity.

 

[dwightr8]

Just picked up one of these yesterday from Walmart. It's heavy duty glass. Just have to bore a hole through the lid for the airlock and change out the spigot. The lid doesn't have a gasket but I was thinking about putting a bead of silicone unless somebody could suggest something better.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Better-Homes-and-Gardens-2-Gallon-Beverage-Dispenser/49229390

Dewey

 

[InspectorJon]

The lid doesn't have a gasket but I was thinking about putting a bead of silicone unless somebody could suggest something better.

Maybe a one gallon canning jar lid would fit?

 

[dwightr8]

Sounded like a good idea but I think the lid is a little bigger than the gallon canning jar lid.

 

[TwistedGray]

I have one of these too! The uKeg 128 in copper, my father in law gave it to me for Christmas and I absolutely love it. Mine has worked flawlessly and I've had it filled probably 6 or 7 times, typically I bring home two growlers from the local brewery and fill it up myself since "by law" they can't fill a vessel that's larger than 64oz. I've had beer in mine for up to 3 weeks and the last glass has always been as fresh as the first. The uKeg's aren't cheap but they're pretty killer.

I've attempted home brew in it as well but as I learn things along the way, I prefer bottles...and I don't like tying the uKeg up for weeks waiting for beer to condition if I don't have to.

I have the 64 and it's been nothing but trouble, and unfortunately uKeg's support has been terrible. My 64 has been at their repair facility (has a leak) for the last few days now.

I force carbonate in mine so there is no need to wait weeks for the beer to condition. Just buy the ball lock cap for it, and you should have good, drinkable beer in about 2-4 days.

I will usually fill the uKeg and then bottle the rest - works perfectly for the HBT trades that we do on here because I'll have some beer "on tap" and others ready to ship in bottles.

 

[InspectorJon]

Sounded like a good idea but I think the lid is a little bigger than the gallon canning jar lid.

Maybe this: Silicone Rubber Sheet 6x6-inch

 

[catdaddy66]

Although I have not yet brewed anything smaller than 5 gallons in my entire 25 year brewing odyssey, that may be changing. My SIL just called to tell me she was organizing a yard sale for the VFW where she works and today someone dropped off this...

https://m.kohls.com/product/prd-3430495/hammer-and-axe-beer-brewing-kit.jsp

It may be too good to pass up and should be about ten bucks.

Score!

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

That looks like a pretty good deal.