1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

[mashpaddled]

I use 2gal food safe buckets from home depot or lowes from the paint department, then siphon into the bottles. I like the bucket for thorough mixing of the priming sugar without messing with the settle yeast in the primary.

I have put corn sugar into bottles then filled on top of it a few time with good results, but the last time I did it to capture some extra beer from a larger batch I kegged they got contaminated. If I do it again I will make a simple syrup solution so I can sterilize it.

I also use a two gallon paint bucket but I drilled a hole for a spigot so it works exactly like its larger cousin. I measured out how low I could get to the bottom so there would be as little deadspace in the bucket as possible.

 

[HemanBrew]

I also use a two gallon paint bucket but I drilled a hole for a spigot so it works exactly like its larger cousin. I measured out how low I could get to the bottom so there would be as little deadspace in the bucket as possible.

So how much beer left in the bucket in the end?

 

[ba-brewer]

you can tilt the bucket to minimize loss.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

Hefeweizen and brown ale doing its thing.

 

[ba-brewer]

@Buick Beer Gardens, what kind of fermentor is the larger one, how much will it hold?

 

[Immocles]

i really need to get a couple little mouth bubblers. I brewed a gallon mosaic pale ale today and looking at that picture vs my jug and blow off tube (cuz it’s gonna go, without question) makes me realize how much easier I could make my life.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

@Buick Beer Gardens, what kind of fermentor is the larger one, how much will it hold?

https://www.morebeer.com/products/4-gallon-fermenter-lid-spigot.html

Hold three gallons. This is a two gallon kit. Leaves plenty of head space so a blow off tube is not required.

 

[user 263363]

i really need to get a couple little mouth bubblers. I brewed a gallon mosaic pale ale today and looking at that picture vs my jug and blow off tube (cuz it’s gonna go, without question) makes me realize how much easier I could make my life.

There are also plastic little BMBs now that have spigots if that’s your jam. I picked up a couple and I haven’t touched the glass ones since. These are by far the best things going for ~1 gal brewers.

 

[Immocles]

There are also plastic little BMBs now that have spigots if that’s your jam. I picked up a couple and I haven’t touched the glass ones since. These are by far the best things going for ~1 gal brewers.

Oh? I like the sound of that.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

There are also plastic little BMBs now that have spigots if that’s your jam. I picked up a couple and I haven’t touched the glass ones since. These are by far the best things going for ~1 gal brewers.

I think Northern Brewer used to sell plastic/PET versions but I have not seen them for months. Fermonster has one, but my understanding is that it might hold around 1.2 gals, but not as much as the LBMB.

 

[user 263363]

I think Northern Brewer used to sell plastic/PET versions but I have not seen them for months. Fermonster has one, but my understanding is that it might hold around 1.2 gals, but not as much as the LBMB.

I see now that they are no longer available on NB. I guess they were a limited run. They do have the glass with spigots though.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

I see now that they are no longer available on NB. I guess they were a limited run. They do have the glass with spigots though.

The glass and plastic fermenter posted few posts back is the NB without the spigot. I like it over the plastic. Wish there was a two gallon size.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

Hefeweizen and brown ale doing its thing.
View attachment 663505

All, if you are considering the plastic 3 gallon get the better spigot. The plastic spigot leaks. I'm getting small drips every now and then.

 

[HemanBrew]

I did my first allgrain/biab batch today. Everything went as a planned. Except everything...

Mash temperature were way too high (like 74c /165F). My preboil volume was way more I intended. I got way more boiloff and had to add water, but still got 0.5l/0.26G less beer to fermenter. And my OG was 1.080. Way more I meant it to be.

This ipa is now imperial
I hope I'll get beer out of this.

 

[ba-brewer]

Too low of volume and too high of gravity is usually better than too low of volume and too low of gravity. Could of added a bit water to fix your starting gravity.

Next try will go easier.

 

[HemanBrew]

Too low of volume and too high of gravity is usually better than too low of volume and too low of gravity. Could of added a bit water to fix your starting gravity.

Next try will go easier.

I thought about adding water after cooling, but I didn't have sanitized water (boiled and cooled) so I didn't want to risk it with tapwater.

 

[ba-brewer]

To be safe you would need to boil for a few minutes then cool.

current_gravity/new_gravity*current_volume = new_volume, if you added a quart of water you would of been down to 1060.

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[jimdkc]

If there is not too much air in the bottle one can add a little clean water. Then there is always the 200ml bottle.
View attachment 663017

Thanks for this! Been looking everywhere for small re-cappable bottles! After seeing this post, I found that my local Target carries Fever Tree mixers!

 

[Mumathomebrew]

I've used the fever tree bottles before too for the last bit. Especially when brewing in the 2L water bottles. A gallon is better though because it makes six 500ml bottles not two and a half.

 

[InspectorJon]

Do you guys use bottling bucket or do you use siphon to transfer your beer to bottles?

I have done both. Mostly siphon to another container to mix priming sugar then siphon to bottles with a bottling wand. For the NEPIAs that are so susceptible to oxidation I siphon directly from fermenter to bottle putting 1/2 tsp table sugar in each bottle and fill to within 1/2 inch of the top to minimize oxygen exposure. Beer stays fresh and bright for several weeks using this method.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

I have done both. Mostly siphon to another container to mix priming sugar then siphon to bottles with a bottling wand. For the NEPIAs that are so susceptible to oxidation I siphon directly from fermenter to bottle putting 1/2 tsp table sugar in each bottle and fill to within 1/2 inch of the top to minimize oxygen exposure. Beer stays fresh and bright for several weeks using this method.

1/2 tsp sugar works well with all types of brew?

 

[BongoYodeler]

1/2 tsp sugar works well with all types of brew?

I've used this priming sugar method on one gallon batches of red ale, stout, porter, and ipa and it's worked flawlessly. I used a level 1/2 tsp for the red ale and ipa, and a heaping 1/4 tsp for the stout and porter.

 

[InspectorJon]

1/2 tsp per 12 oz will give approximately 2.4 volumes of CO2. It is not as exact as measuring by weight but it will get you close.

 

[Buick Beer Gardens]

Hefeweizen and brown ale doing its thing.
View attachment 663505

The hefeweizen FG is 1.010. Two weeks fermenting. A week ago smelled like swamp/sulfur. I understand this can occur with a hefeweizen. The taste was kind of bland really. Although, a burp after drinking the brew tested with the hydrometer revealed a banana/hefeweizen taste. I bottled 12 oz in 10 bottles for conditioning. Currently sitting at 70-71 degrees doing something!

 

[HemanBrew]

Question about boiloff:

My preboil gravity is correct, but I loose more water in boiling than I planned.
I add water at 10mins so my water amout is what I thought it would be?
If I do this, do I hit or miss my target FG?

 

[Dwight]

Question about boiloff:

My preboil gravity is correct, but I loose more water in boiling than I planned.
I add water at 10mins so my water amout is what I thought it would be?
If I do this, do I hit or miss my target FG?

I would think you should hit the same FG now. The sugar is still there regardless of boil off. Without addition, final and ABV would be slightly higher, right?

 

[HemanBrew]

I would think you should hit the same FG now. The sugar is still there regardless of boil off. Without addition, final and ABV would be slightly higher, right?

Ok. This is what I thought too. No sugars vaporate with water.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Giving my 3 gal Fermonsters a try for a couple 3/4 gal hop sampler batches. The Fuggles vs EKG showdown!

 

[HemanBrew]

Giving my 3 gal Fermonsters a try for a couple 3/4 gal hop sampler batches. The Fuggles vs EKG showdown!

View attachment 665556

What about that huge headspace!?! Oxidation?

 

[ba-brewer]

I seen someone did the calculation for co2 production and a 5gal batch generate enough CO2 to purge several corny kegs so that should be OK.

A large head space seems to be more sensitive to chilling cycles for me, seen the airlock want to reverse so I try to limit it if possible.
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