1 gallon set up

[Austinaureus]

I'm new to brewing and would like to experiment a little but since I'm a college student and don't have much space in my apartment (not to mention I wouldn't want to end up with 5 gallons of gross beer) I decided if I could set up a basic system with a 1 gallon yield, that would be ideal.

Has anyone ever done this before?

What equipment should I get?


Thanks.

 

[IrregularPulse]

at least do 3 gallons. With 5 gallons, it's only 53 beers. usually less. Not hard to pawn off in college I would imagine. PLus if you start out with kits they are for 5 gallons. If you put together your own recipes you could scale down. Are you looking for extract or leaping into AG? If AG it really isn't worth all the trouble for just 1 gallon. Plus it would suck nothing more than to taste your final product, realize it's better than any store bought you've had, and then realize you don't even have enough for the night!

 

[dstar26t]

I used to do some ~1 gallon batches. I would use a one gallon glass wine jug with a stopper and airlock as the fermenter and a 12 qt stock pot for the boil (pretty much free equipment). You can't actually get a full gallon of wort in the jug since you need some space for krausen. After all was said and done, these little batches would usually yield (6) 16 oz bottles. I found that it's very hard to replicate batches and hit the numbers you want since a very little mistake in measuring ingredients or procedure makes for a larger mistake in finished product compared to a 5 gallon batch.

 

[MrFebtober]

yeah, I would say the best way to get into brewing would be the 5 gallon malt extract kits that most home brew supply stores sell. The most you have to boil is about 2 gallons of wort for a 5 gallon batch. Besides, unless you really screw up, the beer you brew is going to taste great and you'll be glad you have 5 gallons worth.

 

[brett]

If you are interested in doing 1 gallon batches, I would recommend downloading the following videos from a brewing podcast show. They do a one gallon batch of IPA as an experiment.

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=video

It toward the bottom of the page, labeled Six Pack IPA.

 

[dstar26t]

I also did my first all-grain using the wine jugs, 12 qt stock pot, free bucket and cheap paint strainer for a MLT. Hit 61% efficiency and came out fantastic, but again, very little yield.

 

[Austinaureus]

I'm planning on extract for awhile before I get into AG.

The Six-Pack IPA from Basic Brewing was really interesting - thanks for the link. After watching that, I realized how little beer that is.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[lustreking]

Are you interested in all-grain brewing. I've done quite a few 1 gallon batches.

Here's that method I've been using:
http://brewing.lustreking.com/articles/stovetopallgrain.html

If I'm careful while transferring, I can usually get 9 or 10 bottles out of a batch.

 

[BigKahuna]

Are you interested in all-grain brewing. I've done quite a few 1 gallon batches.

Here's that method I've been using:
http://brewing.lustreking.com/articles/stovetopallgrain.html

If I'm careful while transferring, I can usually get 9 or 10 bottles out of a batch.

If you figure your time to brew...that's an expensive 12 pack!!

I'd do 1 gallon batches of wine and stuff...usually end up depressed that I don't have more.

I wouldn't spend the time for less tha n 3 gallons...and that only takes up the space of a small plant.
It'll get you hooked for sure.

 

[lustreking]

If you figure your time to brew...that's an expensive 12 pack!!

I'd do 1 gallon batches of wine and stuff...usually end up depressed that I don't have more.

I wouldn't spend the time for less tha n 3 gallons...and that only takes up the space of a small plant.
It'll get you hooked for sure.

It depends on how you look at it. It takes much less time (at least 2 hours) to brew a 1 gallon batch than a full batch. If you had the choice between brewing a 1 gallon batch, and not brewing at all, you'd probably think a little differently.

I do agree with you on the wine though. I do 1 gallon batches of fruit wines, and am always disappointed that I don't have much in the end, but that's because they take so long to mature. I know that if I want more, I may have to wait a year or more until the next batch is drinkable.

 

[malkore]

2.5 and 3 gallon carboys are easy to fine. half batches are only 1 case of beer, you can split 5 gallon kits in half, and its not a terrible amount of effort for the payoff.

2.5 ~ 3 gallon AG brews are easy to do on the stove-top too.