1gallon BIAB - beersmith 2 help

[slubrew]

Hey all, this is my first post on here. I'm about to start brewing 1 gallon BIAB batches to save space and to experiment. I've only brewed 2, 5 gallon extract batches before so I'm pretty unfamiliar with all the technicalities. I have the BeerSmith 2 app and I'm having trouble figuring out how to set up my equipment.

Using a 5 gallon pot for 1 gallon batches, mashing in kettle like traditional BIAB. Just want to be pointed in the right direction.

Cheers,

 

[wilserbrewer]

Could try this...
http://pricelessbrewing.github.io/

The tricky part with very small batches is that your variables are a huge percentage of batch size...so take what the calculators tell you with a grain of salt and pay attention while brewing. If the batch is short, add more runnings or top up with water to make proper gravity, and if the batch has excess volume, boil longer.

must be willing to adapt on the fly a bit...don't be rigid.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Could try this...
http://pricelessbrewing.github.io/

The tricky part with very small batches is that your variables are a huge percentage of batch size...so take what the calculators tell you with a grain of salt and pay attention while brewing. If the batch is short, add more runnings, and if the batch has excess volume, boil longer.

must be willing to adapt on the fly a bit...don't be rigid.

Agreed. Especially concerning your boil off rate. Post boil you want 1.2G for instance, but your boil off is still likely to be over .5Gallons. Means you might have a pre boil volume of almost 2x your intended batch size volume. If you consider mashing in the pot, you may need a 3-4 gallon pot.

 

[slubrew]

Thanks for the advice guys, will look into it.

 

[ArchivesBrewingRyan]

I've done 2 1 gallon batches with a 5 gallon kettle and had no real issues. My boil off on the first batch was a bit high, though I think I lost a lot to trub. The 2nd batch was better and I actually ended up with a little over 1 gallon. I ferment in 2 gallon plastic buckets so it's ok. Take good notes on your first batch so you can adjust as necessary when you keep going.

 

[slubrew]

Do you think I will have an issue fermenting in 1gallon carboys? Concerned about the little to no headspace.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Do you think I will have an issue fermenting in 1gallon carboys? Concerned about the little to no headspace.

Yes, a one gallon batch fermented in a one gallon container will result in about a quart spillage / foam blowoff. Fermcap S will help, but you really should have a larger fermenter IMHO.

 

[slubrew]

Okay thanks. I will probably shoot for 1.5gal batch then and split the batch into 2, 1 gallon fermenters and just not rack to secondary.

 

[Kineticus]

I did about ten or so 1 gallon batches when I started brewing. I used Beersmith on my phone and added a custom profile to help calculate my recipes. I used a 3 gallon kettle and found it worked well for 6-7% beers- I tried an imperial stout and made quite a mess trying to fit all the grain in there.

I also second the recommendation of fermenting in a 2 gallon tub- the same ones icing and stuff come in at a bakery. It let me have a solid 1 gallon for bottling and no blow off issues. After 2 weeks I would rack into a milk jug (cleaned and starsanned) with about .8 oz of corn sugar and bottle. That yields 10 bottles plus a nice gravity sample. I also would use about 1/3 of a dry yeast packet pitched directly, no rehydration, to save on yeast costs for such a small batch.




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[slubrew]

Thanks for the advice, is dry yeast as efficient as Wyeast smack pack? Never used dry yeast

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Thanks for the advice, is dry yeast as efficient as Wyeast smack pack? Never used dry yeast

Actually they usually have a higher cell count, so if you usually pitch the smack pack directly you may be better off. However it is better to rehydrate the dry yeast in water before pitching. Homebrewfinds has a pretty easy writeup for it here

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/tips

 

[wilserbrewer]

Actually they usually have a higher cell count, so if you usually pitch the smack pack directly you may be better off. However it is better to rehydrate the dry yeast in water before pitching. Homebrewfinds has a pretty easy writeup for it here

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/tips

While it is true, rehydrating dry yeast is best practice, lots of folks pitch dry directly to the fermenter without issue. Not rehydrating reduces the number of viable cells.

In this case of small batch brewing of only 1.5 gallons, dry pitching and splitting a packet of dry yeast will result with plenty of viable yeast to ferment only 1.5 gallons.

With larger batches of higher gravity, rehydrating dry yeast is prior to pitching is best practice.
For only 1.5 gallons, I would be very tempted to pitch the dry yeast without rehydrating...but I'm lazy

Dry yeast works very well and is cheaper, for small batch brewing and ease of use dry yeast should serve you well IMO, if of course it is available in the style yeast you want...

 

[30Bones]

While it is true, rehydrating dry yeast is best practice, lots of folks pitch dry directly to the fermenter without issue. Not rehydrating reduces the number of viable cells.

In this case of small batch brewing of only 1.5 gallons, dry pitching and splitting a packet of dry yeast will result with plenty of viable yeast to ferment only 1.5 gallons.

With larger batches of higher gravity, rehydrating dry yeast is prior to pitching is best practice.
For only 1.5 gallons, I would be very tempted to pitch the dry yeast without rehydrating...but I'm lazy

Dry yeast works very well and is cheaper, for small batch brewing and ease of use dry yeast should serve you well IMO, if of course it is available in the style yeast you want...

That's what I am doing, Making two <2 gallon batches and pitching half a dry pack into both. Should be plenty.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

Silly me, forgot the context of the thread. Yes for 1Gallon, I would probably suggest pitching half a pack directly without hydration.