5 gallons is too much!

[m3n00b]

And most domestic beer will be twist while a great deal of imported stuff are pop top.


You can also ask local bars and pubs and catch people returning bottles to a depot. Places that serve craft beer are nice because they typically have pop tops and very often they pour the beers into glasses.

Not the domestic stuff I drink. Most BMC beer is twist off.

 

[E_Marquez]

I've got 10 gallons going right now :-D

Right there with you


And brewing again this weekend........is it friday yet????

 

[SPR-GRN]

Ha I remember when I started, the guy that taught me told me it would make 5 gallons of beer, I was like woah! 5 gallons!?! I'll hardly ever have to brew! then reality set in.. after doing a bunch of back-to-back brew AG seessions I'm moving up to a 10 gallon system.

To the OP, when I started teaching my brother in law how to brew I was splitting 6 gallon batches with him, so we'd end up with 3 gallons each; if you know someone else who likes beer, you could split the cost and product with them.

 

[J187]

Not the domestic stuff I drink. Most BMC beer is twist off.

Most domestic beer IS BMC...

 

[m3n00b]

Most domestic beer IS BMC...

Not in my house

 

[Malty_Dog]

I've got 10 gallons which are 2 weeks in bottles now and I'm feeling an overwhelming compulsion to brew at least another 5 gal batch ASAP!

 

[austinb]

It's easy to do less than 5 gallons. Just cut the recipe in half and do 2.5. You usually need 2 of the 3.3lb malt extract cans to do a typical 5 gallon batch around 4.5-5% abv. So doing 2.5 gallons would only require one can plus specialty malts. Or if your brew shop carries bulk extract you can just get half of what any 5 gallon recipe requires. They also make 3 gallon carboys which are perfect for a 2.5 gallon batch. Honestly though I would recommend getting a 5 gallon in case you ever need it because you can ferment 2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy.

With that said, as others have mentioned, 5 gallons is really not as much as it sounds. I am not a "heavy" drinker but I will enjoy a beer or two every night. Between myself and giving a few bottles away to friends 5 gallons only lasts about 3 weeks. Since I can only brew every month or two I have moved up to 10 gallon batches to make my homebrew last longer. If you plan on giving any away to family or friends I would suggest doing 5 gallon batches. With bottle conditioning which helps reduce oxidation your beer should last at least 6 months so if you need to supplement with a commercial beer here and there between homebrews so you aren't always drinking the same stuff you should be able to get through 5 gallons unless you only drink a few beers a month. I would say since they will last that if you brew every couple months you can have a few different styles of homebrew available to you so you don't get tired of drinking the same stuff all the time. If you find that you still aren't drinking it fast enough I'm sure you can find people who would gladly take some off your hands, I never have enough to give away to all my friends who want some.

 

[J187]

Not in my house

Ladies and gentlemen, Dikembe Mutombo brews beer!!

 

[Yesfan]

.......They also make 3 gallon carboys which are perfect for a 2.5 gallon batch. Honestly though I would recommend getting a 5 gallon in case you ever need it because you can ferment 2.5 gallons in a 5 gallon carboy.........

If he has no carboys at all, I agree....but I would get a 6 gallon so he could also use them for 5 gallon batches.

Depending on his setup (and if he stays at smaller batches) I do think getting some three gallon carboys will be a better benefit, space wise. I can only fit about four six gallon carboys in my freezer, but I think I could double that with the 3 gallon Better Bottles as they are the same height as the 5 and 6, but slimmer.