Batch size

[bwible]

I took to 3 gallon batches many years ago because I don’t go through it quickly and I like variety. I’m north of 60 and the smaller batches also have advantages with all the containers being smaller and everything being lighter.

I plan all my batches as 3.5 gallon batches in the software. I collect 4 gallons and boil down to 3.5. 3.5 gallons goes into the fermenter so that I end up with 3 gallons of finished beer after losses. I have several 3 gallon kegs. Or 3 gallons is right about 30 bottles and I still do bottle some stuff, especially stronger beers.

I have an Anvil Foundry 6.5 and an Anvil 5 gallon brewpot. I use the Foundry as a mash tun (I really like having temp control and being able to do step mashes) and I drain to my brewpot after the mash is complete and I boil in my kitchen on my stove. I move the pot about 3 feet and run my wort chiller from my kitchen sink.

I use old school 5 gallon glass carboys as my fermenters. I also have 3 gallon glass carboys I can use for secondary / aging / settling / oaking, etc. I like being able to look at the beer. I have a Fermonster I bought not long ago and I really like that too. I wish Fermonster made a 5 gallon size.

 

[bwible]

Yeast can get awkward in small batches. Dry yeast is not too bad. You can add 3g of dry yeast to a 1-gallon batch and seal up the rest of the pack for later. It requires more work to split up and preserve some of that $10 to $16 pack of liquid yeast. I don't mind pitching an entire pack of dry or liquid yeast into a 2.5 gal batch, especially if I plan to harvest or reuse the yeast.

Hop measurements can get silly too. .18 oz, etc. Get a good gram scale if you don’t already have one.

But I agree on small batches yeast is a disproportionate cost. I always try to re-use yeast several times. And thats another part of why I always end up with too much beer.

You can make starters and then split off a starter into another starter, but I don’t like the idea of using part of a yeast package and then saving the open package to use later.

 

[AlexKay]

I started at one gallon, and nowadays do about equal numbers of 2.5- and 1-gallon batches, fermented in 3- and 1.75-gallon kegs, respectively.

I did one or two 5-gallon batches a few years ago. Too much beer, and too hard to lift the kegs.

Every now and then, if I feel like brewing but don't have room in my fermentation chambers for another keg, I'll squeeze in a 1/4-gallon batch. I have the world's smallest Wilser bag to brew these. It's very easy to pull and thoroughly squeeze the grain bag.

At one point I did six 12-ounce batches for a side-by-side malt comparison, but I probably will never go that small again.

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

As I read through the posts I can appreciate what everyone is saying, reducing their output to smaller batches. Lately I have be thinking of the same. I might try reducing my ten gallon batches to five and see how I like that. I could still do a ten gallon batch if something would split or age for a while.

Very interesting to read everyone's reasons for smaller batches. Just keep brewing!

 

[beersk]

As I read through the posts I can appreciate what everyone is saying, reducing their output to smaller batches. Lately I have be thinking of the same. I might try reducing my ten gallon batches to five and see how I like that. I could still do a ten gallon batch if something would split or age for a while.

Very interesting to read everyone's reasons for smaller batches. Just keep brewing!

I love the smaller batches. I started out in 2008 brewing 3 gallon batches because that's all I could manage with a 5 gallon brew post that came with my starter kit. Then moved up to 5 before going back down to 4 gallons and less. I have brewed 5 gallon batches off and on over the years, but 3 gallons has been my mainstay. My process is very similar to @bwible where I collect about 4 gallons in the kettle, boil down to 3.5 and get 3 gallons in the fermenter to get 2.5 gallons finished beer in a 2.5 gallon keg. I ferment in a 5 gallon keg under pressure. It's great.

My 2 leichtbiers (hefeweiss and helles) turned out very nicely. Both are around 3% and don't leave anything to be desired. It might be the ticket for me moving forward and it's inspired me to want to brew a lot more. Pretty great to be able to have a couple half liters and not feel any effects of the alcohol.

 

[Yesfan]

I have an Anvil Foundry 6.5 and an Anvil 5 gallon brewpot...............

........I wish Fermonster made a 5 gallon size.

I wished Anvil would bring back the 5 gallon kettle and offer one without a valve. I have a Vevor cheapo that came with its own fb, but I lose 1.5 gal of dead space to it due to it having a ball valve. The Mexi-lager I posted about earlier in this thread was doable, but I'd like to be able to have less dead space in that small of a kettle. I may go back to my old 5 gallon no valve kettle on the next batch.

A 5 gallon Fermonster would be nice too.

 

[BrewZer]

I started off on a Mr. Beer kit, once upon a time. I quickly upgraded to doing 5 gallon extracts.

I'm still using my ancient Mr Beer big PET fermenter for 5 gallon batches, and I aim for 6 to 6. 5 gallons into the fermenter to get about 5 into the bottling bucket.

 

[HM-2]

I shoot for between 5.5 and 6 gallons fermenter volume (circa 21-24L) depending on how much volume I expect to lose due to dry hopping. 19L into the keg.

I occasionally fall a bit short though, my recent rum barrel red rye IPA only hit about 15L keg volume.