Can I brew a 1 gallon batch in a 5 gallon bubbler?
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Yes you can.
With the following thoughts.
- Primary fermentation and or when your ferment is very active can even take place in any open container. Just try to keep the bugs, animals and kids out of it.
- A BMB makes it easier to stir to suspend the yeast and perhaps add a little air a couple of times a day early in the process as well.
- My personal opinion / approach - I have tried open ferments and find there are just too many variables to manage.
- If you choose to use a large container with a small amount of liquid I would place the lid and add an airlock.
- Once most of the sugar is consumed I would recommend you move it to a smaller container with limited headspace and keep an airlock on it until complete.
The thought is that air / oxygen is beneficial for your yeast early in the process. Yeast need oxygen to reproduce effectively and as such early in the process are aerobic. (1/3 to 1/2 sugars consumed) After that then yeast go to an anaerobic state and produce a lot of CO2 and alcohol. During this phase they will "blanket" the must with CO2 and no need to worry too much about air oxidizing the mead as long as you don't disturb it too much.
With the following thoughts.
- Primary fermentation and or when your ferment is very active can even take place in any open container. Just try to keep the bugs, animals and kids out of it.
- A BMB makes it easier to stir to suspend the yeast and perhaps add a little air a couple of times a day early in the process as well.
- My personal opinion / approach - I have tried open ferments and find there are just too many variables to manage.
- If you choose to use a large container with a small amount of liquid I would place the lid and add an airlock.
- Once most of the sugar is consumed I would recommend you move it to a smaller container with limited headspace and keep an airlock on it until complete.
The thought is that air / oxygen is beneficial for your yeast early in the process. Yeast need oxygen to reproduce effectively and as such early in the process are aerobic. (1/3 to 1/2 sugars consumed) After that then yeast go to an anaerobic state and produce a lot of CO2 and alcohol. During this phase they will "blanket" the must with CO2 and no need to worry too much about air oxidizing the mead as long as you don't disturb it too much.
Thanks! I figured it would work fine, but I wanted to check with people who know better than I; I’m fairly new to brewing and have only really made JAOM variants. I intend to do my primary fermentation in the BBM then transfer to a carboy for secondary/bulk aging. Thanks again!
