Cutting Down Batch Sizes? Easy..

[resnerr]

Im looking to make some 1-2 gallon batches of some different beers. 5 gallons is just to much for a 1 man drinker....

is it as easy as downsizing by percentage? say I take a 5 gallon batch and reduce each ingredient by 40% to make a 2 gallon batch?


Seems like it makes sense, but I want to make sure that's the case before I order my supplies!

Thanks!

 

[robopp]

I'm a 1 gallon all grain brewer and you just divide the recipe by the starting batch size to get 1 gallon, then multiply by the number of gallons you wish to brew. For hops, I recommend you switch from ounces to grams (28 grams per ounce) and use mrmalty.com for your yeast pitching rates. I'll use one packet of dry yeast (11.5g) on three batches.

I hope this helps!

 

[RM-MN]

2 1/2 gallons is just half the size of a 5 gallon batch. It makes the math simple.

 

[Leithoa]

I typically do 3G batches but yeah, just batch size/recipe size * ingredients gets you the same batch. I think at our scale hop utilization issues between gallons aren't that big of an issue. I don't have any data to back that up though.

 

[khawk95]

I started with mr beer kits. 2.4 gallon batches. I just halved 5 gallon recipes. The nice part was I never had to worry about yeast starters because 1 smack pack/vial/packet of dry yeast was about the perfect pitch rate.

Now that I'm doing AG, I just can't rationalize spending all that time for less than 5 gal batches...


Roed Haus Brewery

 

[MrsMichelle]

One would ask WHY BOTHER? I mean really for the amount of work. I see people in my LHBS doing this and I often wonder why? Space limitations? After transfers and losses I would think that for 6 weeks of working on a beer to get just a few bombers seems like a waste of time. So I ask (being constructive) Why do people brew in 1 gallon batches? I can see 2.5's (for whatever reason) but 1 gallon? I am sure there is a few good reasons.

M

 

[Leithoa]

Because they enjoy brewing as much as drinking. If OP wants to brew a 16oz all grain batch what's it matter to you?

 

[smyrnaquince]

Im looking to make some 1-2 gallon batches of some different beers. 5 gallons is just to much for a 1 man drinker....

is it as easy as downsizing by percentage? say I take a 5 gallon batch and reduce each ingredient by 40% to make a 2 gallon batch?


Seems like it makes sense, but I want to make sure that's the case before I order my supplies!

Thanks!

You can directly scale your ingredients. Don't scale your pre-boil volume, though. The boil-off is a gal/hr rate and not a %. Mine is around 1 gal/hr.

 

[MrsMichelle]

So I ask (being constructive) Why do people brew in 1 gallon batches? I can see 2.5's (for whatever reason) but 1 gallon? I am sure there is a few good reasons.

M

Because they enjoy brewing as much as drinking. If OP wants to brew a 16oz all grain batch what's it matter to you?

Because, I really wanted to know.... So I asked.

 

[C-Rider]

I do 2 gallon batches and hope for 1.75 into the bottlling bucket. That give me 3 six packs each brew. I do BIAB and make my own recipes.

 

[robopp]

One would ask WHY BOTHER? I mean really for the amount of work. I see people in my LHBS doing this and I often wonder why? Space limitations? After transfers and losses I would think that for 6 weeks of working on a beer to get just a few bombers seems like a waste of time. So I ask (being constructive) Why do people brew in 1 gallon batches? I can see 2.5's (for whatever reason) but 1 gallon? I am sure there is a few good reasons.

M

I'm a 1 gallon brewer and I like to do big beers (9%+). If I target 1.1 gallons output, I get 10 12oz bottles of beer. That's a lot of big beer to drink for one guy so 1 gallon works for me. Also, I don't brew to save money, although saving money is a fun part of the process, and as someone else posted it's more about the chemistry experiment.

Just my .02 or my 128 fl oz.

-Rob

 

[Clef051]

I agree with mrsmichelle, I like to end up with a lot of beer when I brew. I usually do 12 gallon batches, Also it makes the better half happy cause I'm not brewing so much.

Although, it is none of my business what other people do with there money/time/life. So have fun.

 

[CadiBrewer]

You lost me at 5 gallons is just too much for a one man drinker.

 

[MrsMichelle]

I hear ya Rob I can understand the experiment reason I guess because if you really like it you can expand on it later. My husband drinks all I brew as it is as fast as I can brew it. I would be brewing every day.

M

 

[RM-MN]

I hear ya Rob I can understand the experiment reason I guess because if you really like it you can expand on it later. My husband drinks all I brew as it is as fast as I can brew it. I would be brewing every day.

M

Please explain the problem.

 

[Hjandersen]

I frequently brew 2.5 gal batches. Its easy - just scale down linearly!
You may want to split yeast-packets in clean (if not sterile) conditions, but other than that you're good.

 

[C-Rider]

You lost me at 5 gallons is just too much for a one man drinker.

I'm also in a one man drinking house and I only drink one a day unless friends stop by. So do I want 50 bottles of the same brew in my fridge? I like the ability to pick and choose. But we could argue/discuss this all day and never come to an agreement so in that case....Lets just toast a good brew.

 

[CadiBrewer]

I'm also in a one man drinking house and I only drink one a day unless friends stop by. So do I want 50 bottles of the same brew in my fridge? I like the ability to pick and choose. But we could argue/discuss this all day and never come to an agreement so in that case....Lets just toast a good brew.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was merely making a joke. I brew 10 gallon batches about every 5 weeks and that works for me. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Zepth]

I see the allure of always having plenty of variety. I'm aiming for that, but I've also planned that I can have 8-10 x 5 gal batches bottled at a time. After that my production will slow. I'm currently thinking I'll be making a good number of 4 gal batches and get out of the routine of primary bucket then rack it to a clearing vessel. Now that I've got inventory of carboys I can use a 5 gal carboy for a 4 gal batch (or 5 in a 6) with plenty of headspace and just use a longer primary.

Why the 1 gal batches? That I admit to not understand, 2-2.5 is probably the minimum I'd think about. Other than experimental batches where you don't want to commit resources to something that may end undesirably. Making a 24 pack of beer at a time makes some sense and wouldn't be terrible difficult to store and rotate inventory. I know I'd be getting sick of a brew if I had to go through 5 gals of it before I could have enough empties to warrant a new batch.

 

[beersk]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to start an argument, I was merely making a joke. I brew 10 gallon batches about every 5 weeks and that works for me. Your mileage may vary.

Ya see, this is where I don't get it. Every 5 weeks? I get so antsy, waiting to brew next. I brewa 4 gallons every 2 weeks right now and there are times where I wish I could brew again the day after a brew session. I drink 2-3 beers a day, so 3-4 gallon batches are about perfect for me.
Also, mostly a one man drinking house here. The gf has a beer here and there and a friend stops by once a week maybe. But it's all on me otherwise.

 

[CadiBrewer]

Ya see, this is where I don't get it. Every 5 weeks? I get so antsy, waiting to brew next. I brewa 4 gallons every 2 weeks right now and there are times where I wish I could brew again the day after a brew session. I drink 2-3 beers a day, so 3-4 gallon batches are about perfect for me.
Also, mostly a one man drinking house here. The gf has a beer here and there and a friend stops by once a week maybe. But it's all on me otherwise.

I get antsy too, but with two kids and a wife, every 4-5 weeks is what keeps peace in the house. It is a one man drinking house, so 10 gallons once a month or so keeps my three taps full with empty kegs right about when it is time to keg again.

When I was single and living with roommates, I was brewing 10 gallons every two weeks and I could barely keep us supplied.

 

[tsholl]

One would ask WHY BOTHER? I mean really for the amount of work. I see people in my LHBS doing this and I often wonder why? Space limitations? After transfers and losses I would think that for 6 weeks of working on a beer to get just a few bombers seems like a waste of time. So I ask (being constructive) Why do people brew in 1 gallon batches? I can see 2.5's (for whatever reason) but 1 gallon? I am sure there is a few good reasons.

M

Yes, space limitations. I currently do 5 gallons but have literally no closet space in my next apartment in NYC. I will be doing 1 gallon batches. Agree it's just as much work but I'm doing it to maintain the hobby not just for the beer.