first 5 gallon was hectic

[one s1x]

I just finished my first 5 gallon batch. it was really messy. spilled a good amount while siphoning. glad it's done atm. place stinks like a brewery, and my girl is pissed. bit of more than I can chew. but cheers and god bless

 

[IslandLizard]

It's under the cork, you're almost there. In 2-3 weeks you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor. Hopefully that will impress your girl!

Since the the bottles are clear, exposure to light should be avoided. Keep those bottles in the dark, inside a closed cardboard box, inside a lidded tote, or in the bottom of a closed cabinet or so.

 

[Dave77]

Well done! I've got another week before I can bottle my first batch. Can't wait!

 

[hotbeer]

I've long thought 5 gallons too much and it was one of the things that kept me from brewing. Then I was given a one gallon all grain and it all began.

So far, I think 2½ gallons is just about the right amount. Much less hassle for me since it doesn't require amounts of anything that I can't lift easily. Usually with just one arm.

 

[MrClint]

I'm really happy brewing 1 to 2 gallon brews, and have no thoughts of scaling up at this point. This allows me to brew almost weekly, which means I can hone in on recipes. That's what I have done with my APA and ADA brews based on recipes from Emma Christensen's "Brew Better Beer" book.

Since I prefer drinking from bottles, I have no desire to keg. Smaller batches work well for me since I don't drink that much beer in one sitting. It's analogous to baking bread, which I do almost weekly as well, and at the same time as when I brew. A 4-5 hour window for second proofing of sourdough allows plenty of time for brewing or bottling.

Long story short, I take the OP's post as a cautionary tale. Small batch brewing fits my lifestyle and you won't see me posting an "Everything for sale" thread, since I'm not all that heavily invested. More is not always better.

 

[camonick]

I just finished my first 5 gallon batch. it was really messy. spilled a good amount while siphoning. glad it's done atm. place stinks like a brewery, and my girl is pissed. bit of more than I can chew. but cheers and god bless

I can’t see from the picture, but if you have a built-in dishwasher, you can position your bottling bucket above it and use the open door as a platform to fill your bottles. Close the door and run your cycle and the mess goes away.

 

[grampamark]

^^^^
What Nick said.

Also, if the bucket in the picture is your bottling bucket, spend 2 bucks and put a spigot 1 1/2-2” from the bottom. Attach a short piece of tubing, just long enough to attach your bottling wand, to the nipple on the spigot. That way, with the bucket on the counter and your bottles on the open dishwasher door, all you have to do is push the bottle against the wand and release it when full. Turns a 3- handed job using an auto siphon into a one handed job.

 

[Teufelhunde]

I can’t see from the picture, but if you have a built-in dishwasher, you can position your bottling bucket above it and use the open door as a platform to fill your bottles. Close the door and run your cycle and the mess goes away.

^^This is the way^^^
I run my bottles through the sanitize cycle the night before bottling. After I remove them and sanitize them with star-san, I have a nice clean area to bottle in. When done, just run the dishwasher again when full, and the mess is gone....

 

[OakIslandBrewery]

Don't get discouraged from a messy brew day or an upset girl, most have been in that situation more than once and after many, many brew days.

Picture the mess made from a pump hose coming off and spraying hot wort around the brewery. Just saying, things happen just like cooking.

Take good notes on every brew, keep learning and have fun!

 

[Dave77]

I can’t see from the picture, but if you have a built-in dishwasher, you can position your bottling bucket above it and use the open door as a platform to fill your bottles. Close the door and run your cycle and the mess goes away.

Thanks for the dishwasher tip. I'm sure it's standard procedure for the verteran homebrewer, but it's a great tip I would not have thought of which will avoid a lot of cleanup. Thank you!

 

[mac_1103]

Don't get discouraged from a messy brew day or an upset girl, most have been in that situation more than once and after many, many brew days.

I've been upsetting my girl for more than 35 years, and it's not always about beer either.

 

[abq72]

For a mess, my best was setting my glass carboy down after aerating, I thought gently, only to have the bottom pop out and the entire 5 gallons pour out throughout the kitchen. No more glass for me. Fortunately I was alone when it happened and had it all cleaned up before she got home...

I much more careful with my entire process now. No recent mishaps, fortunately! Brew on!!

 

[one s1x]

I'm having an early 16 oz. and I'm happy with it. never thought I'd be proud for brewing because I've had alot of hit and misses, but 5 gallons made me shook in the begining. cheers all love and peace