First AG attemp... 3 Gal batch?

[jrakich87]

I only have a 5 gal brew pot, and only have four extract brews under my belt, but would like to venture into all grain brewing just for an experiment. My lack of supplies in a problem, but can I brew up a 3 gallon AG batch with my brewpot? Other than a brain bag, better thermometer, and a cooler for mashing what additional equipment would I need??

 

[defenestrate]

im far from an expert, but heres my 2 cents. i just recently made a recipe on beer tools for a 3 gallon AG and i still need almost 5.5 gallons going into the kettle.
i would personally look into a bigger pot, a cooler, and an outdoor burner. i know there are some people who do AG on the stove but i wouldnt want to mess with boiling that much liquid on a stove.

 

[Revvy]

I do plenty of 2.5 gallons batches in my 5 gallon brew pot...there are several of my recipe in the mr beer thread...It really depends on your boiloff rate as to what size pot you need....I can get between 3 and 4 gallons down to 2.5, so your 5 gallon pot will be fine.

Most people doing small batches do 2.5 gallons as opposed to three, becasue you can ferment in a three gallon container AND the recipes are easier to scale from a 5 gallon recipe.

When doing those I used an unmodified 2 gallon cooler, with a folding steamer in the bottom, then rubberbanded a grain bag inside of it...the strainer lifts the grain bag above the spigot and prevents "stuck sparges."

Beyond that you don't really nedd anything else besinde what you already have.

 

[Bobby_M]

Do a two gallon batch of all grain, but add 3 pounds of DME at the end of the boil, then top up to 5 gallons in the fermenter with water. That's a partial mash and a decent alternative until you get a larger pot.

 

[Revvy]

Here's the 2.5 gallon AG recipes I did for the Mr Beer people...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/785533-post702.html

Here's the overview of the process showing the cooler I used...https://www.homebrewtalk.com/738927-post659.html

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/739377-post660.html

 

[postman]

I agree that small batches are great. I've done three so far with outstanding results. You could take them in two ways. Leave it as a small batch or as Bobby mentioned, toss in some DME to make it up to 5 gallons.

I can see that a useful tool to have is a refractometer if you are going all grain or mini mash. I sometimes wonder what my gravity is during the boil and wish I had one for instant measurement. Reevy, do you have one?

Either way, go for it.

 

[Revvy]

I agree that small batches are great. I've done three so far with outstanding results. You could take them in two ways. Leave it as a small batch or as Bobby mentioned, toss in some DME to make it up to 5 gallons.

I can see that a useful tool to have is a refractometer if you are going all grain or mini mash. I sometimes wonder what my gravity is during the boil and wish I had one for instant measurement. Reevy, do you have one?

Either way, go for it.

nope....I go with the hydrometer...which I have enough trouble reading without cheaters on....I figured that I'll never be able to read a refractometer...

 

[Jonnio]

Do a two gallon batch of all grain, but add 3 pounds of DME at the end of the boil, then top up to 5 gallons in the fermenter with water. That's a partial mash and a decent alternative until you get a larger pot.

This is what I used to do - I would develop my recipes to have as much base grain as possible to end with about 4 1/2 gallons in my brew pot and then would just do DME/LME for the rest. I made some really good beer this way.

 

[tpwalsh]

Hmm timely topic, I just finished brewing my first AG batch after 3 5 gallon batches about 10 minutes ago. I'm going with the small AG batches right now because I don't have a propane burner or a big enough pot yet. I'm working with a 4 gallon pot and a 3 gallon "bubba keg" mash tun. I'd say go for it, what's the worst that could happen? make a mess, learn something, and make some beer?

I was shooting for 2.5 gallons of a Mild Brown, somewhere around 1.038-1.040 OG as a small batch AG test. It worked out well but there were some issues.

Ingredient list:
4 lbs Marris Otter
1 oz Black
1 oz chocolate
0.5oz East Kent for 60 minutes
0.5oz East Kent for 5 minutes

Pitched with White Labs British Ale yeast

My issues I need to work on for next time
1. Boil off rate. I boiled off A LOT more than I expected leaving me with about 1.5gallons of 1.071 wort after a 60 minute boil. This was by far my biggest issue. I had to add 2 quarts of water to bring the OG back down to 1.048.
2. As a result of problem 1 I ended up with 2.25 gallons of wort, not as much as I'd hoped for
3. I was trying to use the hybrid sparging method described above. I don't think I kept enough water on the grains to maximize my efficiency even though it wasn't too bad (68%)
4. I wasn't sure when to stop sparging, so I ran until 1.011 OG. I might have ended up with some tannins, but I'm just going to RDWHAHB.
5. I needed to dough in with another 5 degrees or so and figure out where I'm loosing heat in my cooler. I doughed in with 5.15 quarts of 162 F water and was shooting for 151F but after 5 minutes was down to a 148 F mash, which dropped to 140 after 60 minutes. I did try and draw some off(the top. Dummy, use the spigot!) to boil and return to the mash, but in hindsight that was a failure

 

[goodbyebluesky82]

I just worked this simple 2.5 gallon recipe up today for my first all-grain soon...

5.4% ABV American Pale Ale (32 IBU)

5 pounds 2-row
.25 pounds crystal 20L
.5 oz. cascade @ 60
.5 oz. cascade @15
and S-05 yeast

A 2.5 gallon recipe is the perfect size to get a full case of beer when you bottle, so its a nice size to me.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

I am another user and advocate of the 2.5 gallon batch size. Aside from practical equipment/space issues, it also makes sense because I am the lone consumer of my endeavours 98% of the time.

Additionally, for really "big" brews, two cases would last a LONG time, and one case (2.5 gallons) makes much more sense-- for me-- for these big beers.

 

[Bobby_M]

nope....I go with the hydrometer...which I have enough trouble reading without cheaters on....I figured that I'll never be able to read a refractometer...

I've seen some really bad refractometers that I can't read with 20/20. The one I just got directly from Hong Kong off ebay is amazingly crystal clear. Several guys in my brew club were pissed to find that I paid $20 less for a better unit.

 

[Revvy]

I've seen some really bad refractometers that I can't read with 20/20. The one I just got directly from Hong Kong off ebay is amazingly crystal clear. Several guys in my brew club were pissed to find that I paid $20 less for a better unit.

Really??? You got a name/model number?

SCORE if I can find one I can read...