First batch screw up

[jimyoung]

Yep live and learn I did boil the top off water so hopefully no infection!

I'm quite sure it's fine.. and hell, even a minor infection or off taste - who cares! It's homemade beer!

 

[mygar]

Yup and it's only a gallon so it could be drank up quick!

 

[IslandLizard]

Yup and it's only a gallon so it could be drank up quick!

That's what I'm always wondering. Why bother brewing only a gallon of beer? Yes, it can be drunk up very quickly.

Between the prep, brewing, cleanup, checking fermentation, exercising patience to ferment out and condition, then bottling prep, again cleanup, then again waiting another 2 weeks for the beer to carbonate... all that for a mere eight (8) 12oz bottles of beer?

I can see splitting a 5 gallon batch in half, 3rds or 4ths, fermenting each with different additions, yeast, etc.
Or brewing 3 or 4 separate 1 gallon batches. At least you get 3-5 gallons (1-2 cases) of beer in the end.

 

[mygar]

That's what I'm always wondering. Why bother brewing only a gallon of beer? Yes, it can be drunk up very quickly.

Between the prep, brewing, cleanup, checking fermentation, exercising patience to ferment out and condition, then bottling prep and again, cleanup then again, waiting another 2 weeks for the beer to carbonate... all that for a mere eight (8) 12oz bottles of beer?

I can see splitting a 5 gallon batch in half, 3rds or 4ths, fermenting each with different additions, yeast, etc.
Or brewing 3 or 4 separate 1 gallon batches. At least you get 3-5 gallons (1-2 cases) of beer in the end.

Well this is my first batch and at this scale its much easier. I also want to brew often for learning and to try different recipes.

Since I'm the only one who will be drinking this and I want to have a sensible approach to my health I dont want to have cases or kegs laying around everywhere feeling pressure to drink through them.

Also, the cost of start up at this scale is minimal.. so it's a good way to dip my toes into the hobby and see if it will be one that sticks.

Ultimately, I think I see myself end up doing 2.5 gal batches down the road. I think this scale will allow me to brew more often and a sensible amount of production/consumption for myself and a couple friends now and then (as I'm busy with family). It will also lessen the concern of loss from transfer, gravity checks.

Hey it's only 1 gallon in there but I'm tickled with it! It's my first beer

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Ultimately, I think I see myself end up doing 2.5 gal batches down the road. I think this scale will allow me to brew more often and a sensible amount of production/consumption for myself and a couple friends now and then (as I'm busy with family). It will also lessen the concern of loss from transfer, gravity checks.

2.5 gal is an good batch size for many people, so a combination of 2.5 gal "house recipes" and "12-pack experimental" batches can be a good way to go.

It will also lessen the concern of loss from transfer, gravity checks.

There appear to be two approaches here: "every drop is precious" and "cost of doing business".

You'll find a lot of "1 gal carboy" brewers over in "1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!" and you'll find a number of creative ways to squeeze every drop possible out of a 1 gal carboy.

With the 'cost of doing business' approach, decide how much packaged beer you want. 6-pack is a 1 gal carboy; 12-pack is a two gal bucket; 24 pack is a 3 gal fermenter. Make enough wort to account for losses due to trub, dry hopping, bottling losses, hydrometer measurements, ...

 

[mygar]

2.5 gal is an good batch size for many people, so a combination of 2.5 gal "house recipes" and "12-pack experimental" batches can be a good way to go.



There appear to be two approaches here: "every drop is precious" and "cost of doing business".

You'll find a lot of "1 gal carboy" brewers over in "1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!" and you'll find a number of creative ways to squeeze every drop possible out of a 1 gal carboy.

With the 'cost of doing business' approach, decide how much packaged beer you want. 6-pack is a 1 gal carboy; 12-pack is a two gal bucket; 24 pack is a 3 gal fermenter. Make enough wort to account for losses due to trub, dry hopping, bottling losses, hydrometer measurements, ...

Yes thinking I would brew the 2.5 gal for go to beers... and play with the 1 gal. The one gallon thread will take some time to go thru

My current fermenter is temporary and will soon be my beer fridge. Its 5.5 CF and think it will hold about 2.5 cases.. so sized right I think. I will get a freezer for fermenting down the line.

Im kind of the cost of doing business type I think. I would like to keep things simple. The conicals being able to drop trub... sampling ports... use gelatin, cold crash etc... to maybe bottle from same device and limit transfers.

But there are less options for small batches using conicals.... stainless options anyway.

Now all the above may and probably change as I get into this!! So dont hold me to any of it

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I'm lazy. I do 10 gallon batches, figuring that the workload is about the same as a smaller batch.

There are a lot of people here that call this hobby an obsession. Myself included. You might too.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

... I wonder if there are any 20 gal batch brewers who wonder why 10 gal batch brewers don't "step up their game" ...

 

[SnowDogCider]

I’ve been making cider for a while and finally made my first stout. It is a lot of work for only a 1 gallon batch. But all the talk about blow off got me to remember my first try at a plum jerkum! See the photo! Kitchen is still stained!!!

 

[Shaika-Dzari]

1 gallon brewer here.
I usually keep just a bit more head space than you (let say, 1 cm more).

At the end of the fermentation, with the cake and the head space, I usually get 3L to bottle and a sample to taste

 

[jimyoung]

I also started small batches for the same reason.. and I still don't really drink more than 3 beer a week. However, I find that beer lasts a lot longer than I expected in the bottle, especially heavier / darker beers - some of them get /better/ over time and not get old. Between giving some away and having a couple a week, I found 14L batches (3 gal) to be perfect for me.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

For future readers, there's related information on the current topic in the other link: Beginners Beer Brewing Forum and 1-Gallon Brewers UNITE!

 

[mygar]

I’ve been making cider for a while and finally made my first stout. It is a lot of work for only a 1 gallon batch. But all the talk about blow off got me to remember my first try at a plum jerkum! See the photo! Kitchen is still stained!!!

Wow man .. time to paint!