From 1 gallon to 5 gallon - thoughts?

[bits]

I'm on my second 1 gallon batch - I bottle tomorrow - and if it turns out good, I'm going to consider stepping up to a 5 gallon brew.

Can you share with me the major differences between the two? Things I should be considering? Do I really need a secondary?

Thank you!

 

[doornumber3]

I started out on 5 so can't speak about the transition but I don't see it as a problem.

As far as secondary I like to do it but this is all personal. I have been trying just primary for some lately but I do secondary on all iPas since I dry hip.

People can tell you both sides but in the end try both and see what you like. Good luck.

 

[Thunder_Chicken]

Practically there is very little that separates fermenting 1-gallon vs. 5-gallon, especially if you are doing extract or partial mash with steeping grains. However if you are doing full boils and all grain you need to have the right sized equipment for it. I'm kinda pressed for kitchen and storage space so full boils and big all grain batches are hard for me. But otherwise most everything else in the process scales in size.

You don't really need a secondary unless you are adding fruit or dry-hopping, and not even then for sure. Some people like to secondary, others do not. It involves more racking and potential for contamination, but if done carefully there isn't any particular reason why you can't do it if it makes you happy. Some people claim it makes for clearer beers, but I find just going for a longer primary takes care of that. To each his own.

 

[DSorenson]

Considering going to a full 5 gallon boil myself. I've done 5 gallons before with a 2.5 gallon kettle. Turned out okay, but the method of topping off with three gallons really isn't ideal. Also if I go for it I will need a wort chiller. The cooling needs are not linear with volume increases. I'm going to get a 10 gallon kettle. That way I won't need to buy yet another kettle for BIAB all grain 5 gallon batch. Secondary is optional, but I don't use one and I've been successful.

 

[bits]

Practically there is very little that separates fermenting 1-gallon vs. 5-gallon, especially if you are doing extract or partial mash with steeping grains. However if you are doing full boils and all grain you need to have the right sized equipment for it. I'm kinda pressed for kitchen and storage space so full boils and big all grain batches are hard for me. But otherwise most everything else in the process scales in size.

I don't have the space either. So I will need to do a partial with steeping grains.

When doing so, and adding in water at the end - does this negatively impact the beer when compared with a full boil like I'm doing with my 1 gallon?

 

[DSorenson]

Full boils are desirable and make better beer, but not required. Do what you can and enjoy the results!

 

[amandabab]

the simplest way to jump to 5 gallons it to use a 20quart stock pot and boil as big as your stove will handle. you'll still be topping up.

use a water/ice bath in the sink
assemble the cheapest kit possible that includes a fermentor and a bottling bucket.

wort chillers, full boils are all very nice, but you can do 5 gallons cheaply and easily in a very small kitchen.

I think 5 gallon batches are actually easier and more repeatable than 1 gallon batches for the same time and effort.

 

[bits]

Also if I go for it I will need a wort chiller. The cooling needs are not linear with volume increases. I'm going to get a 10 gallon kettle. That way I won't need to buy yet another kettle for BIAB all grain 5 gallon batch. Secondary is optional, but I don't use one and I've been successful.

Can you please elaborate on this?

1) Do you need a wort chiller because the 10 gallon pot wont fit in the sink? With the bigger volume of liquid you need to chill differently?

2) What is your rational for needing a 10 gallon pot to BIAB?

Thank you!

 

[amandabab]

A 10 gallon kettle just works perfect for a 5 gallon full boil (6-7 gallons + foam)
A 10 gallon kettle is just big enough to work inside and hold a big grain bag

A 10 gallon kettle is getting into the range of a big honking piece of stainless steel. your at the point where you are also cooling the big piece of steel not just the wort. Icebaths fail at this point and you need a dedicated chiller Keggles are worse and sometimes its easier to cool the wort outside of them with a plate or counterflow chiller.

 

[DSorenson]

The grain for an all grain brew takes up a large volume and typically the mash is pretty thin at up to 3 quarts per pound of grain.

With smaller batches of boiled wort there is more surface area per volume, allowing it to cool faster. The larger the batch, the less natural cooling potential (surface area per volume) available for an ice bath. Also, water has a very high specific heat constant. You'll notice that the wait time increases almost exponentially to achieve a boil provided the same burner with twice the volume of water.

 

[YeastHerder]

I do 1-gallon testers and 5-gallon batches on the stove top. The 1-gallon batches are all grain, about 2 lbs of grain to reach a 1.060 OG or so. The 5-gallon batches are partial mashes and my largest pot can accommodate 5 lbs of grain, requiring use of 1-2lb of DME to reach comparable OGs. It winds up being a 3-gallon boil, cooled in the sink to ~80F in 20 mins. I transfer to the carboy and top off with 2-gallons of ice-cold water to hit a combined pitching temp of about 65F. I doubt I can detect a flavor difference between the two scales.