Homebrewing Three Gallons at a Time

[16'er]

Hello, new member here.

I brewed some in the past, mostly extract and partial mash brews. Have always used 5 gal batch size for ales/lagers. I do have a couple of 3 gal carboys that were previously used for cider and mead tangents.

Current personal situation has lead me to have some time at home on the weekends, so I thought with Fall around the corner I might brew a stout or british ale to pass some time. For a number of reasons, 3gal seems to make sense right now, for me.

So I ordered a Coopers stout kit, which is 3.75lbs of flavored malt extract. ( I got an English Bitter kit as well) Also in the order should be 3lbs of DME and some fresh sanitizer.

So my kettle will hold 3-4 gallons. My thought was to boil the stout kit in 2 gals of water for 30-40mins. Then add another gallon or so of cold water, and wait until the temp was right for pitch with the included cooper yeast pack (can do a little starter with some of the wort or a separate DME starter batch).

I plan to complete initial Ferm in the brew kettle (with lid on in a quiet place), for a couple of days, then transferring to the 3 gallon carboy to finish up.

I could add 1 lb DME to the Stout kit, quick conversion of ratios for 5 vs 3 gal batches tells me either the kit can by itself or adding ~1lb DME should be "in range". I'm not needing a higher ABV, figuring ~4.5% if just the 3.75 Kit can?

I haven't used a kit can in quiet a while, but I remember most of them tend to end up on the malty side, ie the hop balance is low. So, cutting the volume 2/3 shouldn't get me a hop bomb??

So that's the 'Plan' for now. Sundries should be here to brew this weekend or next...

Thanks for listening, and any input is appreciated.

 

[csantoni]

I plan to complete initial Ferm in the brew kettle (with lid on in a quiet place), for a couple of days, then transferring to the 3 gallon carboy to finish up.

Why do this? If you are using the carboy as a secondary, don't do that. Just rack to the carboy after cooling the wort to pitching temps and don't do a secondary at all. Many kits still have transfer to secondary in their instructions but it's a technique that has fallen out of favor as it adds risk of contamination and oxidation and doesn't provide much benefit.

 

[D.B.Moody]

You have mentioned 2 gallons of water for the boil, 1 gallon of water for helping to cool down, the Coopers (I assume liquid) extract, and 1 lb. of DME. This is too much stuff to fit in a 3 gallon carboy. Think about total volume that's going to wind up in that carboy. Also, secondaries are indeed currently out of favor, but I find them useful. Some styles of ales, like lightly hopped stouts and British bitters, will not suffer greatly from oxidation. (It can even add a little mellowness.) I'd rather not try to ferment 3 gallons in a 3 gallon carboy, partly because I've never had to use a blowoff tube.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

@D.B.Moody " Also, secondaries are indeed currently out of favor, but I find the useful. " +1

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I'm currently planning to brew even less as test batches. 1 gallon, split into 2 SS 64 oz growlers. This, to me, is a game changer.

If I enjoy the experimental batch, then I'll scale up to my normal 10 gallons.

 

[16'er]

As for the Primary, I was thinking I'd have a little extra volume, so that when I siphoned off to secondary, I'd fill the carboy up to the neck. Any extra volume would be left with the sediment. Hope that makes sense.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

As for the Primary, I was thinking I'd have a little extra volume, so that when I siphoned off to secondary, I'd fill the carboy up to the neck. Any extra volume would be left with the sediment. Hope that makes sense.

Yes, that's good!

 

[csantoni]

Since you have 5 gal kits you could also just cut the amounts in half, do 2.5 gal batches, and primary in the carboy.

 

[tracer bullet]

Seems like you are on the right track. Keep an eye on total volume especially what you boil off. Aim for good gravity #'s and then just cross your fingers that things fit where you want them to go. Worst case a little doesn't make it to the next step.

Oxidation is a thing, but not the end of the world for a stout. If your plan was to apply to a NEIPA it'd be a bad plan, but for a stout... flavors will change, but it won't necessarily turn it into something you'll be disappointed in. However if something ends up not to your liking that might be traced back to oxidation then of course change your methods for next time.

 

[bwible]

I’ve been brewing 3 gallon batches for years. I use a 5 gallon brew pot. I plan all my recipes as collect 4 gallons and boil down to 3.5. I try to transfer 3.5 into the fermenter so that I actually end up with 3 gallons of finished beer after losses.

If you’re doing an extract kit, you have a known amount of gravity points already and you have to make that fit into the volume that gives you the right starting gravity.

Assuming liquid extract, 3.75 * 38 = 142.5 / 3.5 = 1.040 if all you use is the one can. If you just add 1 lb DME it goes to 142.5 + 45 = 187.5 / 3.5 = 1.053. If you add all 3 lbs DME it will be some crazy starting gravity like 1.080. Then I guess it becomes Imperial Stout.

If you adjust the gravity, you should also adjust the hops. 3.5 / 5 = .7 So multiply all your hop additions by .7 and that should get you in the ballpark. Its better if you have any brewing software to run it through.

I have been just using a 5 gallon carboy as a fermenter. 3.5 gallons fits easily into a 5 with plenty of room for fermentation. I just bought a fermonster though and I’m going to start using that instead. Much lighter and I don’t have to worry about glass breaking. I do have 3 gallon carboys that I can also use. I like to secondary or age bigger beers like barleywines and/or beers I want to add oak to.

I also have a couple 3 gallon kegs. Those are getting harder to find unless you spend $100 for a brand new one.

 

[Beermeister32]

You need to take your materials list for the two kits and re-balance the materials in the kits to your brewing batch size. Use the Brewers Friend recipe calculator for this rather than winging it:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/calculator

 

[16'er]

Supplies came in yesterday. Need to go through the closet and dig out some brew equipment.

Thank you, bwible , your post was very helpful.

Ran the brewers friend with another one of the coopers kit, as stout and bitter are not listed. Numbers are real close to the est given by bwible's calculations.

 

[16'er]

Brewed last night. Cooled brew pot in the sink with cold water bath, transferred to a five gallon carboy and added one gallon cold water. Was able to pitch an hour later. Just used the Munton’s dry yeast.

Total volume is about 3.5 gallons. Air lock is bubbling every few seconds this morning.

This is as bare bones a brew I’ve done since my first batch ~25 years ago. But since I’ve been out of practice for the last five or six years, figured keeping everything simple was prudent.

 

[madscientist451]

Welcome back to the hobby, now just ditch the kits, get A BIAB bag and some grain and you'll be a happy camper....

 

[dwhite60]

I do three to three-and-a-half gallon batches only. Fills my needs. Get to brew more often. More variety on hand. BIAB is easier with smaller batches too.

 

[16'er]

I do three to three-and-a-half gallon batches only. Fills my needs. Get to brew more often. More variety on hand. BIAB is easier with smaller batches too.

The BIAB concept is new to me, having been out of the game for a while. Although I'm curios and may pursue that route!

My plan is to get through these couple of quick/easy batches and go from there. Krausen has fallen, and bubbling seems to be stopped. So looks like everything has gone well so far.

I'm particularly interested in brewing a Small or Mild Ale. Perhaps a Altbier on the lighter side of ABV as well in the future. Funny how time changes things, but putting in to practice the concept of a 3.5-4% abv beer with some flavor/complexity is what's driving the recent return to the brew kettle...

 

[dwhite60]

The BIAB concept is new to me, having been out of the game for a while. Although I'm curios and may pursue that route!

My plan is to get through these couple of quick/easy batches and go from there. Krausen has fallen, and bubbling seems to be stopped. So looks like everything has gone well so far.

I'm particularly interested in brewing a Small or Mild Ale. Perhaps a Altbier on the lighter side of ABV as well in the future. Funny how time changes things, but putting in to practice the concept of a 3.5-4% abv beer with some flavor/complexity is what's driving the recent return to the brew kettle...

I used to do the mash and lauter thing. After doing BIAB and not noticing any difference in the end result I've stuck with BIAB. This saves an hour on brew day too.

 

[16'er]

Bottled two weeks ago, and everything went fine. Decent enough stout!

Brewing the bitter kit tonight.

 

[dwhite60]

Bottled two weeks ago, and everything went fine. Decent enough stout!

Brewing the bitter kit tonight.

Glad to hear it. Let us know what the end result is like.

I remember in my early days of brewing I was in the kitchen cooking up a batch when I looked in the eating area and realized I already had seven cases of beer stacked up. Had to have some friends over, a few times, to make room to make more beer.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Why boil the Cooper's? It's not necessary, and not how the kit is intended to be used. Just dissolve it into a few litres of hot water and top up with cold. You could make it up to 2.5 to 3 gallons and not add any other extract or sugar. People make 5 gallons with 2 kit cans.

 

[dwhite60]

Why boil the Cooper's? It's not necessary, and not how the kit is intended to be used. Just dissolve it into a few litres of hot water and top up with cold. You could make it up to 2.5 to 3 gallons and not add any other extract or sugar. People make 5 gallons with 2 kit cans.

Not boiling makes for a really short brew day.

Boiling probably drives off some of the flavor and aroma components.