How many full fermenters are too many?

[scruffyhansolo]

I'm sure the general consensus will be there can never be to many going but when I recapped on my closet I thought I might have a problem.

Summary:
5 gallons of hard cider
5 gallons rye stout
5 gallons belgian dubbel
1 gallon barleywine
1 gallon brown ale
1 gallon oatmeal stout
1 gallon rum stout
1 gallon honey porter
1 gallon dry english cider

I also just bottled 2 other 1 gallon batches on 3 days ago. Admittedly a few of those will take a long time to finish. So am I a drinker with a brewing pronlem?



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[negativereaction]

Is it offensive that I don't really think the 1gal fermenters count?

I have 3x5gal 'short term' (<1 month) ferments going, and 3x5gal long term (sours) going. The short term stuff will flex between 2 and 4 at any given time, and if there's a lager or two in the mix, there might be 4 or 5 going at any given time. I brew a 5gal every other week. If you have a brewing problem, I do as well.

 

[SpottedDogBrewing]

Great Pipeline. Keep up the good work


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[kombat]

Psssh .. not at all. Look how many of those are just 1 gallon batches!

2 weekends ago was my "high water" mark in terms of fermenters being full. I had:

5 gallons of Simcoe Smash IPA (dry hopping)
5 gallons of Citra Pale Ale (clarifying)
10 gallons of Stone Ruination DIPA clone
5 gallons Irish Red Ale
5 gallons Pliny the Bastid DIPA
5 gallons Dogfish Head 60 Minute clone
1 gallon Nut Brown ale
1 gallon English IPA

all in fermenters.

 

[Jayhem]

You can't have too many but maybe you need to start bottling? lol


I always do 11 gallon batches so I usually have at least 11 gallons in fermenters at all times and have had as many as 33 gallons in fermenters at one time this winter. Currently I have over 300 bottle conditioning homebrews and 11 gallons in fermenters.

 

[Chadwick]

I think it is wrong that you only have 1 gallon of barleywine fermenting.

You only cross the threshold of too many when you stop finding the time to properly attend to them.

In a perfect world, I would have 8 hours a day to dedicate to brewing whatever the heck I wanted to brew. That would have me running a nano-brewery. Perhaps I would then need to attach a restaurant to it too. You know, to legitimize the whole fiasco. I actually bet that would go over real well here with the tourists. hmmm......

 

[Indian_villager]

The answer is all of them. Should you work yourself into one of these conundrums follow these steps.

1) Put on pants. (First step is always the hardest)
2) Locate mode of transport.
3) Have this mode of transport propel you to your LHBS.
4) Acquire additional pylons...I mean fermenters.
5) While there see what other wares they have.
6) With the ingredients you inevitably bought brew that stuff up.
7) Fill new fermenter.
8) Dammit

 

[TNGabe]

I'm sure the general consensus will be there can never be to many going but when I recapped on my closet I thought I might have a problem.

Summary:
5 gallons of hard cider
5 gallons rye stout
5 gallons belgian dubbel
1 gallon barleywine
1 gallon brown ale
1 gallon oatmeal stout
1 gallon rum stout
1 gallon honey porter
1 gallon dry english cider

I also just bottled 2 other 1 gallon batches on 3 days ago. Admittedly a few of those will take a long time to finish. So am I a drinker with a brewing pronlem?



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You have 20 gallons fermetning and think that's too much? That's cute.

I've got 90+ and it's not enough.

 

[LandoLincoln]

As long as you can manage the appropriate kegging and bottling when they're done fermenting, then you don't have too much fermenting.

 

[scruffyhansolo]

Is it offensive that I don't really think the 1gal fermenters count? .

The 1 gallons are typically for trying out new stuff at a lower risk. Also I have the equipment to do 1 gallon all grain but only partial mash or extract in larger batches.




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[scruffyhansolo]

You have 20 gallons fermetning and think that's too much? That's cute.

I've got 90+ and it's not enough.

Oh by no means is 20 to much but I was wondering when it starts to be a "problem". I'm wondering if it when I get close to 90 gallons. ;-}

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[TNGabe]

Oh by no means is 20 to much but I was wondering when it starts to be a "problem". I'm wondering if it when I get close to 90 gallons. ;-}

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Out of all the beer I have in the fermentor still, I've only got 5 gallons that will be ready to drink in the next month. The rest won't be ready for months or years. I've got two beers lagering, a lager fermenting, and lots and lots of sour beer projects.

 

[scruffyhansolo]

I think it is wrong that you only have 1 gallon of barleywine fermenting.

I can't disagree here. I have plans to do a large batch of barleywine and should have done it to start with since aging takes so long. I actually didn't realise how long they took until after I had bought the supplies.



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[jflongo]

I have

6 gallons of Hard Cider going with Scottish Ale yeast
6 gallons of Hard Cider going with English Ale yeast
6 gallons of Banana Wine going

I'm getting ready to make some more wine this weekend. That will be about my limit, I'm running out of fermenters.

 

[scruffyhansolo]

I have

6 gallons of Hard Cider going with Scottish Ale yeast
6 gallons of Hard Cider going with English Ale yeast
6 gallons of Banana Wine going

I'm getting ready to make some more wine this weekend. That will be about my limit, I'm running out of fermenters.

I have the lack of fermenter problem myself or I would have a black ale going too.


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[scruffyhansolo]

Out of all the beer I have in the fermentor still, I've only got 5 gallons that will be ready to drink in the next month. The rest won't be ready for months or years. I've got two beers lagering, a lager fermenting, and lots and lots of sour beer projects.

I'm glad I don't have a sour obsession because those sound like they would really test my patience.



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[estricklin]

If I have my way, and I often do, there is 4-6 5 gallons going at any given time. But I have an excuse...I mean I lager so I have...to...right?

 

[WileECoyote]

I have four 11 gal batches in fermenters aging, and four 5 gal kegs aging, I'm going to brew another 11 gal this weekend, also have four 5 gal kegs on tap too.

Cheers Mmmm Beer !

 

[Braufessor]

Great job on having so many brews in the works.

The simple answer is this - You know you have too many full fermenters when you don't have any empty fermenters to brew more beer. The only logical thing to do in that situation is buy another fermenter.

I can tell you for certain how many full fermenters is too few..... zero. That is the number of full fermenters I have right now. Of course, I have 11 5 gallon kegs that have beer in them I think the most I have ever had in fermenters all at the same time is about 8-10 x 5 gallon batches (that included two long term sours).

This thread has already helped me feel like I don't have a "problem." Some of you though....... not so sure about

 

[rodwha]

As I use a tub of water with ice bottles down here in the south 3 primaries is bordering too many as I have to fight for freezer space between 2 refrigerators.

When I do 3 I have a harder time maintaining the temp below 66* for 2 weeks or more. But I keep doing it anyway…

Secondaries don't count.

 

[scruffyhansolo]

As I use a tub of water with ice bottles down here in the south 3 primaries is bordering too many as I have to fight for freezer space between 2 refrigerators.

When I do 3 I have a harder time maintaining the temp below 66* for 2 weeks or more. But I keep doing it anyway…

Secondaries don't count.

I , on the other hand, up north have a hard time keeping everything above 60 in my closet this time off year.

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[rodwha]

When we get the occasional cold snap it's finally much easier to keep cool enough.

But we'll be leaving the deep south, most likely to VA in several more months where I ought to have an easier time with it, especially if I get a basement to work in.

My beer room gets the heat of the day pouring on it. I placed a blanket across the window and the blinds melted!

 

[Qhrumphf]

As of right now, I've got 6 full size fermenters full:

• ~5 gallons almost-ready-to-bottle Lamebic (gets bottled approx its 2nd birthday in April)
• ~5.5 gallons Bourbon Barrel Oatmeal Stout that I threw a bunch of bugs into that's on its way souring and will get probably another 1.5-2 years
• 5.5 gallons Weizenbock
• 5 gallons Roggenbier
• 4.5 gallons lagering Sticke Alt
• 4.5 gallons lagering Doppelsticke Alt

I still have one 6.7 gallon bucket, one 3 gallon carboy, and 6 one gallon carboys available. I suppose I need to get those filled

 

[Chadwick]

When we get the occasional cold snap it's finally much easier to keep cool enough.

But we'll be leaving the deep south, most likely to VA in several more months where I ought to have an easier time with it, especially if I get a basement to work in.

My beer room gets the heat of the day pouring on it. I placed a blanket across the window and the blinds melted!

The blinds melted!!! My god man! Get out of that accursed place. I would surely die in any environment like you apparently live in. I cannot, I mean it isn't possible, sleep if the temp is above 72F. I prefer much cooler, but since becoming a family guy with a SWMBO and all, we compromise at 72F for a high.

 

[rodwha]

That's a part of why I have to leave!

My parent's were military, and I've lived here 3 times, and still cannot get used to 7-8 months of hot summer!

I worked as an A/C guy for a loooong time, and the attics were a killer at 140-160*!

It's kept me from doing the outdoors things I enjoy.

With my SWMBO the compromise became 75* as she wants warm, which is why she moved down here from KC.

 

[rodwha]

Yesterday's highs were in the 70's for God's sake! Many were dealing with huge snow storms!!!!