how much is too much?

[RobbyBeer]

I went a little overboard while buying ingredients recently. I currently have a kolsch that's ready to bottle, an ipa in the secondary and a imperial Stout in the primary.
I, for some reason, have 5 more (all grain 5 gal ) kits that are ready to brew.. My question is more opinion based.. If I brew these this coming week, ill have 7 different brews sitting around fermenting.
Is this too many going at once? How many do most of you brewers have going at once?
How much is too much?

 

[emccarthy25]

I think 'too much' something you are going to have to base on your own situation. If you have the space, the finances and the ability to keep everything organized(as far as which brew is what), then I don't see it as too much. OTOH, if you end up with 20 gallons of extra beer a month, you have to ask what you are doing with the excess that isn't being consumed in a timely manner(read: before it sits so long it's no good)

 

[tektonjp]

How big is a ball of string?

Do what is good for you. Seriously. Me, I love brewing in the winter and spring to take advantage of the cool weather for fermenting and aging, thus laying a good stock for the summer heat.

 

[RobbyBeer]

The 5 kits I put together are
1. Sam Adams Boston lager clone
2. Od brune table
3. Belgian dubble
4. Indian brown
5. Sasion rose..

 

[RM-MN]

I have a shortage of fermenters and I only drink 1 bottle per day so I limit myself to no more than 4 fermenters going at a time. YMMV

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I brew the last weekend of each month. Right now I have 4 batches I am drinking, plus one in the closet conditioning, and another in the fermenter ready to bottle. I like variety. I usually alternate my batches between dark beers (that benefit from more conditioning time) and light beers (that can be consumed young). For me that schedule creates a perfect pipeline, since I rarely drink more than 2 in a day and I rarely share with others.

 

[RobbyBeer]

Yeah, I only have 3 fermenters.. I'm just wondering if I should buy a few more.
My main concern is that the grains will go stale.
Two of the sets of grains are in Vaccuum packed bags, from Austin Home brew.. But the other three are from northern Brewer, and they are just crushed and thrown in bags with bread ties around them..
Will the grains go stale if I keep them for a few weeks?

 

[william_shakes_beer]

You will get better product if you control the fermentation temps. For me that means one fermenter at a time.

 

[BrewerinBR]

I have four 6.5 gallon buckets and two 3 gallon glass carboys. I use the carboys for long fermentation/conditioning brews. I try to keep them full at all times by bottling every Saturday and brewing every Sunday. Every third weekend in SWMBO weekend and I do what ever she says. I currently have 150 + bottles filled and will do 50 more tomorrow. I do not keg and I am the only beer drinker that lives here. Where does it all go? Well I have 2 brothers and 3 BIL and they all LOVE my beer, know where I store the ready to drink stuff and how I mark it so they can get what they like. They have no problem helping themselves (I don't either). I love to brew and can brew and bottle so much more than I drink so there is no reason why my family can't enjoy my hobby as well. I buy everything in bulk to keep the cost down.
So IMO you brew as much as you want and drink or give away as you are pleases to do.

 

[Xanthine]

Some of the beers you brewed will benefit from longer aging so that might work to your favor and stretch out your pipeline. As long as you have the means to do it I don't see a harm given the styles that you are brewing. However, if you need any help drinking the beer though I'd be more than willing to help out.

 

[JonM]

Some of the beers you brewed will benefit from longer aging so that might work to your favor and stretch out your pipeline. As long as you have the means to do it I don't see a harm given the styles that you are brewing. However, if you need any help drinking the beer though I'd be more than willing to help out.

This! That RIS, lager, etc. will not be ready for a while. So even if you have lots of batches going, they'll be in various stages of readiness for the next 6 months or so.

I've been known to have 4 or 5 going at once. But because they're kind of staggered and because some need lagering, aging, etc., I only have one that's ready for drinking now. Two more will be ready first day of spring, another will be ready mid April. Nothing wrong with variety.

Got enough bottles for all of that?

 

[Captainfester]

in three months i will have brewed 10 batches. i def dont drink enough to consume all that beer.

oh well, ill give it away i enjoy the brewing

 

[cheezydemon3]

X and Jon have it.

As long as temps are good, (got a basement?) ther eis NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH.

Too much helps you:

Not run out of beer if friends show up.

NOT drink beers before they are ready (all too common if it is all you have on hand)

Not run out of beer if you suddenly have a crazy 2 months..

Not run out of beer.


OK?


Good.

 

[Fastmetal]

I have 5 batches in various stages right now and will probably brew 5 more by the end of March. I try and build a big pipeline for the Summer since I usually get too busy with work, the kids, and going to the lake to brew. After April 1st I may only get to brew 2 or 3 more times until next fall. If I have 50 gallons of beer on hand before that I run less of a risk of running out.

 

[RobbyBeer]

Haha.. Thanks.
I have plenty of help with drinking the brews.. Guys at work love it, family, friends..
This forum really is the best way to get help with all things brewing.
Thanks everyone.

 

[drunde77]

Robbybeer thanks for starting this thread it gives me an idea on what guys are doing for their pipeline.

I have two in the fermenter, one in the secondary lagering, and one bottle conditioning. Got two kits waiting to be made!

 

[ScoRas]

Do you keg? Because that sounds like a helluva lot of bottling!

 

[CastleHollow]

Will the grains go stale if I keep them for a few weeks?

No, put them in the fridge and they'll be fine for awhile.

 

[VladOfTrub]

Too much is never enough.