Small batch (1.5 gal) question

[smiller]

Hi all,

I am planning to test out a recipe by making a really small batch (1.5 gal) first. It is a porter that should only spend 17-20 days in primary and secondary combined. I don't have any fermenters smaller than 5 gal, so will it be a problem to use them for such a small batch?

Also, would pitching a whole packet of 1028 be a problem? Thanks!

 

[Xaphoeous]

That's going to be a lot of head space. Using that much yeast will result in a pretty dry beer as it will eat up a whole lot of the sugars. It might be helpful, though, as fermentation should take off pretty quickly and fill the head space with carbon dioxide. I would guess you'd be fine since some beers are brewed with no lid at all...infinite head space.

I'd be curious to see how it turns out!

EDIT: There is also some debate over the idea of "over pitching" your yeast. I honestly don't know if pitching a full packet will result in anything undesired.

 

[Lennie]

Overpitching the yeast will give you less fruity esters, not the end of the world but not an accurate test of the recipe. And as long as CO2 is being generated the beer is safe. Thats only going to be 5-7 days though. I wouldn't let it sit 20 days, I'd let it go in primary 10 days and bottle immediately.

 

[tbel]

@Lennie, Don't you think that as long as there is an airlock on and the fermentor goes undisturbed he would be just fine? I definitely agree that if he does anything but leave it on primary the whole time it should go to the bottle. Unless he's got a secondary that he could use that would have no to little head space.


If it were me I'd just let it sit the whole 17-20 days. Don't open it to check the gravity. Just let it sit! The CO2 built up in the head space will protect it as long a the you don't take the top off or mess with the air lock. If you don't want to use the whole packet dump half and save the rest. You could treat the remaining yeast as if it were washed.
Boil a small pint jar (or what ever you have) with the lid, after boiling take the jar out leaving the boiled water in the jar and let it cool. leave enough room in the jar for the remaining yeast and store it in your fridge. When it comes time to use it you'll need to make a starter.

 

[spenghali]

If you are really hell bent on using a secondary you could always use 3 growlers or a 1 gallon jug (they sell apple cider at grocery stores in these) and a growler...

 

[Lennie]

I'm always suspicious of the quality of seal that a bung gives. I guess that comes from my winemaking, if you aren't topped up you are going to see oxidation. That may be more a matter of months than a week, but it does indicate that the seal isn't that tight. I suppose if you didn't open the bung for the entire three weeks there might still be a protective atmosphere above the beer. But honestly the fermentation is going to be done in less than a week and the British ale yeasts drop like a rock anyway so the beer is going to be ready at ten days to two weeks at most.

If you do transfer to secondary (and theres no good reason to), be sure you do it before the beer is completely done fermenting and transfer the yeast with it so it can clean up after itself. If you wait till the fermentation is over, you will lose your protective CO2 layer.

My opinion (and thats all it is) comes from problems I've had with getting really good malt flavors, that I attribute to practices that allow oxidation. Since I've tightened up this aspect of my brewing, I'm getting better malt flavors.

I typically do 2.5-3gal batches and I'll pitch a packet/vial of yeast in those.

 

[C-Rider]

Go to home depot and buy a 2 gallon paint bucket. Head space now under control. Of course you have to buy a cover and drill it for the bung. BTW why use a secondary???????? Adding anything ?

 

[Lennie]

Buckets are less protective against oxidation than a carboy and bung, with or without headspace. Really the headspace is more about the square inches in contact with air rather than volume above the liquid in the fermentor.