Small, micro batches ? 1-2 gallons ?

[brewman !]

I've been watching videos over at www.basicbrewing.com. They are promoters of very small batches of beer, like 1 gallon or so.

I'd like to test a few beer recipes while I wait until my brewery overhaul is done. I was thinking of brewing up a couple small batches of test beers, say 1 to 2 gallons in size.

Has anyone made batches this small ? I am worried about oxidation. Should I be ?

I have a square 10L (2.8 gallon) container that will fit in our microwave. I was thinking that could be the mash vessel. Microwave heating should allow me to do step mashes.

I don't know what I will use for a false bottom yet.

I have kettles. I'll make a small immersion chiller. No problem there.

I'll ferment in a small bucket.

What will I use for a small air tight secondary fermentation vessel ? Say 2 gallons ?

Thanks.

 

[djamwolfe]

I just did a 1 gal test batch of rye this past weekend and it went off without a hitch. The only thing I had a problem with was efficacy I started out with 1lb 12oz of 2 row and ended up tossing another 6ox in the mash to get mt SG up. I had a little taste last night before I bottled and is was pretty good even this young!

 

[Yooper]

Two gallon carboys are hard to find- but 3 gallon carboys are very common. I have a 3 gallon better bottle, as well as glass. You could use a plastic colander upside down for the false bottom- just cut off the edges so that it sits closer to the bottom

 

[brewman !]

I guess I am brewing a half batch tonight. That came together quick !

My wife picked out a honey lager recipe. I just picked up the ingredients. I dug up my old kitchen brewing kit and I'm pretty much ready to go.

I'll be mashing in the microwave ! Total grain bill was 3 pounds. The 5 gallon recipe called for 2.5 pounds, but I bumped up the grains in case my efficiency sucks. If it doesn't, the beer will just be a little stronger.

I'm fermenting in a plastic pail. Like I always do, but this pail is smaller. I'll secondary in a 3 gallon better bottle if I can locate one by then. Not many places seem to carry them.

The recipe is from Charlie Papazian's Homebrewer's Gold, page 356.

Cascade Pale Ale

OG 1.044 FG 1.006 ABV 5.2% Color 3.6 SRM Bittering Units 23

5 lbs 2 row
2 lbs honey
1/4 lb of Cara Pils malt

4 HBU Australian Pride of Ringwood hops. (pellets, 60 minutes bittering)
2 HBU Tettnanger (whole 30 minutes flavor)
1/2 ounce Tettnanger (whole 2 to 3 minutes aroma)
1/4 teaspoon Irish moss
Wyeast 2278 Czech Pils Lager yeast.

Step mash: 30 minutes at 133Fm 60 minutes at 150F.

Changes I am going to make:

1) I/m halving everything except the 2 row, which I am using 3 pounds of.
2) Using Fuggles instead of Ringwood for the bittering hops. Supposed to give a fruity flavor. Might go well with the honey.
3) Using pellet Tettnanger instead of whole. How do I compensate for this ?
4) Using Morgans Lager yeast instead of Wyeast.

Its a shame not to use whole hops and the liquid yeast. I don't have the first and I can't justify the second for a half batch. If this works, I'll brew a 12 gallon batch and go all out.

This is my first honey beer. Any tips ? Am I on the right track here ?

 

[grnich]

So far I've done 2 AG batches and they've both been final volumes of 3 gallons. This allows me all the benefits of AG, but I don't need an outdoor burner or wort chiller. Just boil on the stove like an extract brew. Plus, I it gives me the opportunity of making more different beers without having to drink 5 or 6 gallons of it. Obviously, its pretty much the same amount of work for less beer, though, but its fun right?!

And you can justify liquid yeast for a half-batch. Just harvest and reuse for your next batch.

 

[brewman !]

Well, I brewed it last night. 3 gallons of wort or thereabouts. I forgot to take the FG ! Its fermenting now.

I messed up a few things, but generally it went OK. It was my first AG beer in about 8 years from what I can remember.

I can't wait to taste it.

I haven't done any yeast harvesting yet. I guess I need to start.

Brewing in the kitchen is a pain. When I build my brewstand, I am going to design it for full batches 6, 12 and 15 gallons as well as 3 gallon batches. I want to brew more experimental beers.

 

[alemonkey]

www.morebeer.com has 1 gallon glass jugs.

 

[brewman !]

So does my LHBS. Actually more of a wine shop that a HB stop. They also have 11.5L glass carboys. I think I want 11.5L Better Bottles though and I can't seem to find them locally.

 

[RichBrewer]

I've started making wine and I'm doing 1 gallon batches to start. I get the 1 gallon glass jugs from my LHBS.
You have got me thinking. I might try a 1 gallon beer just for fun. I did a 2 1/2 gallon beer the other day. I should see if it would be possible to do 1 gallon AG.

 

[brewman !]

I dunno about 1 gallon batches. They would be pretty small. Mashing would be no problem, but sparging would need a darn small mash tun.

BTW: I mashed in the microwave. The whole mash (3lbs) fit in a bowl that fit in the microwave, so I just did it in there. It worked pretty well. The mash steps were easy to do. Only problem was that there seemed to be a lot of temp unevenness when heating, so I had to stop and stir a lot. Once the temp was right, the mash would hold it for 20-30 minutes before dropping 1C. Then 30 seconds on high would bump it back up.

Hmmm... now you have me thinking about one gallon batches !

 

[RichBrewer]

I dunno about 1 gallon batches. They would be pretty small. Mashing would be no problem, but sparging would need a darn small mash tun.

I've got my 3 gallon mash tun so that wouldn't be a problem. I'm actually contemplating brewing a 1 gallon stout test recipe.

 

[FlyGuy]

I dunno about 1 gallon batches. They would be pretty small. Mashing would be no problem, but sparging would need a darn small mash tun.

You can buy 1, 1.5, and 2 gallon beverage coolers which would work really well. Line them with a grain bag, and you wouldn't even need to modify the cooler for mashing and sparging.

Also, I have seen 1 gal jugs at my LHBS that will fit an airlock. But I also found exactly the same thing at my local grocery store (it had organic juice in it, but was exactly the same price!).

 

[brewman !]

I thought about it and I'd just as soon do 3 gallon batches. It takes roughly the same amount of work to do 1,3 or 6 gallon batches. It actually takes extra equipment to do the small batches. I like doing the small batches because its no big deal cost wise if a batch doesn't turn out.

I've been dying to try an apple ale for years. I'm going to find a recipe and brew a 3 gallon batch next weekend.