So on January 4th I opened up my first bottle from my first batch I started about a month ago. At the rate I'm drinking it, about one month will pass from first brewed to last beer consumed. My second batch was bottled this weekend and I'm going to attempt to give it more time bottle conditioning than the first (also gave it 2 weeks primary instead of 1). Do people normally have down time from when a brew is finished to when the next one begins, or am I just not making enough to sustain the cycle? Is it wrong to work on multiple batches at the same time?
Supply and Demand
- Thread starter Zak
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Sardoman
Well-Known Member
Haha! Surely you can't be serious!
That is exactly what most of us do. Get a couple of additional fermenting buckets and start up some other batches. I live in an apartment and don't have much space but I can still manage to have a batch fermenting, another bulk conditioning and another bottle conditioning while having between 1-6 batches ready to drink at any given time. It's all about timing.
starrfish
Well-Known Member
When I get off my lazy ass I like having 3 buckets going at a time, so I can have 2 on tap, and 1 keg sugar priming so It's ready when 1 keg kicks. right now I'm slack and have a gap in my pipeline! keg is going to kick before next one is ready.
I bottled my 2nd batch this weekend, as well as brewed my 3rd. I'm hoping to get time to transfer what I have fermenting and may be starting my 4th batch this weekend. I figure I'll have to buy a few six packs between when my first batch runs out (probably tomorrow) and when my 2nd is ready to start drinking (figuring around the 28th). I'm in a fairly small 1 bedroom in Arizona and I figure by March it'll be to warm for me to ferment without some sort of swamp cooler set up. Getting a third fermenting bucket isn't an issue financially, but when I have to start using sources other than leaving my window open and my AC to get the room down to a reasonable temp to ferment, I'm not sure I'll have room to store that many buckets, not counting the limited space I have for bottles that aren't ready to drink yet.
I'm not at kegging level yet, but I will have bottles not ready to be consumed and will run out of my own brew this week. Plus I have spacial concerns that I'll be able to have bottles from multiple batches conditioning at the same time.
If I have my pipeline down properly for this year I will have 2 in carboys, 2 in kegs (secondary) and 2 in kegs conditioning/carbing at a time. Of course that means I would need to be able to knock out a keg a week... guess I better pick up my game or find some more friends.
If I have my pipeline down properly for this year I will have 2 in carboys, 2 in kegs (secondary) and 2 in kegs conditioning/carbing at a time. Of course that means I would need to be able to knock out a keg a week... guess I better pick up my game or find some more friends.
I'm basically knocking out a 5 gallon batch in two weeks of personal consumption, and that isn't taking into a fact that I'm planning on bringing my second batch to a friends birthday party the 28th and a Super Bowl party where I'm going probably going to be breaking out my home brew to friends for the first time. Plus my 3rd batch happens to be what is up for the local AHS club's COC so I figured IF (big if) it's ready I'd bring a few bottles to get judged so I can get a feel for how I'm doing.
That is the great thing about this hobby... even if you get your pipeline up to speed it doesn't mean you have to wait to catch up. There are lagers, long conditioning beers, meads, ciders, etc. There is always more to do and it is all alcohol which is a bonus, lol.
downtown3641
Well-Known Member
I still drink a good mix of homebrew and commercial craft beer, so I'm not going through my homebrew as quickly. The wife being pregnant doesn't help that. I still have at least a few bottles of each of the five batches I've brewed since I got started in May. The porter I brewed last month is bottle conditioning. The porter was my fist all grain batch. I did it with one pot and it was a huge pain. So, I had been waiting for my new pot to arrive. It finally came yesterday. I know what I want to brew next, I just need to find a nice weekend.
As for the pipeline, you could carefully plan it based on how quickly each style will be ready. Or, you can just be like me and brew for the pleasure of it. Figure out what you'll want to be drinking in two months and do it (unless you're doing a much stronger beer).
As for the pipeline, you could carefully plan it based on how quickly each style will be ready. Or, you can just be like me and brew for the pleasure of it. Figure out what you'll want to be drinking in two months and do it (unless you're doing a much stronger beer).
I have about 120 750 ml PET bottles that I use. I start a new batch when I have about half the bottles I need available.
This appears to be working well and it keeps me with a variety of drinkable beers at all times. Right now, I have two full batches conditioning and four varieties that I am drinking. I will be starting a new batch shortly.
This appears to be working well and it keeps me with a variety of drinkable beers at all times. Right now, I have two full batches conditioning and four varieties that I am drinking. I will be starting a new batch shortly.
beergolf
Well-Known Member
Nope...
I have 5 fermenters going right now. 4 I use for regular brews, so I can let them sit for 4 weeks and one dedicated to Belgians that like more time in the fermenter.
I have a good variety of different brews to choose from in my pipeline.
This is close to my system too. It helps BIG TIME with patience if you have a pipeline. Building it up can take a few weeks, but once you get there, welcome to happy madness.
BigTerp
Well-Known Member
I ran into this problem when I first started brewing. Now I have 4 buckets and a carboy. Currently I have 4 batches bottle conditioning, 3 batches fermenting/bulk conditioning and 1 batch on schedule to be brewed this weekend. Only problem is non are ready to drink. But it's still awesome to open up my spare bathroom closet and see it completely full of bottled beer!!!
