Test Batch Advice

[BrewBarron]

I am getting closer and closer to working on some test batches. I have brewed 5 gallon batches from the start and want to start tweaking some recipes. My whole rig is designed to brew 5-10 gallons at a time so I'll have to get creative. Does any one have some good advice on what has worked for them in terms of brewing 2.5 gallon batches or less? Do you use a 5 gallon mash tun instead of a 10, do you brew 5 gallons and split the batch at the end and just tweak the yeast and spices, do you use 1, 2, or 3 gallon fermenters, 3 gallon kegs? Thanks for the help.

 

[kanzimonson]

My recommendation is to be as efficient as possible, i.e., make large quantities and then split into smaller batches. You can try alterations on the hop bill by mashing a large amount and then splitting into multiple brew kettles. Or you can keep the boil the same, but split into smaller fermenters.

I wouldn't worry too much about putting 2-3 gal in a regular sized fermenter so long as you're making average gravity worts. When they're clear, keg 'em. If you're really worried, you could inject some more CO2 after fermentation finishes. That should balance the ratio of gases in the headspace to your favor.

Also, I don't think it's worth it to have less than about 2gallons of finished product. When I see people doing 1gallon experiments, I'm envious that they're doing so many experiments at once, but at the same time I can't help to feel like something else is being altered when you're fermenting in such low quantities.

 

[Revvy]

There is a ton of small batch threads on here, including those in the similar thread box below.

You can brew any sized batch you want. I do a lot of 2.5 gallon recipe test batches. You can even do 1 gallon AG brews. The basic brewing guys call that the six pack brew.

A recipe is scalable, so a 1 gallon recipe is 1/5th of a 5 gallon one....a 2.5 gallon one is half the ingredients.

2.5 gallons is one case of beer.

I use my normal 5 gallon mash tun for most of them, but I do a lot of Experiments, test recipes, or beers that I know I won't need/want more than a case of.

I sometimes use an unmodified 2 gallon cooler for a lot of my small btaches it holds up to 4 pounds of grain.

I just us a folding steamer in the bottom along with a grain bag. Just break off or unscrew the center post.

One of these, it helps to lift the grain bag above the spigot to keep the drainig from getting stuck.

I posted a lot of info in the mr beer thread that you may find helpful.

I posted some all grain small batchrecipes here, https://www.homebrewtalk.com/785533-post702.html

ANd a bit of a primer on AG with pics here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/738927-post659.html

But I mostly use my regular 5 gallon cooler mash tun which holds 14 pounds of grains...and 14 pounds of grain for a 2.5 gallon batch can be a mighty big beer.....


One of our memebers chubbykid had plans for a minikeg mashtun http://sites.google.com/site/chubbykidhomebrew/Home/equipment/mini-keg-lauter-tun

THe basic brewing radio guys are big fans of tiny batch brewing...3/4 gallon (1 6pack) in a 1 gallon winejug fermenter.

They demo the 6-pack IPA here

[ame]http://en.sevenload.com/shows/Basic-Brewing/episodes/PERGFAJ-01-12-06-Basic-Brewing-Video-A-Six-Pack-of-IPA[/ame]

and they also have done barleywines as well.

I ferment my 2.5 gallon batches in all manner of things, I have a 3 gallon better bottle, I also use 3 gallon water jugs, AND my old Mr Beer keg (it's perfect because you can even lager in your own fridge with it when you are starting out.)

You can even ferment a 2.5 gallon batch in a 5 gallon carboy if you want, though I would say a 6.5 gallon carboy is a little too much headspace for my confort.

Hope this helps....any more questions feel free to ask...

Oh, and you don't have to do anything with hops in terms of hop utilization, except scale it in the same proportion, as you do your grain. Nothing else.

 

[BrewBarron]

Thanks guys, Good stuff.

And Revvy, a wealth of information as always.

 

[Revvy]

Also, I don't think it's worth it to have less than about 2gallons of finished product. When I see people doing 1gallon experiments, I'm envious that they're doing so many experiments at once, but at the same time I can't help to feel like something else is being altered when you're fermenting in such low quantities.

There's nothing being altered or compromised in small batch brewing, it's all about scale, really. It's funny in wine/meadmaking no one blinks when someone says they're going to make a 3/4 gallon batch in a gallon wine jug. But when someone suggest the same thing for beer, people say it's not worth it.

I really like how the basic brewing guys kind of gave it some cache.