Thinking of scaling down my recipes (it is an equipment question)

[redrocker652002]

For some of my upcoming brews I am thinking of scaling down to either 2.5 or 3 gallon batches and seeing what I like and move them up to 5 gallons later on. My question is, I have a 6.5 gallon fermenting bucket and 5 gallon keg. Do I need to get a smaller bucket and keg to do smaller batches? My ultimate goal is to take the smaller batches and turn them into 5 gallon brews once I know I like them. Or is it really not worth it and just stick with 5 gallons and keep on experimenting?

 

[odie]

nope. no issues. use what ya got.

 

[tracer bullet]

I make recipes at 2.5 and 5 gallon targets and feel like they taste identical. Cutting everything in half seems to work for the ingredients. It's also nice to pitch yeast and not even consider a starter. I'm sure the pitch rate changes things a little but not enough for me to have really noticed.

Tons of head space isn't ideal, but any O2 in it will either go into solution and be consumed or more likely simply pushed out during fermentation.

 

[IslandLizard]

First try it out with regular 6.5 gallon buckets.
Once you like or prefer brewing smaller batches, and do enough of them, maybe look for 3.5 gallon buckets (for 2.5 gallon batches). Aim for a gallon of headspace.

Going from 5 to 6 gallon batches to 3 or 2.5 gallon ones, all things in a recipe/process scale fairly linearly, except for a few:

• Boil-off (evaporation) in the kettle will pretty much be the same, whether you boil 3 gallons or 6. You can always top up during or after the boil too, or in your fermenter, and make adjustments on the next batch.
• Your mash temps may drop more and faster during the hour mash, due to heat losses being similar, but with half the thermal mass inside to compensate. That's harder to overcome. Start at a few degrees higher and bulk up the insulation.

I often brew smaller (2.5-3 gallon) batches anymore, it gives me more variety. I can easily do 2 of those back to back.
Or brew a 6 gallon batch and split the wort after the boil for different whirlpool and dry hops.
Or split a batch over 2 or more fermenters using different yeasts or additives.

 

[jerrylotto]

Another consideration is if you have a thermal well that you used to control temperature. I built an 18-in Thermowell into a corner keg lid to take my Inkbird probe so I could ferment and lager 2.5 gallon batches in a 5 gallon keg.

 

[IslandLizard]

A good (and possibly free) source for 3-4 gallon buckets can be your local pastry bakery. Icing often comes in those size buckets.
Just drill a hole in the lid for your airlock.

 

[Komodo]

A good (and possibly free) source for 3-4 gallon buckets can be your local pastry bakery. Icing often comes in those size buckets.
Just drill a hole in the lid for your airlock.

Excellent tip. Plus, they tend to be more rectangular and make really great washing, utility buckets. Most bakeries will give you a bunch of them. Try the grocery store bakeries.