Want opinions on another simple recipe!

[AfternoonReview]

Just gonna make a 1 gallon all grain batch today. I'm going for an IPA type of thing. Here's what I've got:

2lbs 2 row
8 oz Vienna

1 oz of Northern Brewer pellets (10.4 AA) I haven't decided on the hop schedule yet, but I'm thinking something like:

.25 at 45 min
.25 at 30 min
.25 at 15 min
.25 at 5 min

According to beercalculus this will give me 113 IBU's (tinseth). A bit overboard maybe?

I'm using dry Nottingham yeast.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[kanzimonson]

You gotta give the anticipated OG on something like this. 113 IBUs sounds great if the OG is over 1.075.

Seems quite wasteful to make 1gal of IPA - that's a lotta hop waste for very little yield. And then if you dry hop it... let's just say I'd be surprised if you get 6 bottles out of this. For all that work can't you at least make a 3gal batch? Preferably more than that.

 

[AfternoonReview]

The OG is expected to be 1.067.

I know the batch is small. I only have a 1 gallon carboy and a 3 gallon. The 3 gallon is full right now. I guess I could wait for the 3 gallon to do the IPA. I only have that one ounce of Northern hops right now, so I could go ahead and make 1 gallon but cut the amount of hops I use.

I usually get about 9 bottles from my 1 gallon batches.

I wasn't planning on dry hopping (I'm going out of town for a couple of weeks). Is this a must for an IPA?

Thanks!

 

[kanzimonson]

Based on the OG I'd lower the IBUs to around 60-75. I bet if you dropped the 30min addition it'd be right there. You could use those hops for dry hopping.

And I'd say the general consensus is that an IPA must be dry hopped. Most people are putting 1-2oz in a 5gal batch with stats like yours. I wouldn't go less than that.

 

[WAdamC]

The OG is expected to be 1.067.

I know the batch is small. I only have a 1 gallon carboy and a 3 gallon. The 3 gallon is full right now. I guess I could wait for the 3 gallon to do the IPA. I only have that one ounce of Northern hops right now, so I could go ahead and make 1 gallon but cut the amount of hops I use.

I usually get about 9 bottles from my 1 gallon batches.

I wasn't planning on dry hopping (I'm going out of town for a couple of weeks). Is this a must for an IPA?

Thanks!

I have seen that the water cooler places are sending out PET carboys now. They should be able to find cheaper than Better Bottles, and are the same thing. Just look for a 1 on the bottom. A 5 gallon PET carboy should handle a 4 gallon batch with a blowoff tube.

 

[jfr1111]

Buckets can be had for 5$ and no they don't taste like plastic unless you get a non food grade one.

 

[AfternoonReview]

I try to avoid plastics - but I appreciate all the input!

 

[kanzimonson]

After I read the story in Zymurgy about the dude who almost completely severed his hand while cleaning his carboy, I will NEVER buy a glass carboy.

 

[jfr1111]

After I read the story in Zymurgy about the dude who almost completely severed his hand while cleaning his carboy, I will NEVER buy a glass carboy.

+1. If it's good enough for Yooper it's good enough for me.

 

[AfternoonReview]

Just FYI/follow up. I ended up taking kanzimonson's advice and I didn't make an IPA with this batch. I ended up making a 1 gallon batch w/ 2lbs of 2row and 1lb of Vienna - with a more tame hop profile. Ended up quite tasty!

 

[14thstreet]

I'm glad it turned out well for you. I'm beginning to like small batches except for the fact that by the time I start to get to know it, it's nearly gone! That said though, it's perfect to test ingredients, recipes, etc without having to worry about having cases/kegs of the stuff. These past few months I've been able to compare relatively quickly the differences between 4 english IPAs without having 20 gallons to do it with. Of course, that can be a good problem to have too

 

[AfternoonReview]

Yeah, there are many pros and cons to the small batches, but I still find myself making them! It's so easy to make a one gallon batch. Not too messy. The wort cools down easily/quickly. You can stick the one gallon carboy in a cooler with some ice bottles and easily control ferm temps, etc. And as you say, you can experiment without putting several gallons of beer at risk.

I just made a one gallon batch and poured it onto the yeast cake from a previous one gallon batch. I looked at it today and it looked like almost half the carboy was filled with yeast! So maybe pitching onto the yeast cake doesn't work to well with small amounts...?

 

[14thstreet]

With active yeast and pitching the same volume as the yeast cake was generated from, I'm not surprised you got what you did. I've never pitched onto a whole yeast cake; always divided it. In small batch brewing I'll tend to believe there's less room for error in small batches and it's not as forgiving as far as process is concerned.