I wish one of the online HBS would do scalable kits. Especially if they were tried and true good ones. Pick a kit, enter yout efficiency and volume into fermenter, click buy.
I started with 5 gal batches, scaled up to 10 gal for a few, then dropped back to 3 gal for a year before coming back to 6 gal as my sweet spot. Small batch brewing was fun though and I still do some that way.
What’s your usual batch size? -3 gal, unless I split a 5.5 gal batch into two 3 gal glass carboys.
Why do you brew small batches? - More variety, fresher beer, so many recipes and so little time
Do you brew, extract, partial mash, all grain? - AG
What’s your basic process? I.E., BIAB, tiny cooler (), just stir in the extract, etc.
I actually do use a 5 gal Igloo cooler with a braid for the mash tun. I use a pony keg as a HLT and boil in my 10 gallon Polarware.
Do you have a favorite piece of equipment that you like to use especially for small batches? - The tiny cooler is key.
If you’ve brewed larger batches how would you comapre the two in terms of effort? Time? Equipment needs? Recipe consistency? -
For me the smaller batches are kind of awkward for my system for a couple reasons. Mainly, the HLT doesn’t pull siphon easily with volumes under about 3.5 gallons. I can burp the line a little bit and get it to siphon through, but it’s kind of sketchy with near-boiling sparge water. Also, the temp probe in my Polarware kettle is just a bit too high to read a 3-gallon volume, and the immersion chiller is partially sticking out of the wort, so it’s less efficiently cooling. As for effort, it’s pretty much the same as doing a 5 or 6 gallon batch, which is a big reason why I don’t do small batches as often. I’d rather brew a “standard” bigger batch of beer and just bring more growlers when I hang out with friends. My efficiencies were consistent with what I typically get - 75 to 80%.
What am I missing that should be known about small batch brewing?
I don’t know what you know, so I can’t say what you’re missing! It was a great way to audition a bunch of different beer styles and expand my brewing repertoire a bit. You can experiment with recipes without such a commitment. Once the base recipe is kind of fine-tuned, I think it’s more valuable to split a 5 gallon batch into two 3 gallon carboys (or pails) and test variables that way (yeast, dry hops, other additions, etc.)
I am just starting to do small batches. More to study the effects of water treatment on different recipes than anything else. I have been an all grain brewer of 5 gallon batches for several years using both batch sparging and BIAB and just recently tried my hand at cider. Thus far I have brewed a few 1 gallon batches of cider and can contribute to one of your questions. My favorite piece of equipment for small batches has to be the mini Auto Siphon.
This sounds like a thread that will be very interesting. I look forward to your findings.
Usually 3, but sometimes as little as 2 or up to 3.5
I’m the primary drinker of my beer and 5 gallons is too much.
All grain
Mash in a 38 qt cooler. Sometimes batch sparge, sometimes no sparge.
Nope, I still brew five gallon batches using the same cooler and a bigger kettle
It shaves 40 minutes or so off a batch, due to quicker boil time and quicker chilling. I’ve been able to scale up and down pretty consistently, but I sometimes miss my numbers doing a no-sparge.
1.25 gallons which will yield 14 - 11.2 ounces bottles
I am the only beer drinker in my house and I decided when I started all grain that the only way I could make it work space wise and quantity wise was to go small.
Small batches take less time to heat up, cool down, bottle, etc. I use 2 gall n plastic bucket fermenters which work great and have a small footprint. High gravity beers can be fermented with a single smack pack and harvested yeast can be separated into multiple small batch size repitches. There are less raw materials to keep around and brewing salts last forever. My brewery has a very small footprint:
Obviously I’m a Low Oxygen advocate so that process rules. Equipment:
1.) MLT - 4 gal pot, sight glass, DC pump, false bottom and mash filter. PID controlled Waring Pro SB30 electric burner. Mash cap with LocLine return.
2.) BK - 3 gal pot, whirlpool pickup tube, semi permanent IC, boil lid with cutout, latter cap.
3.) Fermenter - 2 gal food grade buckets with spigot and thermowell
4.) Mill - this was actually a sweet deal and I paid $25 for it. It’s a kitchen grain mill with 3 knurled rollers:
There really isn’t anything specific for small batches that comes to mind. The whole system was purpose built for Low Oxygen and my batch sizes.
I’ve never brewed larger than 2.5 gallon batches but the main drivers are amount to consume is less, heat time is less, cooling time a less, etc.
It’s more manageable, for me at least. I am the only drinker in my house and I have 2 kids under 4. I don’t have a lot of space or a lot of time so if I want to brew more it has to be small.
That being said, I can brew more because I only create 14 bottles per batch. You have the freedom to brew the same batch in quick succession to perfect a flavor or technique.
For me, Low Oxygen wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for my small brewery. I wouldn’t be able to sustain a 5 gallon brewery.
1.) heat up - 15 min
2.) mash in - 5 min
3.) mash/sparge - 75 min
4.) time to boil - 5-10 min
5.) Boil - 60 min
6.) ice bath chill - 25 min
7.) transfer, pitch and aerate - 10-15 min
8.) clean up - 30 min
Total: 3 hrs 55 min
My new setup:
1.) heat up, preboil, chill - 25 minutes
2.) condition and mill - 10 min
3.) treat water/let stand - 5 min
4.) mash in - 10 min
5.) place mash cap/pump and sight glass - 5 min
6.) β rest - 20 min
7.) ramp to α rest - 10 min
8.) α rest - 30 min
9.) ramp to MO - 5 min
10.) MO - 10 min
11.) Lauter - 10 min
12.) Boil - 60 min
13.) chill whirlpool hot and cold break - 45 min
14.) transfer and pitch yeast - 5 min
15.) aerate if repitching - 15 min
I’ve been told it’s not the size of your cooler, but how well you use it…
I’m no help, as I brew 5 gallons, sometimes 10. I have no time lately, though, so I’ve been thinking of smaller batches or maybe extract. But still no time.
Why do you brew small batches?
I get to brew more often.
More variety.
I don’t share as much as some.
Smaller equipment is easier to handle.
Do you brew, extract, partial mash, all grain?
All grain
What’s your basic process? I.E., BIAB, tiny cooler ([emoji6]), just stir in the extract, etc.
Batch sparge in 5 gallon Igloo. Nothing special. Basic equipment.
Do you have a favorite piece of equipment that you like to use especially for small batches?
My 1500W heat stick is perfect for small batches.
If you’ve brewed larger batches how would you comapre the two in terms of effort? Time? Equipment needs? Recipe consistency?
I brewed 5-6 gallons batches for about 5 years. 3 gallon saves maybe 30 minutes. Otherwise everything is basically the same.
What am I missing that should be known about small batch brewing?
It’s just as fun as any other batch size.
I currently brew 1.7-2.0 gallon batches (1/3 of a standard size batch).
There are a bazillion advantages to small batches, including a somewhat faster brew day (3-3.5 hours for all-grain!), less beer on the shelf (for those of us with a drinking problem, i.e., we don’t drink enough!), more excuse for experimentation with less beer wasted if the batch turns out crappy, you can easily BIAB on the stovetop, dirt-cheap equipment, the list goes on.
all grain
BIAB, colander sparge or sparge in a bucket, stovetop boil, chill in the sink in cold water bath…
small and cheap kettles, stove, scale for measuring hops in grams instead of ounces, 3-gallon carboys
I just brewed 6 gallons a couple of weeks ago. Used 3 kettles on the stovetop. Wanted/needed to use my cooler mash tun instead of BIAB. Brew day took about 5-5.5 hours, so it does take an extra 90 minutes or so for a bigger batch.
Dude… it’s just fun and super-ultra-mega easy to make smaller batches. It’s all good.
1.) been brewing 3 gallons lately.
2.) 5 gallons is too much as I am usually the only one drinking. I do share with some friends and take my beer to brew club meetings. 3 gallons will give me 30-35 bottles.
3.) all grain
4.) got a grainfather for my birthday so I use this
5.) the grainfather has a small pipework that is used for small batches. I also have a 20L Speidel fermenter that I use for small batches
6.) after brewing 5 and 6 gallon batches for years, I believe there is little difference in terms of effort or equipment. The grainfather does take more time to come to a boil than when I use propane.
7.) I like the idea of doing small batches as I mentioned in #2 (5 gallons is too much for me). Small batches also gives me an opportunity to brew more and do experimental type stuff (new hop, new malt, new yeast).
I’ll take you up on that beer sometime.
Good luck on the book. Looking forward to getting my copy.
Short answer: wanted to brew all grain, indoors. Also, I’m the only beer drinker in the house.
Longer answer: 15-20 ago I brewed extract 5-gallon batches and it was fun with friends but not fun enough solo. Quit brewing for 15-20 years. A couple of years ago, I heard about all-grain one gallon kits (a la Brooklyn Brew Shop) and decided to try. I liked it much more than the extract brews b/c a) it was more like cooking, less like lab work and b) I was making better beer.
Later, switched to 2 - 2.5 gal batches because bottling only one gallon wasn’t fun, and I wanted more than 6-8 bottles.
3. brewing style: all grain
4. basic process: I’m now using an E-BIAB system. 120V only.
5. favorite piece of equipment: The brew demon small ported plastic conical fermenters are nice.
6. compare to larger batches: No recent experience with larger batches, but I worry that I’d need a more powerful heating element, or that I’d have to start brewing outside with a big burner.
7. what else: I notice a lot of the responders here are doing all-grain. For me, small batches allow me to do all-grain, which I enjoy more. Based on my experience, I always wince a little when people recommend that newbies “start with standard 5 gallon extract batches”. How many people try that and quit, but would have found a small all-grain process fun enough to continue?
More ugly honest truth regarding my “drinking problem”, i.e., not drinking enough:
Last month I inventoried everything I have. Currently I have about 7 cases of beer in bottles, 2 cases of cider, and another 12 gallons in bulk vessels which includes 3 gallons cider, 3 gallons barleywine, 1.25 gallons schwarzbier, and 4.75 gallons jalapeno porter – the latter one is actually in a keg – I don’t usually keg at all but I am putting this one into a local brewfest, so at least that one will be gone soon, thank heavens.
What can I say… I have a passion for brewing, but don’t have a lot of family or friends who want to drink it all up on me, and I personally don’t usually drink more than 2 or 3 beers (or ciders) in a week. I have this constant urge and want/need to brew, but even at an average 1.7-2 gallons per batch, it’s still WAY more than I can consume myself. What a problem to have, eh!?
An even bigger problem/contributor recently is that as of about one year ago, I have been put on-call for my job for 1 out of every 4 weeks, so 25% of the time, I cannot drink a drop, so that I am fit for duty in the unfortunate case there might be a nuclear emergency. Sad but true. This just slows the consumption all the more.
What’s your usual batch size?
I still brew 5 gallons. But also have been brewing smaller batches, usually around 3 gallons
Why do you brew small batches?
My wife is pretty much only into hoppy beers, so its 5 gallons of stuff we both like. I like pretty much everything and I didn’t want 5 gallons of something I am the only one drinking. A lot of it would probably get dumped. I started brewing smaller batches for batches only I wanted. I also started testing out different ingredients, hops, yeasts,etc and didn’t want 5 gallon test batches.
Do you brew, extract, partial mash, all grain?
All grain
What’s your basic process? I.E., BIAB, tiny cooler , just stir in the extract, etc.
Basic process. Exactly. I don’t think I can get any more basic. I would post pictures, but if anybody I knew saw them, Im pretty sure it would be like when a magician reveals his trick and the crowd is disappointed on how simple it really was. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. If I do a small enough batch, it is all on the kitchen stove, but our stove is pretty weak, so even 3 gallons will have me outside.
Do you have a favorite piece of equipment that you like to use especially for small batches?
Only things I use different are my 3 gallon kegs. I really like these smaller kegs, but they are pin locks and I wouldn’t exactly say they are my favorite.
If you’ve brewed larger batches how would you comapre the two in terms of effort? Time? Equipment needs? Recipe consistency?
I don’t find I save a lot of time or effort doing 3 gallons as opposed to 5 gallons. My equipment can handle at least 10 gallons so it totally overkill for small batches. If I just started and I was only going to brew 3 gallons, I would buy smaller brew pots and fermenters. My recipes are pretty consistent no matter what the batch size.
What am I missing that should be known about small batch brewing?
3 gallons works out for me. I don’t drink a lot so smaller batches means more variety, but it’s a double edged sword. If I don’t like the beer, it’s only 3 gallons. If I really like the beer, it’s only 3 gallons.
I like to brew as much as I like to drink and brewing larger batches meant less brewing and less ability to refine brewing skills.
3. Do you brew, extract, partial mash, all grain?
All grain, all the time.
4. What’s your basic process? I.E., BIAB, tiny cooler (), just stir in the extract, etc.
I have a two gallon cooler fit with a toilet supply braid as a mash tun. Mash as usual and batch sparge. I mash in and throw it in the oven with the oven light on. Helps keep temperatures a little more consistent.
5. Do you have a favorite piece of equipment that you like to use especially for small batches?
The two gallon cooler was a big help because it keeps temperatures more stable than my previous efforts with BIAB at the same volume.
6. If you’ve brewed larger batches how would you comapre the two in terms of effort? Time? Equipment needs? Recipe consistency?
It’s basically all the same equipment except you need a scale that gets into tenths of grams for water additions. Time-wise it’s a little quicker because the smaller volume of liquid heats quicker. I can do everything indoors in the kitchen which makes it easier to brew and work from home at the same time.
Once I introduced the cooler and stopped BIAB I resolved consistency issues and now have the same consistency as larger batches.
It’s obviously more effort per gallon than larger batches but I enjoy the brewing process.
7. What am I missing that should be known about small batch brewing?
), just stir in the extract, etc.
