Small batches?

cavemanlawyer15 · January 30, 2015, 2:45am

Hey all – I couldn’t find this in the FAQ… In the instructional DVD for the Essential Brewery in a Box, they claim that the batch size is 5 gal. which I believe translates to 54 bottles.

Is it possible to make a half-size batch, or even smaller, using all the standard included equipment? 54 bottles is a lot to throw out if I screw up a batch.
Also, is it necessary to refrigerate the beer immediately after bottling? Or once sealed could it be stable in warmer temps? I don’t always have the fridge space for 54 bottles, but I do have a garage which I keep at 55 degrees? Or could it even stay at room temp?

Thanks brewers!
Paul

tiltrotor22 · January 30, 2015, 3:17am

No, you do not need to cool the beer after bottling. The bottles need to carb up for a few weeks before they can be cooled and ive found the longer you keep the bottles at room temp the more the flavors come together and the better the beer will taste.
Ive had beer in bottles for over a year before I cooled them to drink and they came out perfect.

I also started with small batches. It is not worth the time and effort. Stick with 5 gallon batches. You wont ruin a batch, and if you do, oh well, life goes on.

garretd · January 30, 2015, 3:28am

[quote=“cavemanlawyer15”]Hey all – I couldn’t find this in the FAQ… In the instructional DVD for the Essential Brewery in a Box, they claim that the batch size is 5 gal. which I believe translates to 54 bottles.

Is it possible to make a half-size batch, or even smaller, using all the standard included equipment? 54 bottles is a lot to throw out if I screw up a batch.
Also, is it necessary to refrigerate the beer immediately after bottling? Or once sealed could it be stable in warmer temps? I don’t always have the fridge space for 54 bottles, but I do have a garage which I keep at 55 degrees? Or could it even stay at room temp?

Thanks brewers!
Paul[/quote]

Yes, I make 3 gallon batches now instead of 5 gallon because I keg now and I find it hard enough to finish 3 gallons much less 5 gallons in a timely fashion.
No, you want to bottle and leave it in the basement for 4-8 weeks to condition and carb up. 60-70 degrees for faster carbing and at 55 just a week or 2 longer.

Cheers !

dmtaylo2 · January 30, 2015, 6:29am

I went from 5-gallon batches to 3 gallons, then to 2.5, and now I am making 1.7 gallons per batch most of the time. I’m not a heavy drinker and I like to experiment a lot, so smaller batches make a lot more sense for me. And maybe you too, for these reasons or for dozens of others. You can go ahead and split your batches and use all the same equipment. Works fine.

You need to let your bottles condition for a couple of weeks between 50 and 70 F. After that you can keep them cool in the 50s or 60s and just put a few in the refrigerator at a time. That’s what I do.

lowville · January 30, 2015, 11:58pm

i do small batches till i find something i like. then go for 5 gallons.

jmck · January 31, 2015, 2:37pm

3-gallon is the size for me. It better matches my consumption rate, so no putting off brewing because I already have too many cases stockpiled. (Yea, apparently it IS possible to have too many cases.) I can do all grain indoors because 4-gallons is about the upper limit of what my stove can boil. Plus I can brew year-round in comfort, no freezing my @$$ off in winter or sweating through shirts in summer.

I just wish our host had an expanded selection of 3-gal kits. Please join me in requesting petite orange join the 3-gallon kit line-up!

s2y · January 31, 2015, 8:39pm

I don’t drink much and my wife rarely touches beer. Instead of making less beer, I decided to make stronger beer that cellared well. I haven’t brewed anything with an OG less than 1.06 in a while.

uncdeo · February 3, 2015, 2:40am

[quote=“JMcK”]3-gallon is the size for me. It better matches my consumption rate, so no putting off brewing because I already have too many cases stockpiled. (Yea, apparently it IS possible to have too many cases.) I can do all grain indoors because 4-gallons is about the upper limit of what my stove can boil. Plus I can brew year-round in comfort, no freezing my @$$ off in winter or sweating through shirts in summer.

I just wish our host had an expanded selection of 3-gal kits. Please join me in requesting petite orange join the 3-gallon kit line-up![/quote]

where are these 3 gallon kits you speak of I just bought 3 1-gallon kits of rum runner stout…and I want to make 3 gallons of the 1 gallon plinian legacy kit.

voodoo_donut · February 3, 2015, 2:47am

I know some/(all?) of the NB BIAB kits are 3 gallons…

debrew · February 7, 2015, 4:58pm

[quote][/quote][quote=“JMcK”]3-gallon is the size for me. It better matches my consumption rate, so no putting off brewing because I already have too many cases stockpiled. (Yea, apparently it IS possible to have too many cases.) I can do all grain indoors because 4-gallons is about the upper limit of what my stove can boil. Plus I can brew year-round in comfort, no freezing my @$$ off in winter or sweating through shirts in summer.

I just wish our host had an expanded selection of 3-gal kits. Please join me in requesting petite orange join the 3-gallon kit line-up![/quote]

+1!!

jmck · February 7, 2015, 5:18pm

@UncDeo here’s the link: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brew … -biab-kits

8 kits; That’s it. One is in my routine cycle (Dead Ringer), but only about 3 kits really interest me. So normally I’m looking at 5-gallon recipes, scaling them in BeerSmith, and getting ingredients a la cart from wherever.

I did email the customer service folks a while back with the suggestion to expand the 3-gallon line-up. The response was a very nice, if noncommittal, “thanks for the suggestion.” I get it though, they have a business to run, they have to know the market is there before they cater to it.

rookie_l_a · February 8, 2015, 4:33pm

[quote=“cavemanlawyer15”]Hey all – I couldn’t find this in the FAQ… In the instructional DVD for the Essential Brewery in a Box, they claim that the batch size is 5 gal. which I believe translates to 54 bottles.

Is it possible to make a half-size batch, or even smaller, using all the standard included equipment? 54 bottles is a lot to throw out if I screw up a batch.
Thanks brewers!
Paul[/quote]

As long as you’re careful about sanitation you won’t have to throw out any, you may not brew the best beer in the world, but it should be drinkable.
I’ve been brewing three gallon batches for a long time, you can brew any size you want.

brew_cat · February 8, 2015, 4:46pm

54 bottles is a lot to throw out if I screw up a batch.

Brew with confidence. Don’t set yourself up for failure. You will make good beer and you will drink a lot more than you think, or your friends will.