21 replies to this topic

[HVB]

So how small of a batch would you be willing to brew?  I started at 5g and then moved to 10g then back to 5 and now thinking of cobbling a small 2.5g 120v system together. So, how small will you be willing to go?

 

[denny]

1 gal. for some things. 

[HVB]

1 gal. for some things. 

To continue my question, what things would you brew at that level.  For me, while I like a RIS or IIPA every now and then I can not see having a full batch of it so I plan to use it for higher gravity beers and also some RD to play around with yeast strains.

[Big Nake]

I would make American Lagers in 16 ounce batches and call them "extremely small batch".

[neddles]

5 gallons. Not so big I care about dumping it if it's not my thing. Big enough to be worth carving out an increasingly scarce piece of my free time.

[positiveContact]

I'd be willing to go small if the effort and time scaled with it.

5 gal is about as small as I would go unless 2.5 gal became super easy and not time consuming.
The other aspect is that I could possibly drink 2.5 gallons before the beer really came into its own

Edited by pickle_rick, 09 April 2018 - 12:24 PM.

[HVB]

I'd be willing to go small if the effort and time scaled with it.

5 gal is about as small as I would go unless 2.5 gal became super easy and not time consuming.
The other aspect is that I could possibly drink 2.5 gallons before the beer really came into its own

I can see that.   I like the idea for certain beers and experimenting.  The biggest issue will be heating speed at 120v. E

 

ETA: I seem to not drink that fast though. I have lots of kegs that last 6+ months.

Edited by drez77, 09 April 2018 - 12:31 PM.

[positiveContact]

I'm not sure how long my typical 10 gal batche lasts me. I would guess about 3 months at the rate I brew. This is including me giving some away of course.

[Bklmt2000]

Five gallons is as small as i'd go.  If I'm going to make a batch of beer, I want enough to fill a proper Corny keg.

[Big Nake]

Five gallons is as small as i'd go.  If I'm going to make a batch of beer, I want enough to fill a proper Corny keg.

I guess this is my answer too. I have never thought that 5 gallons of a certain beer was TOO MUCH. I have thought that various batches went too quickly and that I would rather have 10 gallons of it but that's pretty rare. When one 5-gallon batch goes, I'm usually looking forward to putting something else in that spot.

[cavman]

I have done 2.5 gallon batches a bunch of times. Sometimes as a test beer other times as a drinkable starter for a larger batch.

[BarelyBrews]

I have made 2 gallon batches all last winter, now i am back to 5 gallons. I will make 10 gallon batches this summer.( although i will hate myself if i find faults and have to drink that much beer)

 

So even for 2 gallons of all grain its a lot of work. So 2 is my answer..

[positiveContact]

I guess this is my answer too. I have never thought that 5 gallons of a certain beer was TOO MUCH. I have thought that various batches went too quickly and that I would rather have 10 gallons of it but that's pretty rare. When one 5-gallon batch goes, I'm usually looking forward to putting something else in that spot.

 

I hear that but making 10 is so easy.  I figure I should probably just give more away if I'm having a hard time drinking it fast enough.

[djinkc]

I'm settled in on 10G batches for the time being.  I've made a lot of AG batches lately that were a bit under a gallon.  Dumped all of them and saved the yeast.

 

Probably wouldn't have been that great with no hops and single malt with 40 minutes from start to pitching.  I'm liking these starters..............

[gnef]

Like others have said, since all my kegs are 5 gallons, that is really the smallest I would go. If I had invested in buying smaller kegs, I would be more willing to match the batch size to whatever the volume of the smaller kegs would be (they seem to range from 1.75 to 3 gallons now?).

 

I always wanted the smaller kegs, but they were always more expensive than the 5 gallon kegs that I could find used, so I could never justify the cost.

 

For a long while I was up to 10 gallon batches for everything until I realized that I don't go through beer that quickly, and the second keg was really going to waste. Now I pretty much do everything at 5 gallons with the exception if I am brewing to split a batch with a friend, or doing a project (like the flander's solera or barleywine solera, RIS, etc.) especially if I intend on aging it for a long time - I just finally got through one of my oldest kegs, a barleywine from 2007!

[pkrone]

5 gallons. Not so big I care about dumping it if it's not my thing. Big enough to be worth carving out an increasingly scarce piece of my free time.

 

Agreed!

[HVB]

Five gallons is as small as i'd go.  If I'm going to make a batch of beer, I want enough to fill a proper Corny keg.

Define proper   I have several 3g corny kegs.

[matt6150]

5 gallons. But I try to do 10 gallons every time.

[positiveContact]

Define proper I have several 3g corny kegs.

What would likely bother me is that the cleaning and sanitizing would all take about the same amount of time as 5-10 gallons. Those are least favorite parts.

[HVB]

What would likely bother me is that the cleaning and sanitizing would all take about the same amount of time as 5-10 gallons. Those are least favorite parts.

The cleaning does suck.  The set it and forget it cleaners for kegs and kettles does help.