One gallon batches to five gallon batches?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Oktoberfist, Mar 8, 2016.

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  1. Oktoberfist

    Oktoberfist Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2014 Pennsylvania

    So, I brewed up 2 one gallon batches (will be 3 this weekend) of extract so far. I want to move up to five gallon batches, but not sure if it is feasible. As far as the amount of time and money invested, it appears five gallon batches are the way to go. I live in a small apartment and I'm thinking that if I did decide to do five gallon batches, I could brew 3 gallons and add 2 gallons of water at the end before I ferment it. Would this work? What about space issues regarding fermenting? Any info. would be appreciated.
     
  2. GormBrewhouse

    GormBrewhouse Pooh-Bah (2,111) Jun 24, 2015 Vermont
    Pooh-Bah

    Yes you can, but better beer is made with full boils. If not feasible I would try to get a larger kettle so you add less water. For space I assume you mean fermenter size. Buckets are cheap and make great beer.
     
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Do you mean headspace in the fermenter? I would take the batch size and multiply by 1.3 to get the minimum fermenter size. That gives you at least a 30% added headspace.
     
  4. Oktoberfist

    Oktoberfist Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Thanks for the input. I am more concerned with room as far as space to accompany the fermenter as well as clean up involved.
     
  5. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    What you are proposing to do, add water after the boil, was the standard practice for a very long time. Papazian advised this method and if you could do a full boil 25 years ago you were some sort of mechanical wizard. Jumbo kettles were a thing of legend.

    But, doing the entire batch at once aka full wort boils, that is the thing to do. If there is any way to do the full 5 gallons (well more with boil off) do that.

    The single best way to improve your beer, and the easiest, is to do full wort boils. Honest. Sometimes we have to make compromises. Go full wort boil as soon as you can.
    Cheers.

    Edit. You didn't ask but do not add water to fermented beer, unless you boil and cool the water and even then not such a great idea. Not due to infection risk but rather water is oxygenated and that will quickly add oxygen to your beer. Not good.
     
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  6. DovGibor

    DovGibor Zealot (538) Sep 18, 2015 New York

    I made this same transition from 1gal to 5 gal in a fairly large 1BR apt I used to live in, but recently moved to smaller space. I've run three 5 gal batches in the new space but they have been painful. My kitchen is half the size, sink is smaller, stove is smaller, used to have a closet for fermenting that is no longer, etc. And cleanup? Don't even ask. I've got one 3gal batch fermenting now, but after that I'm going back to 1gals with maybe an occasional 3 or 5 gal batch for the holidays or such.

    Homebrewing and apartment living are not very compatible :slight_frown:. That said, all the best of luck to making it work for you.
     
  7. DunkelFester

    DunkelFester Zealot (607) Aug 24, 2004 Pennsylvania

    Space? All you need is a 6.5 gallon bucket with a lid. Leave the airlock off of it, cover the hole with some aluminum foil. Put a piece of plywood on top of it, add a pillow and call it an extra stool or an ottoman for a week or two.

    Done.
     
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  8. HopsintheSack

    HopsintheSack Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2012 California

    The problem I ran into with brewing in an apartment was usually around getting a full batch to actually boil. Usually apartment stoves are not putting out enough BTU to get 5 gallons, let alone 6 gallons to account for boil off. I found over time boiling 4 gallons which reduced to 3, then adding pre-boiled water to fermenter to make 5.5 gallons.

    A lot of kits out there use the above method, I think because they assume someone using kits is just getting started. You can also use one of the many brew calculators out there which account for boil size vs ferment size.

    If the ambient temperature allows it you can wrap it in a blanket to protect from light and set it in any corner of the bedroom or whatever.
     
  9. Oktoberfist

    Oktoberfist Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I appreciate all of the replies. I guess I will stick to one gallon batches for now. It is easy to store and easy to clean up and I would rather wait until I could do a full boil.
     
  10. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    I've boiled and cooled water before, and added around 1.5 gal to an extra strong DIPA to try and dilute it. Learned a lot from that one... it did not turn out well.

    @dwarke is anything holding you back other than space? You'll find that a lot of the 5-gal buckets and other equipment involved is stackable, and doesn't really require a lot of extra space. Also, if you already do 1-gal kits then I'm sure you can dedicate a little extra room for a 5-gal bucket. I lived in a 500 sq ft apartment around 5 years ago, and did plenty of 5 gal extract kits on the stove. Just watch for boil overs!
     
  11. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,097) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    One trick that can work, and I have tried it for the purpose of increasing IBUs, boil up a 1/2 pound or so of extra light DME and use that to get a re-fermentation going. Make a very weak work. Add that. Might be tricky with a big beer and sleepy yeast, but once the fermentation process starts again oxygen will be consumed.
    Cheers.
     
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  12. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,958) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah

    Nothing says you can only do 1 or 5 gallon batches. Maybe 3 gallon batches might be the sweet spot for you, but that would take up about the same amount of space as 5 gallon batches. Something to think about.
     
  13. Lukass

    Lukass Pooh-Bah (2,891) Dec 16, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Hopefully I never have to dilute a beer ever again, but if I do that's a really good idea. Thanks man
     
  14. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Check craigslist for some mr beer fermenters that got used once or never. Will do good for 2 gallon batches. That is what I did and plan on using when I start. I have 2 and they will easily fit into an old wine fridge that had it's thermostat go south by just removing a shelf. I am piecemealing brewing gear so when I have the time to start I should have most of the pieces
     
  15. Oktoberfist

    Oktoberfist Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2014 Pennsylvania

    Thanks for the replies. I also thought about doing the 2-2.5 gallon brew demon as well. Not sure the quality of the finished product though . . .
     
  16. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yeah I was looking at that before I bought the mr beer kegs and there were some mixed reviews on it, issues with the spout which I think have been fixed
     
  17. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    1 gallon batches are a waste of time and effort unless you are doing a proof of concept. 3 weeks for less than 12 beers? That's not for me. I've never not brewed in an apartment. It's possible. I do partial boils, and yes I'd love to do full boils, but the partial volume makes perfectly good/great beer too.

    5 gallons of the level of quality beer I brew partial boiling is definitely worth it. You'll find the input time and effort to be nearly the same as with the smaller batches, and you just need a 2'x2'x4' rectangular prism of free space in your apartment to accommodate the extra space needed.

    FWIW I don't use 100% extract. I'm a partial masher. Someone may challenge my credibility but my friends, family, and I love my beer so while I'd love to expand into the capacity to brew 5 gallons with a full boil, I've found it not to be an insurmountable barrier in creating quality beer.

    I think you should go for it.
     
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  18. Oktoberfist

    Oktoberfist Initiate (0) Nov 26, 2014 Pennsylvania

    I appreciate your input. I think my biggest issue is spending the money to start the 5 gallon process and then finding out it isn't working. Such as space, cleaning up, brewing, bottling, anything really. I noticed most extract kits state to boil 3.5 gallons and then add cold water to the wort. That would make it much easier.
     
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  19. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I don't recall above whether you said that you have tested your stove to see how much you can boil, so try 3.5 (or 4) gallons of water for a test run before you commit to this. Over time, it sounds like you will graduate to 5-gallon batches, and purchasing a 7.5 gallon kettle will work for 3.5 gallon batches and do very well with 5-gallon full boils (starting with 6-6.5 gallons to allow for boil-off) later on. So a large kettle should be your first investment when you can afford it.
     
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  20. DovGibor

    DovGibor Zealot (538) Sep 18, 2015 New York

    I've done all extract and partial mashes where I boil 3 gallons & then add water to fill the fermenter, and they produced good beer. As good as the all-grain, full-boil 1 gal batches I've made? Not quite, but I'd say 80-90% as good. Which is sufficient to satisfy my homebrewing heart. It's really the time/space/clean-up in my smaller apt that is pushing me to smaller batches. Also, when they say "add cold water" I boil water for 5 mins, chill & add it. Just adding tap water worries me.

    I'll also second @HopsintheSack and @Mothergoose03 's comments about checking what your stove can boil. My new stove is smaller and the burners lack the power and fine-tuning of my old stove, which is a big factor in the increased time a full 5 gal batch takes me.
     
    Oktoberfist likes this.
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