Downsizing Homebrewing Operations -- Approaches?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by pweis909, Jul 13, 2013.

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  1. Murphey

    Murphey Initiate (0) May 9, 2008 Pennsylvania

    Extract and bottle instead of keg. Would suck (I freakin' hate bottling), but any port in a storm!
     
    #21 Murphey, Jul 14, 2013
  2. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    If a 3G BiaB might work...so will a 5G MLT
    [​IMG]

    ...5.5G kettle
    [​IMG]
    ...3G fermentor
    [​IMG]
    ...and a 48 QT chest cooler / fermentation chamber
    [​IMG]
     
    #22 HerbMeowing, Jul 14, 2013
  3. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Yep. the MLT and kettle operation is not too far from where I already am, though I do rely on that chest freezer... Depending on where I land, maybe there's no problem. But when life starts throwing you curveballs, you gotta ask the big questions, like "How will this affect my hombrewing?" :wink:
     
    #23 pweis909, Jul 14, 2013
  4. OddNotion

    OddNotion Pooh-Bah (1,915) Nov 1, 2009 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah

    kegging takes up less space than bottling from my experiemce as long as you dont mind the kegetator
     
    #24 OddNotion, Jul 14, 2013
  5. mporter13

    mporter13 Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2011 Oregon

    I brew 3 gal batches on my stove in my little apartment. It's kind of nice, since it allows me to do all grain on the stove-top, plus I have to brew more often to maintain my supply of homebrew!
     
    #25 mporter13, Jul 15, 2013
  6. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    If I end up in a studio, the kegerator will probably not work. In any event, I won't be moving my chest freezer. The thing is ancient (read: heavy) and was left by the previous homeowner because he couldn't get it out of the cellar with out professional help.

    I think initially, I'll gravitate to small batches and bottles.
     
    #26 pweis909, Jul 15, 2013
  7. Elatowski

    Elatowski Initiate (0) Nov 23, 2009 Michigan

    Toss perfectly good Faygo! It's an abomination!
     
    #27 Elatowski, Jul 15, 2013
  8. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    3 gal batch sizes are good for stovetop. You can always do an electric heat stick/element as well which is a great way to make your system efficient. Another option is to do the mash in a dutch oven at that size and throw it in the oven. A small top loading freezer, 3-5 cu ft., could be a good space efficient kegerator. Temp control can be done via swamp cooler in the summer.
    It's definitely a challenge but there are plenty of folks in your boat. I've seen a lot of cool small-space brewing ideas here & there. You'll make it work...best of luck with everything else Pete!
     
    #28 telejunkie, Jul 15, 2013
  9. kdb150

    kdb150 Initiate (0) Mar 8, 2012 Pennsylvania


    You could probably downsize your chest freezer more than you think, if you don't mind fermenting things one-at-a-time, and especially if you downsize your fermentation vessels. You can fit a small chest freezer into most closets.
     
    #29 kdb150, Jul 15, 2013
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  10. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Another option is to drop the batch size like everyone else has said, but force carb in 2L PET bottles. Cheap carbonator caps here, grab some 2Ls, do a 2.5 gallon batch, 5 2Ls per batch, add dry hops to the bottles before carbing them (do different DH for variety sake), keep a 2L of each batch in the fridge, store the others inside your kettle and MLT in the closet until you need a new one in the fridge. 5# CO@ tank with an air nozzle on it is a small footprint.
     
    #30 jbakajust1, Jul 15, 2013
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  11. brewsader

    brewsader Initiate (0) Dec 7, 2012 New York

    so glad you started this thread. i'm moving into a pretty small apartment next month and my roommate wants me to teach him how to brew.
     
    #31 brewsader, Jul 15, 2013
    pweis909 likes this.
  12. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Well, this particular move (NYC area) didn't happen for me. Job was offered but the details didn't work for me, so am still searching. Regardless of exactly how that goes, the next step will likely be downsizing to an apartment when it happens, so thanks for all the input.
     
    #32 pweis909, Jul 26, 2013
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