Looking for basic advice on 1 gallon kits

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by zamora, Dec 8, 2015.

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  1. zamora

    zamora Initiate (0) Dec 8, 2015 Indiana

    Hi - I've decided to dive into homebrewing for the first time. I live in a small place and want to get started with a 1 gallon kit. I'm currently looking at the Northern Brewing and Schoolhouse Beer kits. I'm not sure if what is additional with the Schoolhouse kit is worth it - can anyone help with any thoughts? Or suggest any other good options?

    Northern Brewing Kit ($50) includes:

    • 1 gallon fermentation jug with cap and airlock
    • Mini Auto-siphon and tubing
    • Bottle filler
    • 8 oz Easy Clean cleanser
    • Bottle capper and pry-off caps
    • Your choice of recipe kit
    • FREE "Homebrewing 100: The Small Batch Way" DVD
    Schoolhouse Beer Kit ($75) includes:
    • 1 Gallon Carboy
    • 2 Gallon Bucket
    • Lid for Bucket
    • 2 Airlocks
    • Bung for Carboy
    • Funnel (for easy transfer from boil kettle)
    • Sanitizer B-Brite
    • Brush
    • Muslin Bag
    • Thermometer
    • Mini Siphon
    • 6 oz PET Bottles
    • Hydrometer
    • Test Tube for hydrometer
    • 5' 3/4" Tubing
    • PLUS a free recipe of your choice! (Specify recipe type in comment box when you order.)
    (ps - apologies for the crosspost, but this seemed a better place for the thread)
     
  2. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

  3. JuliusPepperwood

    JuliusPepperwood Initiate (0) Jul 21, 2013 North Carolina

    I love my Northern Brewer 1 gal kit. It came with everything I needed to start extract brewing and move on to all grain.

    My advice:
    -Buy Star San sanitizer, I had a little trouble with the Easy Clean not cleaning thoroughly enough.
    -After a half dozen batches my plastic fermenter cap started cracking. I replaced it with #6 drilled rubber stopper and it fits well.
    -There is not a lot of head space on a 1 gal jug so try using a blow off tube for the first few days of the fermentation. Then replace with an airlock.
     
  4. PapaGoose03

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

    For the extras that you get in the Schoolhouse kit (really mainly the thermometer and hydrometer, but the other things will be useful too), I'd go with that one, assuming that their available brewing kits give you a beer style that you want to brew. I question the use of 6-oz bottles (are there enough of them for 64 oz. of beer?), and wonder whether the brush that they list is small and usable only on that size of bottle. You can use these plastic bottles a few times, but start saving 12-oz. glass bottles from beers that you drink and use them instead, and then get a bottle brush for that size. I also wonder about the 3/4 inch tubing. Maybe their auto-siphon requires that size. (A bottle filler, capper and caps will still be needed.)

    The other option that you can look at is to page back through the threads in this forum and read the ones that recommend basic equipment and 1-gallon batch size. I think it's cheaper in the long run to get the equipment that you need on an ala carte basis. You can also look up batch size and equipment in John Palmer's book howtobrew.com or purchase the newer edition as hard copy. It's a great book to give you a firm base of info to get started as well as advancing into complex recipes.
     
  5. VikeMan

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

    To be clear... Starsan is a sanitizer, not a cleaner. Easy Clean is technically a cleaner, not a sanitizer. It's important to use a cleaner and a sanitizer, in that order. Easy Clean may also have sanitizing properties, but AFAIK it's never been certified as a sanitizer. That's not to say it can't operate as one. I really don't know.

    If a one-gallon (batch size) kit came with a one gallon fermenter without a reasonable headspace, I'd call that a bad kit. Losing beer to blowoff sucks, especially when making small batches.
     
  6. JuliusPepperwood

    JuliusPepperwood Initiate (0) Jul 21, 2013 North Carolina

    I guess reasonable headspace is debatable but a simple blow off tube is an easy way to prevent wasted beer with these small batch glass jugs. That doesn't make it a bad kit.
     
  7. VikeMan

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

    I disagree. But that's okay.
     
  8. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    Two gallon brew buckets are available and should be standard issue for 1 gallon batches. Just think, you could brew a 1.5 gallon batch, if you wanted to. Don't try that with a 1 gallon jug!
     
  9. VikeMan

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

    I agree. But the little 1 gallon jugs are cute, so there might be a marketing aspect to it. I think a "one gallon" jug without at least another .3 gallons of headspace is either lazy kit design or disingenuous.
     
  10. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Ahhhhh...the Schoolhouse brewkit comes with a 2 gal bucket...the choice is easy

    edit: but for a few $ more you could get a decent 5 gal kit (with capper and bottle filler)
     
  11. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    And you can install a spigot in the 2 gallon bucket. Don't try that with a 1 gallon glass jug!
     
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  12. VikeMan

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

    <sheepishly puts away the diamond tipped hole saw...>
     
    ghostinthemachine and USCMcG like this.
  13. HerbMeowing

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

    For small batch-size brewers; all else equal ... 2.5G set-ups don't need significantly more space ... equipment ... time ... or expense than 1G set-ups.

    Why settle for one sixer when it's just as easy / convenient / practical / economical to get four of them?
     
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