3 replies to this topic

[porter]

Anyone do odd batch sizes like this? I'm toying with scaling down slightly, as I do end up with too much beer with 10 gallon batches, but hate to give up capacity, and sometimes 5 gallons isn't enough for a really good beer. Keg capacity is the real reason to brew in 5 gallon increments, but I've got plenty of kegs. Besides, I've only got a 2 tap setup, and 3.5 gallons or so is a more reasonable quantity in terms of not getting sick of a beer before the keg kicks. I'd still split the batch in half and use standard buckets, corny kegs, they just wouldn't be quite as full. I suppose more opportunity for oxidation in the buckets, but also more headspace for vigorous fermentations. Also, I boil in a keggle, and setting up for a 10 gallon batch means it's very full; only running off 9 gallons or so would actually result in a much more appropriate volume:capacity ratio.

 

Obviously, it will work, just seems a little alien to me. I've just always thought about homebrew as in 5 gallon increments. But, no reason not to brew the perfect amount for me.

Edited by porter, 24 September 2016 - 09:30 AM.

[Steve Urquell]

I brew 7gal batches. Very full keg and bottle the rest. I fill the bottles and add 2-2.2 g of sugar directly to each 12oz bottle. End up with 12-15 bottles.

ETA: I use 8gal fermenter buckets.

Edited by chils, 24 September 2016 - 10:15 AM.

[gnef]

I say go for it, if it fits your priorities and equipment. No use trudging through the last bit of a beer you are tired of, it would be much better to have less of that and enjoy all of it.

 

This is one reason why I've moved back down to 5 gallon batches. I used to do 10-12 gallon batches religiously, but then I realized with how much I brew, and my slow rate of consumption, it would take me a year to get through the first 5 gallons, and by then, the second keg is on its way down in terms of quality. I decided to stop wasting my time and money, and just do smaller batches, and brew more often if needed. This helps me keep fresher beer on tap, which honestly, is still a struggle since I have so many taps, and drinking 5 gallons through each one would be difficult, and I wouldn't enjoy the beer nearly as much.

 

Really, the only reason why I went directly back down to 5 gallon batches were due to keg sizes. If I had Sanke 1/4 barrels, I would probably be doing 7 gallons, but with the 5 gallon soda kegs, I just find it annoying to only put 1-2 gallons in a second keg.

 

Oxidation will be a bigger issue for you, like you already stated, but depending on your process, and how long the kegs last, it probably won't be a big issue. You can purge the kegs pretty easily, and be careful with your transfers. I don't get too concerned with oxidation, but if I were to eliminate it as best as possible, I would completely fill the keg with starsan, and then just use CO2 to drain after it was sanitized. There are some who do a fill and purge cycle as well with CO2, and there are tables for how many sets to do to get a percent CO2 in the headspace.

 

If you use software for your grain calculations, it will be pretty simple to adjust in that way. I personally don't use the software, so it would be more of a pain for me, and why I typically stick with 5 gallon increments as another reason.

[MakeMeHoppy]

A lot of batches I'll work to end up with 6 gallons out of the fermenter. The first gallon goes into 2-  liter bottles that I hit with a carb cap and the rest goes in a keg. This gives me more beer for almost no extra work and I get to test an early version of the beer to make sure it's what I expect it to be.