Small Batch Brewing

[wizbang04]

Hi all,

I received a Coopers Kit last year and put down one 23 litre recipe. It was fun and tasted great but I found it a little difficult doing something that size and also I want to try different beers more often.

I now have a 5 litre bottle for fermenting and was wondering if someone could point me in the direction or help me out with some recipes to make. Most recipes listed are for big batches of brew so being new to it all, I wasn't sure if there were many resources out there for smaller batches.

Thanks

 

[crowmanz]

You can scale recipes, there is software that can help.

There is also an aussie company brewsmith, they sell all grain kits that use a 5L fermenter http://brewsmith.com.au/

 

[wizbang04]

There is also an aussie company brewsmith, they sell all grain kits that use a 5L fermenter http://brewsmith.com.au/

Thanks Crowmanz. I actually got a kit from Brewsmith so that is what I am using. They have a few recipes though they are limited. Is it as easy is just scaling most recipes down?

 

[klangers]

Generally you can scale down linearly if you're doing extract (ie coopers kits and such). If you're doing partial or all-grain then there are a few things that aren't as simple as reducing linearly.

Either way - give it a go and see what happens.

 

[stux]

I know someone who used to make 6L batches of all grain beer (ie from scratch) using just a smallish pot 15L? and a small fermenter using BIAB

Now has a kegging system and makes normal sized batches. Slippery slope I guess

Anyway, the best way to make small batches would be to make all grain beer on your stovetop. You'd only need about a kilo of grain for a batch. And about 2.5-3 hours. Otherwise you're either talking extract or kits, and it's hard to store a part used open kit satisfactorily/sanitarily

.

 

[wizbang04]

Anyway, the best way to make small batches would be to make all grain beer on your stovetop.

This is what I am hoping to do. Do you know anywhere that I can get some recipes from that will work or is it best to go to my LHB and see what they suggest.

The Brewsmith kits are fine. But at 20 bucks a pop and only a few kits available, I thought I may be able to go buy the separate ingredients myself and make something. Or do you think it is best just to buy their kits?

 

[Bridges]

Barwon Home Brewing do a whole line of 5 litre all grain recipes, might be a good place for you to start.

 

[motman]

Beer smith software is quite cheap (about 30 bucks) and scales recipes instantly once you have set up your equipment. It has hundreds of recipes available. That size is perfect for stovetop biab.

 

[stux]

Any recipe can be scaled. In fact you can pretty much just use the ratios in the original recipe

But here is a good thread on small batch all grain brewing using biab
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/38674-move-to-all-grain-for-thirty-bucks/

 

[wynnum1]

Have you look at a thermal cooker got one from aldi used to mash holds 6 liters heat up on stove top.

 

[glenos]

I usually brew 5 or 10L and just scale the recipe if it is originally 23L I use 5/23 of the ingredients. Actually I use the amounts that Brewmate or beersmith tell me to use as I have been using them for my brewing.

Works super easy all-grain brew in a bag using a 18L pot and a gasmate camp stove, the ones that use butane cans, I can do a 10L brew with 75 min mash and 60 min boil from a little over 1 can = $1 for the gas. You could extract brew using dry malt extract to save the hassle of trying to store liquid malt.

I was even pitching part packets of US-05, storing the remainder in the freezer, seemed to work OK. But I have just switched (1 brew only) to liquid yeast, much easier to split and store. I made a 500mL starter (the yeast tube was a few months old) decanted off most of the liquid and split the slurry into 4 tubes, grew one up and used it, froze the rest with glycerine.

 

[thrillho]

I'll put my hand up and say I've regressed from full size batches, to 10L batches, and now to 5L batches. It knocks time off cleaning, bottling and other stuff, doesn't take up heaps of room, and by making two sixers of each beer, I create more variety in my brews. I'm not a huge drinker, so I'm not smashing through them in a week or anything.

I also don't have a whole lot of space to brew in, so that might have helped the natural regression, in this case.

Every now and then however, will brew a 23L batch if I have a surefire hit, or an event in which alcohol is required.

Each to their own! Works for me!

 

[hellbent]

Works super easy all-grain brew in a bag using a 18L pot and a gasmate camp stove, the ones that use butane cans, I can do a 10L brew with 75 min mash and 60 min boil from a little over 1 can = $1 for the gas.

Curious to know how long does it take to reach boil with the Gasmate? seems a rather large load for such a small stove.

+1 for Brewmate for scaling down recipes, works ok for me.
cheers

 

[glenos]

Curious to know how long does it take to reach boil with the Gasmate? seems a rather large load for such a small stove.

Yeah it's pretty slow and I've thought about upgrading to a dual ring burner. A 5L (7L boil) batch is OK but with 10L it really struggles to get boilling and to stay there.

 

[marksy]

used to make 5L batches of AG to test out different things. Could do it at the same time as I made dinner. Worked well. Just get the software and dial in your required size.