NB One Gallon/Small Batch Kit...anyone use?

[sgtpeppr56]

Hi all,

I haven't posted much here, but until kid #2 was born, I was active on the site that can not be mentioned, ha! I had about 10-12 MB brews in and not crazy about what I made. I was more critical then others, but knew I was working on the process still. Life got crazy and I have taken some time off. Since then, i have lurked here when I had time and drank a lot of good and not so good beers!

I have been doing a fair amount of day dreaming about getting back into brewing. I live in Minnesota, really close to the Northern Brewer store, and have been getting their emails that include info about these Small Batch kits. Anyone had any experience with them? I know there are pro's and con's to brewing only a gallon.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brew ... tarter-kit

Pro's from what I see:
- Less time on brewing and bottling day (which is big, with 2 little ones running around)
- A chance to practice my process (temp, sanitation) so when I want/can get to the 5 gallon kits.
- Still being able to brew a little bit, but not take grief from SWMBO
- Not MB products, which i didn't seem to have much luck with (but not blaming then, probably me)

Con's
- Not super cost effective
- Already doing the work of sanitizing everything, why not go big?
- Only yield 8-11 beers

Thanks for all the time, advice and patience you all give to us newbies!

Thanks and brew on!

[LouieMacGoo]

First, again!

Second, there are no home brew sites that can't be mentioned here. I believe in sharing any brewing experiences including Mr. Beer so No worries and no censorship here!

Third, I can't speak specifically to the NB 1 gallon kits but I received 2 of the Brooklyn Brewery 1 gallon kits for Christmas last year, both all grain kits. I brewed the IPA and ended up getting 7 - 12 oz bottles out of it. The beer was good but not worth the effort and time it took to brew this all grain recipe. the second kit is still sitting on the shelf because I just don't want to bother. In a way at least for me it seemed almost more difficult then brewing a 2.5 gallon or even a 5 gallon batch of All Grain beer using the BIAB method that I use.

Personally I think the sweet spot for a new brewer is that 2.5 gallon size. It small enough to be manage easily but large enough to make it worth the time and effort you put in. I'm sure others will share their thought but for me this would be the smallest I would want to brew.

[Gman20]

i would only want to use an extract base if i was brewing a 1 gallon batch.....just too much work and time to only get a gallon out of it

[RickBeer]

I agree with Louie.

If you take 1 gallon extract kit and compare it to a 2.5 or 5 gallon extract kit, the only time difference is on bottling. It takes just as long to make a steeping grain and extract kit with 1, 2.5 or 5 gallons.

Since you live near them, don't buy any kits. Find a recipe for one of the kits and buy the ingredients yourself, in whatever proportion you want. Very easy to scale down a 5 gallon recipe to 2.5 gallons which fits perfectly in an LBK.

You can find extract recipes anywhere - I get most of mine from my LHBS, buy the ingredients, make a 5 gallon batch, and split it into two LBKs. I just did the White House Honey Ale today. Yesterday I bottled a Bell's Best Brown clone. Very easy to cut these recipes in 1/2 if needed.

[Crazy Climber]

I have thought about buying a 1-gallon fermenter from NB, but only for the purpose of experimenting on a batch that I'm already brewing for a larger fermenter. For example, pitching a different yeast into 1 gallon of wort from a 5-gallon batch...or adding spice, oak, fruit, bourbon, etc., to a gallon of a larger batch--things like that.

On its own, I don't know that a 1-gallon batch size is worthwhile, considering the head space you have to allow. As others have said, it's a lot of effort for 7 or 8 bottles of beer.

[mashani]

I've considered getting 1 gallon fermenters, but if I did it I'd buy 3 of them. The reason would be to split a 2.5ish gallon batch between 3 of them with different yeasts or different dry hops.

Or to use them to experiment with weird stuff like spontaneously fermented wild beers or mead.

[LouieMacGoo]

I agree with CC & Mash the only time I would consider 1gal batches is of I were brewing a larger batch and wanted to experiment with hops or yeast.

[The_Professor]

The choice really depends on how the pros and cons shake out when you jostle them in a bag.

For instance the con of only 8-11 beers weighed against easy bottling day with the added thought of would this get me brewing now. Say you only do it for 4-6 months. Would it be worth it? Maybe you'll do it longer because it is easy.

My normal all grain batch now-a-days is 3 gallons. I have a 3.5 gallon fermenting bucket.
I recently picked up a couple of 3 gallon better bottles. Mainly for use as a secondary but they could be used as a primary to ferment a 2.5 gallon batch.
I also have two new 2 gallon fermentation buckets (from Northern Brewer) that I will be using on experimental stuff.

I think part of your equation should be what you plan to use as recipes.

[sgtpeppr56]

Thanks guys, excited to get brewing again.

I have a lbk still, so I have a few options. I have gift card to nb burning a hole in my pocket.... [emoji4]

I may do a couple of those small batch kits to get started again. Get back into the groove.

Anyone ever split a 5 gallon extract kit? Any tricks in storing the half i dont use? How long did it last?

Thanks and brew on!

[zorak1066]

ive done the irish red, a cream blond, a saison au miel... 1 gal kits from northern brewer.

the plus: you get to preview the style before brewing a larger batch to see if you like it
the con: you get a watered down version of the full kit it seems. it wont be as complex.. but the taste will be close.

I find the 5 gal kits make a far better product than the 1 gallon sampler kits... but they still weren't bad.

I love the fact that nb actually makes available their recipe ingredients lists for each kit. that way if I love something I can scale it down or up and buy the ingredients from them to make my own kit. their brewmasters even will disclose things like what steeping grains they use in the 1 gallon kits if you ask. nb has always been a great experience for me.

[mashani]

@sgtpeppr56:

RE splitting a 5 gallon extract:

Put the unused extract in a covered container in the refrigerator. If you aren't going to brew with it in a few weeks, I'd pour a bit of vodka on top, which will keep any mold from forming.