Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

I am thinking of possible down sizing the brewery a bit. I have a keggle system that I make 5 gallon batches in now. I am looking to make maybe 2.5 to 3 gallon batches and an possibly an occasional 5 gallon batch. I was wondering lots of things.

1. Does anyone make 3-4 gallon batches instead of traditional 5-10? Note: On purpose
2. Does anyone do this on blichmann 10 gallon pots?
3. I will be brewing electric, also my current system is electric.

Randy Carris does small (2.5 gallon?) all-grain batches. I'm sure he'll chime in.​

Being tall and skinny I would think the Blichmann pots would work to do smaller batches. It might depend on how low your heating elements are though.

yeah my elements are low in my keggle, I think I can get them low in a blichman, I also already have 7.5 gallon pot I used to use but Its slightly small for 5 gallon boils., I would just like to brew more, I don't dispose of beer as fast as I would like to.

I do 2.5 gallon ag batches, though propane rather than electric. I'd be happy to walk you through my setup. My current kettle is 8 gallon. Fermenters are 3 gallon. On Aug 17, 2013 6:29 PM, "tompb" <brew-equipment@crbeernuts.org (brew-equipment@crbeernuts.org)> wrote:

Being tall and skinny I would think the Blichmann pots would work to do smaller batches. It might depend on how low your heating elements are though.



Runamok Brewing

Jesus must have been a yeast. Who else could turn water into wine?

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

do you do brew in a bag? or dual vessel system at all?

Assuming you are talking to me...I've done brew in a bag in the past but quickly moved on to an all-grain batch sparge setup. I have a BK/LT and a cooler I use for a mash tun.

On 08/18/2013 11:13 AM, bf514921 wrote:

do you do brew in a bag? or dual vessel system at all?



Brandon Franklin - The other Franklin

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

yeah sory randy, I wasnt very clear, I was asking you, I was looking at moving to mo of a 2 vessel system and p[ossibly building a rims system to go with it, but I am happy to know someone already does smaller batches.

randy, do you do larger 5 gallon batches at all or stick to the 2.5?

Brandon, no I've never done a 5 gallon batch on my system. I can do them with my setup (as long as it's not high OG or long boils) but have never had the desire to.

On 08/18/2013 04:04 PM, bf514921 wrote:

randy, do you do larger 5 gallon batches at all or stick to the 2.5?



Brandon Franklin - The other Franklin

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

that's cool randy. I have some beers I would like to occasionaly make as 5 gallon batches, barley wines, house beer that seems to go over well with "the locals" do you bottle o keg? or both?

I keg, but occasionally fill bottles for comps etc using a beer gun off the keg. Once in a great while I'll bottle condition a special beer.

On 08/19/2013 09:06 PM, bf514921 wrote:

that's cool randy. I have some beers I would like to occasionaly make as 5 gallon batches, barley wines, house beer that seems to go over well with "the locals" do you bottle o keg? or both?



Brandon Franklin - The other Franklin

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)

cool, you just use 5 gallon kegs and purge?

The thermometer in the Blichmann 10 gallon pot is at the 4 gallon level, not that there aren't other options for checking the temperature.

Yes, I've got a few 5 gallon kegs and one 3 gallon.

On 08/20/2013 08:38 PM, bf514921 wrote:

cool, you just use 5 gallon kegs and purge?



Brandon Franklin - The other Franklin

Post generated using Mail2Forum (http://www.mail2forum.com)