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Author Topic: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub  (Read 3116 times)

Offline Vogt52

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1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« on: January 09, 2015, 10:00:12 am »
When I brew one gallon batches I've noticed that the smaller diameter carboy causes a large layer of trub, limiting the amount of usable beer. How have you all dealt with this. I brew all grain FYI.

Offline duncan

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2015, 10:44:16 am »
I had the same issue. I started brewing 1.5 gallon batches and primary fermenting in a 2 gal bucket (I think I got it on Northern Brewer). If you feel compelled to rack, you will have enough wort to fill a 1 gallon jug.
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Offline Vogt52

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2015, 01:31:58 pm »
I asked the same question on beeradvocate as well and somebody responded with a great idea. Begin cooling in your kettle and then transfer to a bucket until at fermentation temps. The will cut down on trub transferred to the carboy

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2015, 01:48:37 pm »
I brew a lot of one gallon batches but I haven't found the magic trick to deal with this issue. BIAB makes it much worse because you're not able to use the grain bed as a filter, if that is how you are mashing. Even using a traditional mash set up I don't think you get as good of filtering as you would on a larger batch just because there is less grain to compact into a filter.

One thing I am playing with is calculating the recipe to be a ~1.25 gallon batch with the intention of leaving that extra quarter gallon behind in the kettle where the wort has the most trub. I am still trying to figure out how much volume to calculate in the recipe and how much actually needs to be left behind.
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Offline leejoreilly

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2015, 07:00:48 am »
I don't brew small batches - mine are all 5 gallon. I line my pail fermenter (which I chill in, too) with a paint strainer bag to filter out my trub. I works great - very little trub in the fermenter. I can't think of any reason why this technique wouldn't work with smaller batches, too, though if you ferment in a carboy you may need an intermediate step.

Offline Black Sands Brewery & Supply

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2015, 04:41:41 pm »
I don't brew small batches - mine are all 5 gallon. I line my pail fermenter (which I chill in, too) with a paint strainer bag to filter out my trub. I works great - very little trub in the fermenter. I can't think of any reason why this technique wouldn't work with smaller batches, too, though if you ferment in a carboy you may need an intermediate step.

+1 here. And using whirl flock in the boil will help clear the wort going into the carboy. Use the bag to catch/filter the cold break and kettle trub
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Offline erockrph

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Re: 1 gallon batches - Too much Trub
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2015, 06:44:10 pm »
I don't brew small batches - mine are all 5 gallon. I line my pail fermenter (which I chill in, too) with a paint strainer bag to filter out my trub. I works great - very little trub in the fermenter. I can't think of any reason why this technique wouldn't work with smaller batches, too, though if you ferment in a carboy you may need an intermediate step.

+1 here. And using whirl flock in the boil will help clear the wort going into the carboy. Use the bag to catch/filter the cold break and kettle trub
At small scales I prefer to skip the Whirlfloc. You end up with a much fluffier trub and will usually net one or two less beers. For a 1-gallon batch that's a considerable percentage of your yield.
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