[dmtaylor]

When I started out making very small batches in a standard small blue cooler with a Bazooka, I discovered the importance of keeping the Bazooka covered with grains at all times.  Otherwise it sucks air through (an absurd form of "channeling"!) and you can't get your wort out once that happens.  What I found is that I could use up to about 6.1 pounds of grain with no problems.  For any recipes requiring a mash of less grains then that, BIAB was the only option, at least with my setup.  YMMV

[homoeccentricus]

I got lots of good tips in this thread: https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=21716.0

[reverseapachemaster]

The difference in time between bottling five gallons and one gallon really isn't that significant. You're still spending the same amount of time cleaning and sanitizing equipment. The actual difference in time racking the additional gallons and bottling them isn't substantial. In my experience the difference is maybe twenty minutes between bottling a one gallon and a five gallon batch.

You'll see some variance in your beers as you learn to brew on a smaller scale, particularly if you acquire different equipment to accommodate the smaller batches. However, once you get past that learning phase your beers should be substantially similar at any size. I've brewed recipes at one gallon and five gallons and they are pretty much the same.

If the issue is that you don't think the beers you are brewing are great then it might be time to work on your process before you get into brewing more beer.

[dmtaylor]

In my experience the difference is maybe twenty minutes between bottling a one gallon and a five gallon batch.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, or at least, it does not match my experience.  It takes me an extra 45-60 minutes to bottle 5 gallons as compared to 1.7 gallons.

Plus I'm old and fat and my back always hurts pretty bad after bottling 5 gallons.  So think about that as well if you're anything like me.

[erockrph]

In my experience the difference is maybe twenty minutes between bottling a one gallon and a five gallon batch.

I think that's a bit of an exaggeration, or at least, it does not match my experience.  It takes me an extra 45-60 minutes to bottle 5 gallons as compared to 1.7 gallons.

Plus I'm old and fat and my back always hurts pretty bad after bottling 5 gallons.  So think about that as well if you're anything like me.

Agreed. The difference in time spent cleaning and sanitizing bottles isn't negligible, either. Nor is capping, depending on your procedure. And to the point about focusing on improving the OP's process, I think that's the whole point about considering smaller batches. Smaller batches allow you to brew more frequently, which gives you more practice at tightening up your brewing practices.

I brew 3 gallon batches myself, mainly because it allows me to brew more often. I started kegging last year to save on time spent bottling, but I agree that it doesn't save quite as much time as I had hoped.

[beersk]

Given how fast I am at sanitizing bottles, the difference between 1 and 5 gallons is only a couple minutes.

Fill 5 gallon kettle half way with water/sanitizer. Take a bottle in each hand, dunk and let fill part way, cap ends with thumbs, shake, then put on bottle tree. Repeat. 5 minutes to sanitize enough bottles for 5 gallons. Twice as fast as the vinator and you don't have another crappy piece of equipment to break and deal with. My vinator broke, never worked properly, was difficult to prime, would collect too much foam from pumping sanitizer into bottles...annoying.

All the hate for bottling is unjustified. The only thing to whine about bottling over kegging that is legitimate, in my opinion, is the possibility for bottle bombs and over/under carbonation. Everything else is a moot point (as much as I hate using that term).

[dmtaylor]

I like your technique, beersk.  Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately, for me, I get things like spiders and centipedes that crawl into my bottles over time, paper, old yeast sediment, etc.  I can't tell you how many times I've found things in my bottles that your technique would not have caught.

But would it work about 99% of the time?  You betcha!  Yeah, it could save me a lot of time.  I'll have to give this some more consideration.....

[beersk]

I like your technique, beersk.  Thanks for sharing.

Unfortunately, for me, I get things like spiders and centipedes that crawl into my bottles over time, paper, old yeast sediment, etc.  I can't tell you how many times I've found things in my bottles that your technique would not have caught.

But would it work about 99% of the time?  You betcha!  Yeah, it could save me a lot of time.  I'll have to give this some more consideration.....

I make sure to give the bottles I'm using a quick inspection before sanitizing. Otherwise, I see your point. Fortunately, I've never found any of that kinda crud in my bottles! HATE centipedes.... They're OH. SO. DISGUSTING.

[AmandaK]

I get things like spiders and centipedes that crawl into my bottles over time, paper, old yeast sediment, etc. 

If you store your bottles upside down, that problem will disappear too. 

[dmtaylor]

I've got about 500 old bottles in a big crate in my basement.

Once I found a fully intact centipede in a partially consumed bottle of beer.  The beer tasted just fine.  So, I drank it anyway.  I'm still alive.  True story!

  

[JT]

For me it takes just as long to keg a batch as it did to siphon beer from the fermenter to the bottling bucket when I was bottling.  Replace bottling bucket cleaning time with keg cleaning time. 
Time saved = however long it took me to wash, bottle brush, rinse and sanitize every bottle, along with the actual filling/capping time. 
I won't say I'll never do that again, but I will say that I don't miss it. 

[HoosierBrew]

For me it takes just as long to keg a batch as it did to siphon beer from the fermenter to the bottling bucket when I was bottling.  Replace bottling bucket cleaning time with keg cleaning time. 
Time saved = however long it took me to wash, bottle brush, rinse and sanitize every bottle, along with the actual filling/capping time. 
I won't say I'll never do that again, but I will say that I don't miss it. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS.  No comparison.

[AmandaK]

Once you have bottles that are clean/delabeled, they store nicely upside down in a standard case box. We just dust off the bottom of the bottle and get them sanitized on bottling day.

[beersk]

For me it takes just as long to keg a batch as it did to siphon beer from the fermenter to the bottling bucket when I was bottling.  Replace bottling bucket cleaning time with keg cleaning time. 
Time saved = however long it took me to wash, bottle brush, rinse and sanitize every bottle, along with the actual filling/capping time. 
I won't say I'll never do that again, but I will say that I don't miss it. 

You're doing it wrong. 

[JT]

For me it takes just as long to keg a batch as it did to siphon beer from the fermenter to the bottling bucket when I was bottling.  Replace bottling bucket cleaning time with keg cleaning time. 
Time saved = however long it took me to wash, bottle brush, rinse and sanitize every bottle, along with the actual filling/capping time. 
I won't say I'll never do that again, but I will say that I don't miss it. 

You're doing it wrong. 

I doubt it.  Whether you clean/sanitize 50 bottles beforehand or not, cleaning 50 bottles takes longer than cleaning 0 bottles.