Fermenter Size for Small Batch Brewing

[Jonno2003]

I'm looking to try all-grain brewing - it'll take a while for me to work it out and so small all-grain kits (like the 4.5L and 11L kits from the Edinburgh Brewstore) look ideal for failing and learning quickly. Or suceeding and having some great beer!

All of my ferementaion kit at the moment is 25-30L.

If I ferment a small batch, do I need a small fermenter?

Or can I ferment 11L in a 30L fermenter without any problems?

 

[MirtazaPaul]

Hi Jonno,
I don't see any reason why not, but I am a brewing novice! Maybe some kind folk here can provide better advice. I plan to do a smaller brew in a 40 pint size fermenter in the future.

Those kits look great. They tend to pair them with 5 litre demijohns I believe. A nice thing to use, and you can see what's going in while it ferments!

 

[Jonno2003]

Hi Jonno,
I don't see any reason why not, but I am a brewing novice! Maybe some kind folk here can provide better advice. I plan to do a smaller brew in a 40 pint size fermenter in the future.

Those kits look great. They tend to pair them with 5 litre demijohns I believe. A nice thing to use, and you can see what's going in while it ferments!

They do look great! - the glass demijohn is definitely what I'll go for on the 4.5L kits, a brilliant space-saver too - and the volume means starting out with a 10L pan from Ikea or somewhere like that for 20 quid, before investing in a proper mash kettle for bigger and better stuff

 

[cushyno]

Fermenting 11L in a 30L vessel is more than enough to displace any air with co 2 I would think. There's a lot of co2 put out by the yeast over the course of a week of fermentation so that they be little oxygen left in the FV to spoil your beer. It'll be fine. One of my first all-grain batches was 10L fermented in a 25L bucket and it worked out great.

 

[Begbie]

I regularly brew 10-15L batches and ferment in a 25L bucket. I also started off AG brewing doing 5L batches in my glass demijohns but quickly realised that it's a lot of effort with little return. It was a good way to get into it though, and give you the confidence to go bigger (and spend more!).

 

[Surfingobo]

I almost only brew 8L batches in a 15L pot on the stove (wilko pot, great cheap way to get started)

always fermented in a 30L bucket. Would love something smaller but not buying any more plastic if I can help it and can’t find a stainless FV I like the look of.

 

[MmmBeer]

When I first moved to all grain, I did one gallon batches in a demijohn, but soon realised it was a lot of work for just 7 or 8 bottles. I then moved up to 2 - 2.5 gallon batches, using a Wilko stock pot and two 16 l plastic FV's that I still use for making wines or making split batches of beer, with different yeast or dry hops.

 

[obscure]

Personally I mostly use a 13L fermentor for my 9-10L batches and it works fine I’ve also done 5L batches in it with no issue.

I occasionally use a 23L fermentor for 10L batches when I know their is a risk of the fermentation being very active and the beer trying to escape I.e, Weissbier. So basically especially for a 11L batch I suspect you will be fine in a larger fermentor although if you plan to do it in a regular basis 15L buckets aren’t that expensive.

 

[MrRook]

It'll work fine, but I wouldn't leave it in there very long after fermentation is done.

 

[user 18729]

I use a 50L fermenter for 20L batches sometimes, absolutely no issues

 

[obscure]

Sorry posted in the wrong thread.

 

[Rodcx500z]

They do look great! - the glass demijohn is definitely what I'll go for on the 4.5L kits, a brilliant space-saver too - and the volume means starting out with a 10L pan from Ikea or somewhere like that for 20 quid, before investing in a proper mash kettle for bigger and better stuff

Hi Jonno, you can get a 22L stock pot on amazon for 24 quid just a thougt

 

[Rodcx500z]

Sorry 21L

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Bravo For trying AG - it really is worth every bit of the effort :-)
I know the process sounds a bit complex the first time through, but you‘ll quickly get the hang of it… have you had a look at the ‘have a go at simple AG’ thread?

 

[Jonno2003]

I regularly brew 10-15L batches and ferment in a 25L bucket. I also started off AG brewing doing 5L batches in my glass demijohns but quickly realised that it's a lot of effort with little return. It was a good way to get into it though, and give you the confidence to go bigger (and spend more!).

Just finished my first 5L batch - completely exhausted and stunned at how long it takes

Too much effort for 8 pints for sure, no matter how good they are - lessons to be learned, short cuts to be taken, equipment to be purchased - but 10-15L sounds exactly the sweet spot for me, thanks.

 

[Nottsbeer]

Just finished my first 5L batch - completely exhausted and stunned at how long it takes

Too much effort for 8 pints for sure, no matter how good they are - lessons to be learned, short cuts to be taken, equipment to be purchased - but 10-15L sounds exactly the sweet spot for me, thanks.

Excellent
My first AG was also a small batch (about 9l) and I also quickly decided to increase the size. My second was 13l. For me this is great. I use a 15l fermentation bucket, had no issues with any overflow from the fermentation process. The bucket is also a perfect size to fit into an undercounter brew fridge if you go in that direction.

 

[Begbie]

Just finished my first 5L batch - completely exhausted and stunned at how long it takes

Too much effort for 8 pints for sure, no matter how good they are - lessons to be learned, short cuts to be taken, equipment to be purchased - but 10-15L sounds exactly the sweet spot for me, thanks.

It does take a while!

I've just bought 3 extract kits to fill the gaps when I don't have time for a 5 to 6 hour brew day. Put a brew on last night and about an hour later, I was sitting down watching TV with a 23L brew sitting in the kitchen ready to begin fermentation. Still prefer to do it all from scratch with an AG brew though.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Just finished my first 5L batch - completely exhausted and stunned at how long it takes

Trust me, it gets much easier after you‘ve done it a couple of times