fermentation vessels

[kay-jay]

hi everyone,

just a quick question about fv's. if i'm only doing a 2.5 gall brew does my fv need to be appropriately sized? or can i use a 6 gallon fv? just wondering whether the extra space (air) above the smaller brew size would affect the ferment in any meaningful way


thanks

KJ

[haz66]

No it will be fine.
The yeast head will protect the beer from whatever is above it.

[kay-jay]

hi haz,

thanks for that. just wanted to know because a 1/2 size brew would prob be best until i develop sound routine and produce a sound beer.
my amateur hour exploits could potentially ruin some expensive ingredients otherwise.

thanks again.

KJ

[CJBrew]

Just go for it and do a full brew length. You're unlikely to produce something completely undrinkable unless you screw up the cleanliness/sanitation thing, and you will kick yourself if you've only got 2.5 gallons of something really fantastic.

It takes just as much time to brew a half length and the ingredients don't really cost a whole lot more (about a tenner or so).

[kay-jay]

thanks for the encouragement cj brew,

the main reason for only doing a half brew is that i only have a stockpot and not a proper boiler. the pot has a diameter of 30cm, twice that of the electric hob ring. when i did a dummy run of just water in the pot to a)help clean the pan and b)to test my evaporation throughout the boil length i couldn't get the water to boil!!! ( with a half brew size) so i'd be completely buggered with twice as much in the pot.

anyway i did do the 1/2 brew last night and there will be an update to my post in extract brewing called "taking the plunge" where i detail the events.

thanks again mate

KJ

[tubthumper]

check out the building boilers thread lots of people have built thier own boiler using cheap kettle elements can cost as much as £15 to build and less if you can get the free buckets floating around

[CJBrew]

the main reason for only doing a half brew is that i only have a stockpot and not a proper boiler. the pot has a diameter of 30cm, twice that of the electric hob ring. when i did a dummy run of just water in the pot to a)help clean the pan and b)to test my evaporation throughout the boil length i couldn't get the water to boil!!! ( with a half brew size) so i'd be completely buggered with twice as much in the pot.

Well that is a reasonable enough case for not doing a full boil