Tiny brews anyone

[Spud395]

I'm pretty sure my next brew will be my 1st extract one.
Never used hops before and have no idea what I like,

I came up with the idea of making lots of tiny brews (2l pet bottles) with small changes to the same recipe.
Anyone see a flaw in this plan or tried it themselves

[EccentricDyslexic]

Its a good idea, just remeber each brew takes some time to complete, so unless you have 4 or so on the go at one time youd be spending a hell of a lot of time brewing! And doing so many in one go will fill your kitchen up and probably wont please your wife!

Steve

[Spud395]

I have been moved outside to the "brewhouse" (shed) a few kits back.
Got a corner all cleared out with a sink and a gas ring.

I'm the boss, at least of one corner of the shed;)

Yeah I was thinking of putting on maybe 4 at a time and then I can directly compair them.

[Minimasher]

Your main problem will be in purchasing a variety of hops (usually packaged in 100g vacuum packets) but only using 5 - 10 grams of a packet for each brew.

I tend to do 5l batches but stick to the same couple of packets of hops. It's easier to play around with different grains with these small quanitities than it is with hops. You could always do 5l batches in cheap 5l bottled water containers from the super market. A lot use them for wine nowadays.

I make fruit wines/ cider in the 2l bottles though so you make your own rules...

[Manx Guy]

Its a good idea!

But as a starting point so you know what sort of hops you are likely to like what commercial beers do you like?

then search this forum and you are bound to find a recipe for a clone- which will at the very least give you an idea of what hops are used and the IBU's you will need to aim for.

(IBU's are the amount of bitterness provided by the hops)

Guy

[Spud395]

Mostly I'd be a stout man, I know not to many hops in stout.
Never really tried to many ales, bitters untill the last few months.
Enjoy Hen's tooth, Fullers London Pride, Hobgoblin's not bad, in fact most beers I try I like.

Also partial to an odd bottle of miller at a barbie.

Edit: Franziskaner mmmmh

[Minimasher]

Stout would normally be heavier on the early hops for the bitterness needed in which case it is less important which hops you use becuase your boiling the arse out of any that you put in the boiler to extract the bittering component.