small batch brewing in big equipment...

[inda_bebe]

Im in the process of shopping for equipment. Thinking of purchasing a 7bbl system, but for the first few months i want to brew somewhere in the 3 to 5bbl batches. cause the place that im planning to build at isnt really educated on craft beers and afraid i wont sell out what i make. In the future, im sure it will take off. so my question is, can i brew that little in a bigger equipment without affecting quality?

my plan is to brew 3bbl batches in a 7bbl system, then 7bbl batches and once the brewery takes off i can do double batch brewdays and fill some 15bbl fermenters.

[dick murton]

Simple answer - yes, providing your kit is designed to cope. So the main problems arise with wort kettle volumes, they need to cover the heating elements / surfaces, and you need to be able to control, i.e. reduce, the heat input, and the FVs, which need to have the temperature probe well covered by the smaller volume of wort. Ideally, the cooling should be spit into two so you only use the lower cooling elements, but there normally isn't a problem if you use both, just you have a greater risk of overcooling during the top heat phase.

Most brew kit will cope with half volumes or thereabouts even if the design has not been specified for this purpose.