[Megary]

The 2024 Brulosophy survey:

  Gal - %
    5 - 70
< 5 - 16
   10 - 11
   15 - 2
   20 - 1

[reverseapachemaster]

Most of my brewing these days are 3.25 gallon batches to fill 3 gallon kegs. I do a small number of one gallon batches (which used to be almost all I brewed for a while there) and a few larger batches. The larger batches are typically 4.25 to generate a keg of beer and a gallon of experiment.

[jeffy]

My standard batch is 10 gallons once a month or so and I usually split it between 2 yeasts.

[fredthecat]

The 2024 Brulosophy survey:

  Gal - %
    5 - 70
< 5 - 16
   10 - 11
   15 - 2
   20 - 1

i recall one time many years ago for sure when a 5 gallon (whatever it was 5.5 or even 6, i cant remember) carboy/container was cheaper than either bigger or smaller sizes simply because of availability.

[CounterPressure]

The 2024 Brulosophy survey:

  Gal - %
    5 - 70
< 5 - 16
   10 - 11
   15 - 2
   20 - 1

15 responded in this thread:
5 do 2-3 gal (most surprising)
4 do 5 gal
3 do 10 gal
3 do 6-7 gal.

[HopDen]

Most batches are 15 gallon. And an occasional 10 gallon for barrel aging. I also will brew a whopping 25 gallons but that's cutting it too close to my BK capacity. One boil-over was enough for me!

[MNWayne]

10 gallons

[dannyjed]

5.5 gallons for me


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[ynotbrusum]

5.5 gallons mostly, but an occasional 10-11 gallon batch (used to be my norm size for many years) and a few smaller batches of 3 gallons for beers that are intended to hang around a while.

[goose]

Depends on the beer.  If it is one of my staples (Amarillo IPA, Saison, Coffee Porter) I do 11 gallons (13 in the kettle before the boil starts).  It it is a small batch or a pilot batch 5.5 gallons (7 in the pre-boil kettle).

[redrocker652002]

My norm has been 5 gallons.  For the poster who said something about the weight and carrying, I agree and was thinking about this yesterday as I was doing my Blonde Ale.  If I had to try and lug 20 pounds or more of soaked grain that would be tough.  10 pounds or so for a 5 gallon batch is not easy either, but doable.  I am still trying to get my water amounts, both mash and sparge, right to end up at 5.5 gallons into the fermenter.  Have not quite got it yet, but I am close. 

[CounterPressure]

It's funny you mention the lifting. Several weeks back I brewed a bunch of batches all at once and I had to use every fermenter on hand. Being hot here, I also needed to use my chest freezer that I have not used in 7 years for fermentation temp control. Put the two together and I had to use a 15 gallon fermenter in the chest freezer with an 11 and 1/2 gallon batch in it. Not only did I lift it down in there, last weekend I was able to get it back out. This with four ruptured discs and back surgery 12 years ago. I put a two and a half gallon keg in the freezer beside it so I could lift halfway and then get a second bite on it. To my amazement it wasn't all that bad. But I did use a harbor freight moving dolly to move it around on. I still had to lift it up on the counter in the kitchen in order to siphon it out of there. As long as it's in short steps it's not so bad. Trying to do it while disturbing it as little as possible does make it about twice as difficult though. And no, after all these years I still do not own a pump.

[John M]

Depends on the beer.  If it is one of my staples (Amarillo IPA, Saison, Coffee Porter) I do 11 gallons (13 in the kettle before the boil starts).  It it is a small batch or a pilot batch 5.5 gallons (7 in the pre-boil kettle).

I like your staples! That's a great mix.

[John M]

It's funny you mention the lifting. Several weeks back I brewed a bunch of batches all at once and I had to use every fermenter on hand. Being hot here, I also needed to use my chest freezer that I have not used in 7 years for fermentation temp control. Put the two together and I had to use a 15 gallon fermenter in the chest freezer with an 11 and 1/2 gallon batch in it. Not only did I lift it down in there, last weekend I was able to get it back out. This with four ruptured discs and back surgery 12 years ago. I put a two and a half gallon keg in the freezer beside it so I could lift halfway and then get a second bite on it. To my amazement it wasn't all that bad. But I did use a harbor freight moving dolly to move it around on. I still had to lift it up on the counter in the kitchen in order to siphon it out of there. As long as it's in short steps it's not so bad. Trying to do it while disturbing it as little as possible does make it about twice as difficult though. And no, after all these years I still do not own a pump.

Dang man.. I've thought about mounting a leveraged pully above my keezer, for placing full kegs.

[CounterPressure]

I had a Keiser for many years before it died and it held four cornies. Just because of the lack of room and no place for your hands, I would say it was harder dealing with a full keg in that then it was dealing with this 15 gallon plastic fermenter in a 15 cubic foot chest freezer. Last year I bought a Komos kegerator and I can't begin to tell you how much nicer it is having a door on the front where you just work with the cornies at floor level or just barely above. It also holds four and it's effortless working in that thing.