Brew Small. Brew Often.

The combination of my Obsessive Compulsive Brewing Disorder and a brew system that has a minimum batch size of 24litres means I get frustrated by not being able to brew often enough.

If I had heaps of spare money laying around, I guess I could do something about it. I don't. But I still did.

I built a half-batch system, allowing me to brew 12litre batches. This should be a magic number as it:

• is exactly half the size of a standard batch (so scaling is easy, from recipe to energy input);
• fits many easily-available bits of equipment; and
• allows me to fit two brews in my little Fermentation Cabinet.

It's surprisingly cheap to do such a thing and it occurs to me that the half-batch is possibly the very best way for someone to get into extract or all-grain brewing. You can brew half-batches, brew two halves (to make a whole) or brew then just add water.

A stainless steel pot from a local homewares shop, a little brew-bag and a plastic jerry can comes in under fifty Australian dollars. Of course, I bought a little more, as will become apparent when we finally get to The Pictures.

First, the brew bag nestled snugly in the pot:

From Beer Equipments

Second, the bag draining into the Half-Sized Brew Pot from a conveniently-placed rope-ratchet skyhook:

From Beer Equipments

And third, the pot (complete with tap) full of wort being annoyed by an electric immersion heater:

From Beer Equipments

Finally, the detail of the Rope-Ratchet SkyHook:

From Beer Equipments