Tips on 1 gallon test batches?

[bwilliamson]

I really don't like brewing a 5+ gallon batch only to find out that something went wrong or that I simply don't like it. Thoughts on 1 gallon test batches? carboy size, receipe adjustments etc.....

[slothrob]

I make 2.5-3.5 gallon batches regularly, and make few changes from my 5 gallon batches. I use a 5 gallon fermenter, instead of a 6.5 gallon one, and account for the fact that I still boil off 1 gallon in my calculations in BTP. That change in volume will probably play a role in bitterness and you'll need to account for that.

For a 1 gallon batch, I'd probably drop down to about a 3 gallon fermenter. Also, I'd try and keep the heat down as low as possible, while still maintaining a good boil, and use as narrow a kettle as possible to minimize boil-off.