Single or Double brood ?

[fatshark]

I'm down the road from you and try and keep all my colonies on single brood for ease of management. However, those that get to fill a double box collect more honey. Prolific bees in a single box are a recipe for swarming. Commercials are much better at maintaining large colonies - better than most amateurs and much better than beginning beekeepers. Don't underestimate the amount of lifting involved in managing double boxes ... and the additional time taken during inspections.

14x12's perhaps, though that introduces another frame size and incompatibility is the pain that keeps on hurting for beekeepers.

PS Meant to add ... many of my single boxes have at least 2 supers on now and I routinely successfully overwinter in single boxes. Actually, over the years I think I more successfully overwinter in singles.