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Author Topic: Brewing a small batch  (Read 1368 times)

Offline Old Guy

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Brewing a small batch
« on: June 26, 2019, 11:06:00 am »
When I brew a 2 1/2 gallon batch, do I just reduce all the ingredients in the recipe by half, and then brew as normal?  Do I use the same procedure for a one gallon batch?

Offline Steve Ruch

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Re: Brewing a small batch
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2019, 11:22:07 am »
When I brew a 2 1/2 gallon batch, do I just reduce all the ingredients in the recipe by half, and then brew as normal?  Do I use the same procedure for a one gallon batch?
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Offline BrewBama

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Re: Brewing a small batch
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2019, 12:44:44 pm »
I like to input the recipe as-is for the full volume in my brewing software. Then, I reduce the recipe to my desired volume, OG, IBU, etc. But basically, it simply halves the recipe.


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Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Brewing a small batch
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2019, 10:42:52 am »
Yes--the difference between two and a half and five gallons isn't enough to spend time agonizing over whatever slight differences may arise from not adjusting ingredients to account for the change in volume. I have taken the same recipe from five to one gallons by scaling linearly without any noticeable change.

It may be worth a little time looking at how your process is affected by the change in process. Will your boiloff change the amount of wort you get after boiling? Will your racking equipment introduce more air at lower volumes than larger? Can you minimize headspace in the fermentation vessel? Those are more likely to create problems brewing smaller volumes than not adjusting a couple ounces of malt or a few grams of hops.
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