Scaling Recipes

[LorenzoJ]

When scaling down a recipe for a small test batch - say 2 gallons - is it as simple as reducing everything to 2/5 ths or are there also other conciderations ? ?

[b3s]

yes...gravity units scale to volume, so dividing the recipe by volume differentials will yield similar gravity units.

[danno]

the only considerations I see are:

One, it's just as much work to make 2 gallons as five gallons...

Two, what if the beer you make is spectacular? won't you be disappointed you only made two gallons?

other than those considerations, you are correct, just scale everything, except I'd probably use the same amount of yeast, just because it's easier, and you really can't overpitch...

[LorenzoJ]

Yeah....... but pouring 2 gal of a failed experiment down the sink hurts less then 5........ and it really is possible to come up with something that you can't force yourself to drink more then a little of.