3 replies to this topic

[passlaku]

I was wondering if anyone has any good techniques for scaling down high gravity recipes. I have seen recipes like Jamil's 70 schilling where he recommends simply changing the amount of base malt to change gravities and keeping the specialty malts the same. Can this be done with other styles? I'd like to make a session version of Pliny the Elder (OG ~1070), or a Tiny Pliny, would I simply change the amount of base malt to bring down the OG? I suppose with hoppy styles it would be useful to keep the BU:GU ration the same, as well.

[ncbeerbrewer]

I believe that your idea and method should work fine. I have scaled gravities up and down using this method. If you are using software watch the IBU's and GU:BU and then after you have scaled if they are not the same or close then tweek the speciality grains or hops.

[3rd party JKor]

I wouldn't scale it exactly linearly. Maybe for the malt bill it would be OK, but you may want to drop the simple sugars as it might finish too dry. For the hopping, I'd keep the BU:GU constant, but I'd be much more heavy handed in dropping the early additions to get the IBU drop. I might even leave all the late hopping intact and only drop BU in the first addition. I don't know the recipe off the top of my head, so I can't say exactly what I'd do, but those two things jump out at me.

[MAZ]

I made the following last year. Was one of my better APAs. Not exactly scaled down to the mid 40s, but you can definitely do it. Just drop the 2-row by a few pounds and reduce the 90 min Columbus by half (shoot for 35-40 IBUs).Pliny The ToddlerOG: 1.060FG: 1.012Est Color: 5.5 SRMEst IBU: 54.3 IBU11 lbs 4.0 oz Pale Malt, Golden Promise 12.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine 0.50 oz Columbus (leaf) [14.00 %] (90 min) Hops 21.6 IBU 0.50 oz Willamette (leaf) [4.00 %] (60 min) Hops 5.8 IBU 0.30 oz Simcoe (leaf) [11.10 %] (30 min) Hops 7.4 IBU 0.30 oz Columbus (leaf) [14.00 %] (30 min) Hops 9.3 IBU 0.20 oz Columbus (leaf) [14.00 %] (15 min) Hops 4.0 IBU 0.20 oz Simcoe (leaf) [11.10 %] (15 min) Hops 3.2 IBU 1.00 oz Columbus (leaf) [14.00 %] (1 min) Hops 1.7 IBU 1.00 oz Simcoe (leaf) [11.10 %] (1 min) Hops 1.4 IBU 0.50 oz Centennial (leaf) [10.10 %] (Dry Hop 7 dHops - 0.50 oz Simcoe (leaf) [11.10 %] (Dry Hop 7 days)Hops - SafAle American Ale (DCL Yeast #US-05)