Scaling up Recipes for Bigger Equipment

[alwilson]

Hi Guys

I'm getting the chance soon to brew one of my recipes on a 2.5BBL set up.

I currently brew on a 100L set up.. I was wondering how I change my recipe to account for bigger hardware? Other than just multiplying the ingredient by a factor.

I read somewhere that hop utilisation increases in larger boilers and so for the same IBU I need less hops? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Cheers
Alex

[seymour]

...I'm getting the chance soon to brew one of my recipes on a 2.5BBL set up...

Wow, congratulations, that's a cool opportunity! Be sure to take pictures and keep us posted.

...I currently brew on a 100L set up.. I was wondering how I change my recipe to account for bigger hardware? Other than just multiplying the ingredient by a factor....

There was a similar thread recently:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53765&p=566451&hili ... ly#p566451

My answer was:

I've asked this similar question to multiple professional brewers:

if I have a proven winner 5 gallon recipe, is it a simple matter of multiplying the relative proportions when transistioning to a 3 barrel brewery or 5 barrel brewery, etc?

All answers were about the same: theoretically, yes, though every system is different. Your mash efficiency will vary, the hops alpha acid extraction rate will vary, times and temperatures at each stage will vary, the amount of wort "equipment loss" will vary, etc. Therefore, simply multiply your recipe as a starting point, but take good measurements and notes when brewing the bigger batch and be prepared to make fine-tuning adjustments the next time.

...I read somewhere that hop utilisation increases in larger boilers and so for the same IBU I need less hops?...

Not necessarily, based on my findings. Again, theoretically at least, your home brewery could be engineered to derive the same high hop utilisation as a large brewery. This factor is entirely dependent on each particular equipment setup, the geometry of the boil kettle, vigor of boil, length of boil, steeping time after flame-out, length of time it takes to chill, etc.

...Does anyone have any experience of this?...

Your best resource will be the resident brewer at the 2.5BBL location. He surely knows his system's impact on hop utiliazation.

Have fun!