Brewing 2.5 gallon batches.

So I am looking to brew half batches of some different styles of beers for a couple reason. It will be hard for me to finish 5 gallons of a 10% ABV RIS in any reasonable time, and second I don't want to hold up carboy space for long aging beer. Basically I am just wanting to brew half batches of big beers. So do I just half the recipe exactly or is there something else I need to know. I am pretty confident in my ability to work my grain bill to hit my target gravity, but what about hop utilization. I just have never brewed smaller batches so I am clueless, and I have a nice 3gal carboy that is collecting dust.

If you did full boils with 5 gal batches and you're going to do full boils with 2.5 gal batches then everything scales down precisely by 2.

Yeah I do full boils, so when you say scaled down by 2 do you mean 1/2? That's where I'm confused. I know I should know this, I have been brewing for 3 years. Just never any batches of beer smaller than 5 gal. My 3 gal carboy has been for cider and mead, but I don't brew much of it anymore.

Yup, half everything. Grain, hops, yeast, water amounts, everything!

Ok thanks guys... I have a RIS in the brew schedule for this month so it will be ready to drink by nov-dec.

Just remember that you will lose the same volume to boil off regardless if its the 5 gallon or 3 gallon batch. That flame doesnt know the difference. Adjust your preboil amounts and boil time accordingly.