Lowering the ABV from a recipe

[OMBHale]

I have found the recipe for the Brooklyn Sorachi Ace recipe here

I don't want such a high ABV - can I simply lower the grain bill and keep the rest of the recipe the same, or do I have to adjust to the same ratio?

 

[RM-MN]

The way to get a higher OG is to increase the base malt or to improve the mash efficiency by getting a better crush. You want to do the opposite. Don't lower the entire grain bill, just the base malt as that is where the sugars come from that get the OG expected. You may also be able to reduce it by cutting the mash period shorter but that is harder to get where you want.

 

[Pkrd]

What sort of change are you looking at? If you just want to drop 1% ABV it won't be much different but your water volumes will change and your hops will be more prominent.

Regardless, adjust the Ph stabiliser down to nothing

 

[OMBHale]

I was looking for a more session-friendly 4-5% really.

I'm in the UK so don't have access to corn syrup easily, so would leaving that out be enough?

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Wow... only two ingredients?? A base malt and corn sugar (NOT corn syrup)
Hmm.... doesn't sound to pleasing to me?

 

[dnr]

That seems like a very high ABV for a saison.
Maybe a different recipe would work better anyway?

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Something is not right with that recipe. With that grain bill, fermentor volume and brewhouse efficiency, you would likely only get to right around 1.065. To achieve the gravity stated, you would have to be at ~90% brewhouse efficiency.

Edit: Upon further review, it appears as if there is 5.5 oz of Sorachi Ace as the 60 minute bittering charge, and also calls for dry hopping for nearly 28 years... I would look for a different recipe, or use that as a very very loose basis for a batch of something similar.