Specialty grains not coming through in small (2.25 gal) batches

[ParanoidAndroid]

I'm scaling down 5-6 gallon batches to 2.25 gallons. It seems as though the specialty grains are lacking in the conversion. The final product is lacking in taste. I'm hitting the OG. Should I be scaling up the c80, chocolate, and BP? This is a moose drool clone.

Original Recipe (6.0 gal)

Malt lbs oz %
Pale Malt 10.800 172.80 86.92
Chocolate Malt 0.344 5.50 2.77
Crystal 80 1.250 20.00 10.0
Black Patent 0.031 0.50 0.25

time hops AA% Amount
60 East Kent Goldings 4.75 1.40
10 Williamette 4.50 0.60
0 Liberty 5.00 0.60

Scaled (2.25 gal)

Malt lbs oz %
Pale Malt 3.635 58.15 85.64
Chocolate Malt 0.129 2.06 3.04
Crystal 80 0.469 7.50 11.04
Black Patent 0.012 0.19 0.28

time hops AA% Amount (oz)
60 East Kent Goldings 6.30 0.400
10 Williamette 3.90 0.260
0 Liberty 4.60 0.245

 

[dstockwell]

I entered your numbers into brewers friend for 6 gal. So all look pretty close with the exception of the Pale Malt.

Scaled (2.25 gal)

Malt lbs oz %
Pale Malt 4.05
Chocolate Malt 0.13
Crystal 80 0.47
Black Patent 0.012

time hops AA% Amount (oz)
60 East Kent Goldings .52
10 Williamette .22
0 Liberty 4.60 .22

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

I entered your numbers into brewers friend for 6 gal. So all look pretty close with the exception of the Pale Malt.

Scaled (2.25 gal)

Malt lbs oz %
Pale Malt 4.05
Chocolate Malt 0.13
Crystal 80 0.47
Black Patent 0.012

time hops AA% Amount (oz)
60 East Kent Goldings .52
10 Williamette .22
0 Liberty 4.60 .22

There was about a 8% difference in the original efficiency vs my efficiency. I converted by volume first (From 6.0 to 2.25), then I adjusted that to my efficiency (70 vs 78%).

There are two ways to go about that.

1. Adjust all malts so they end up being the same percentages as the original recipe.

2. Only adjust the Base Grains. Since efficiency is only a product sugars extracted, and the base grains takes care of almost all of that, then I am just adjusting the base grain after converting for volume.

That's the reason for the slight difference in the base malt.

 

[ba-brewer]

I quite often scale recipes from 5gal down to 1.5gal and they seem to come out fine. I think you are light on specialty malts to start that is why you do not notice them.


edit: oops, nevermine I was thinking they were measured in ounces

 

[C-Rider]

I do 2 gallon batches and have no problem w/specialty grains. But then I don't scale down I make my own.