Recipe tools
Mead and wine batch scaler.
Enter your recipe at its current batch size and pick the size you want to make to get every ingredient scaled.
Inputs
Scaled recipe
Enter your numbers.
How it works
Scaling a recipe is multiplication: the scale factor is new volume ÷ original volume, and every ingredient that depends on volume is multiplied by it. This tool converts both volumes to US gallons first (1 US gallon = 3.785411784 litres), so you can mix litres and gallons freely.
Worked example. A 1 gallon recipe of 3 lb honey, 1 g Fermaid K and 0.25 tsp DAP, scaled to 5 gallons, has a factor of 5. That gives 15 lb of honey, 5 g of Fermaid K and 1.25 tsp of DAP. Scaling from 1 gallon to 6 gallons multiplies everything by 6.
Some things scale linearly, such as honey, water, nutrients and sulfite dose per gallon. Others do not: always follow the yeast maker’s pitching instructions for the batch size, and note that fermenter headspace, aeration time and fermentation temperature behave differently in a bigger vessel. Recheck any scaled figure against the yeast and nutrient labels, especially for the first large batch.
Frequently asked questions
How do I scale a mead recipe from 1 gallon to 5 gallons?
Multiply every volume-based ingredient by 5. A 1 gallon recipe with 3 lb of honey becomes 15 lb of honey for 5 gallons.
How many litres is a US gallon?
A US gallon is 3.785411784 litres, so 5 US gallons is 18.93 litres and 6 US gallons is 22.71 litres.
Does everything scale linearly?
Honey, water, and per-gallon nutrient and sulfite doses scale directly. Yeast pitching and fermentation conditions may not, so follow the yeast label.
Can I mix units?
Yes for the batch volumes: each can be in US gallons or litres. Ingredient units are carried through unchanged, so keep each ingredient in the unit you want back.
Sources
Opened
- Wikipedia: Gallon: US gallon to litre conversion, 3.785411784 L.
- GotMead: Newbee Guide, Chapter 8, Recipe Calculations: Recipe calculations for a 1 gallon batch, with honey amounts per gallon.
- GotMead: Newbee Guide, Chapter 10, Nutrients: Per-gallon nutrient doses that scale with volume, and a reminder that manufacturers differ.
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Scope
Arithmetic only. Not every ingredient scales linearly, so check labels for yeast and additives. Home production of alcohol is regulated differently in each jurisdiction. Not professional or legal advice.