Understanding Abv And Ibu Will Help You Enjoy Beer Tastings More
It is tempting to find a category of beers you enjoy and stick to that on your visit to the local pub. For example, some customers come in only looking for hazy IPAs. Yet, by understanding ABV and IBU, you will begin to decipher the beer menu on a new level and quickly be able to pick out other types of beer to enjoy. Stop by your local Growler Guys and let us help you discover new beers to love.
What Are Some Of The Most Bitter Beers
Now that you know what is IBU in beer, you might be wondering which beers are the most bitter. Here is a list of some of the most bitter beers out there:
- Stone Ruination IPA: This beer has an IBU of 100 and is considered to be one of the most bitter beers in the world.
- Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA: This beer has an IBU of 120 and is also considered to be one of the most bitter beers in the world.
- Russian River Pliny the Elder: This beer has an IBU of 100 and is a popular choice among IPA lovers.
- Sierra Nevada Hoptimum: This beer has an IBU of 100 and is a great choice for those who enjoy a good, bitter IPA.
- Lagunitas Maximus: This beer has an IBU of 65 and is a great choice for those who want a bitter, but not too bitter, IPA.
If you are a beer lover, then you must also learn how to shotgun a beer easily.
What If A Beer Has A High Ibu And A High Abv
Heres the tricky part. A higher ABV can cancel out much of the bitterness of a high IBU. When a beer contains malts, the sugar content of the malts will make the beer far less bitter but will increase the alcohol content. This results in a high IBU and high ABV. Because of this, its important to consider how high the ABV score is in conjunction with the IBU and not rely solely on the IBU. For example, many people will find the Fancy Pants stout above tastes smoother than Ex Novos For Whom the Helles Tolls lager with an ABV of 4.9% and IBU of 22.
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What Is Ibu In Beer
And other figures like EBC, Cat. and Alc %?
Beer and figures: probably not a combination to get really excited about. But if you have an insight into figures, you can understand your beers better and really read them, even before the bottle is opened. Here we present an explanation of the key figures, which are inseparable from the beer.
How Hops Help When Brewing Beer
Hops are most commonly associated with adding bitterness to a beer. But the hop flower actually contains two parts, the hop, which requires boiling to extract the acids. And, essential oil, which boils off easily. This means there are different hops for different purposes.
Hops have alpha acids, which are the most common bittering compound. They also contain beta acids, which contribute antimicrobial properties to the brew and essential oils that add aroma and flavor.
Hops are most often dried and boiled. However, dry hopping and fresh hopping have emerged as ways to alter the beer’s flavor with floral, citrus, and fruity accents without affecting the bitterness. The hops plant’s choice, stage of brewing, length of exposure, and quantity can change the impact that the hops will have on the final product.
In the United States, the most common hops are Brewer’s Gold, Cascade, Chinook, and Citra. Noble hops like Hallertau and Tettnanger are common in European brewing recipes. Many brewers actually use a blend of different hops in order to achieve a unique flavor profile.
For instance, Brewers Gold has a fruity and spicy aroma similar to black currants. Cascade hops are known for their flowery and citrus notes like grapefruit. It is also the most widely used dual-purpose hop in the United States, used for both bitterness and aroma. Chinook is spicy and piney, whereas Citra has some apricot, peach, and other tropical aromas and flavors.
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What Is A Good Ibu For Ipa
IBU is not a measure of goodness of an IPA nor is it a measure of what your tasting experience will be like. IBU is limited to a general area of bitterness a beer could possibly operate in.
There is nothing better to determine what is good for you than trying the IPA yourself. You might enjoy an IBU of 40, or love a 70. Or, you could dislike both because the beer hid its inadequacy behind a hype number.
What Is The Point Of Ibu
If the IBU is an imperfect measure of the bitterness youll taste in your beer, what is the point of it?
Well, its a useful tool for brewers, who use it to help ensure consistency between different batches. To do this, they use a process called spectrophotometric.
This involves taking a sample of the beer and adding acid and whats called a non-polar solvent. These substances encourage the bittering compounds to separate out from the rest of the beer. After theyre added in, the mixture is shaken for about 30 minutes.
A sample is then taken of the part of the mixture that contains the bittering compounds. A device called a spectrophotometer then shines a light through the liquid and records how much light is absorbed. This figure is then multiplied by 50 to give the IBU.
The same measurement between batches means youre likely to get a similar flavor from each batch. That makes it a great quality assurance tool. What the measurement doesnt tell you, though, is how much youll like the taste.
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What Is The Highest Ibu Beer
If the basic scale maxes out at 120 IBU, Hop-15 Ale is 182 IBU. It is a seasonal brew made by the Port Brewing Company. It is a fiesta of tropical and stone fruit flavors. And, it finishes you off with a hoppy ending.
Now, what about the 2600 IBU beer, you ask. That beer is not all its cracked up to be. You will be hard-pressed to find decent beers on that scale. Bigger is not always better but it sure can be bitter.
Bittering Compounds In Beer
Hops are the component of beer that are responsible for the majority of its bitterness, as well as contributing to the beverages increased microbiological consistency, foaming, and having a significant impact on its flavor and aroma.
Alpha Acids are the primary constituents of lupulin, which is the resin that is extracted from hop cones. Since theyre the primary component responsible for hops bittering effect, brewers are very interested in them.
After the Alpha Acids, another bittering compound that matters to brewing beers is Beta Acid. Although this is not considered a primary bittering element, Beta Acid is still an important compound a beer needs.
Below are the common Alpha and Beta Acids that are found in hops:
- Alpha Acids: Humulone, Cohumulone, Adhumulone, Posthumulone, Prehumulone
- Beta Acid: Lupulone, Colupulone, Adlupulone
Can IBU Really Tell the Accurate Bitterness of a Beer?
When measuring how bitter a beer is, the International Bittering Unit scale provides the most precise results. However, the sensed bitterness is not taken into account in the IBU score.
Beers with robust flavors, such as those made with a large number of malts, will have a lower sense of bitterness than others, despite having a greater IBU score. It will take a larger hops content than is typical for them to achieve the desired bitterness in the flavor.
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What Is The International Bitterness Unit
The International Bitterness Unit is a unit of measurement that is used to gauge the amount of bitterness in beer. Its a common misconception that IBUs actually refers to the amount of hops in beer, but thats not actually the case.
Instead, IBU refers to the amount of iso-alpha acids from hops in beer, which is what actually gives beer its bitter flavor. In order to measure how bitter a beer is, scientists use a lab-based test that determines the parts per million of isohumulone in the beer.
From there, they can calculate the IBUs, which allows them to determine how bitter the beer will taste. The scale ranges from 0 to infinity since there is no ceiling on the IBU scale because you could make a beer more bitter by adding more hops. However, when beer exceeds 120 IBU, the tongue can not taste any more bitterness.
A Breakdown Of Different Types Of Beer And Their Ibu
As the IBU level of a beer increases, the iso-alpha acids and polyphenols in the beer register as more bitter on the tongue. For example, lower IBUs feature a natural acidity that balances against the malt sweetness to create a subtly bitter taste. Alternatively, IBUs on the higher scale tend to be intensely flavored and have a malty sweetness balanced against a heavy bitterness. The middle-range IBU levels are often less malty and slightly bitter since they have less of a counterbalance.
Some examples of the different beers and their IBU levels include:
Although flavor can be subjective to the IBU number in a beer, the measurement does provide a better understanding of some common types of beer. Additionally, while different brands of beers may range in IBU, youll most often find that these specific types of beer closely align to the above levels.
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What Is Ibu Beer
IBU, or International Bitterness Unit, is the index used to measure and understand how bitter your beer will turn out to be. Even though IBUs determine the bitterness of a beer, they are not a total indication of the beers quality. It is all a game of matching your personal preferences and understanding the math behind the system.
Is Lower Ibu Better
No, lower IBU is not necessarily better. The IBU of a beer depends on the style of beer that youre brewing. For example, if youre brewing a light lager, you want to aim for an IBU of around 15-20.
But if youre brewing an IPA, you want to aim for an IBU of around 50-70. The IBU of a beer also depends on your personal preferences. Some people prefer sweeter beers, while others prefer more bitter beers.
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So Are There Good Ibu Counts
The range of the IBU scale starts at zero and pretty much to infinity, but most beers stay within the 0 to 100 range. The human palate can only really detect up to about 110 measured IBU anyway. Achieving a higher IBU than that would make no difference to the drinking experience.
Even so, our perception of bitterness is all about the balance of ingredients and the fermentation process of the beer. So high IBUs may indicate that the beer tastes a certain way, but this doesnt take into account the aforementioned balancing act.
For example, a Double IPA typically has higher alcohol content and is on the bitter side. To get a higher IBU, it needs to complement well with sweetness to achieve this lovely recipe.
Its also worth noting that the sensory bitterness of beer isnt for everyone. Beers that test high on the International Bitterness Units scale might taste absolutely disgusting to one and delicious to the next. So theres a practical reason this code displays on bottles for the consumer to see. It gives them an idea of whether theyll like it before buying it.
Still, its good to be adventurous! A beer with high IBU doesnt necessarily mean itll be too bitter for your particular tastes. But once you discover what you like in a particular kind of beer, youll know what to keep buying or find inspiration in a new libation to enjoy next.
What Does A Low Ibu Mean In Beer
IBU stands for International Bitterness Units, and is a scale used to measure how bitter a beer is. The lower the IBU number, the less bitter the beer will taste. This is due to the acid found in hops, called isohumulone, which gives beer its characteristic bitterness. While the IBU scale can be used as a general guideline for taste, it& rsquor s important to note that malt and other flavors can mask the taste of bitterness in beer.
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Understanding Ibu And What It Means For The Beer Youre Drinking
Written by Lindsi Taylor
The IBU scale makes categorizing the bitterness level in beer simpler. This system is extremely helpful when figuring out which type of beer is most appealing to a persons palate. IBU stands for international bittering unit and is often found on craft beer labels and descriptions. Here, Columbia Distributing, a beverage distributor in Washington and Oregon, guides you through understanding the IBU of your beer.
What Causes Beer To Taste Bitter
Bitter flavors in beer are caused by compounds called iso-alpha acids. These compounds are naturally present in hops which are a key ingredient in beer.
When you add bittering hops during the brewing process, those compounds become dissolved into the liquid, which is why theyre called iso-alpha acids. The hop varietals used, the age of the hops, and length of time boiled determines the bitterness level of your brew.
When you taste a beer, the iso-alpha acids act as a trigger, activating your brains bitterness sensors. Once those sensors have been activated, they stay on high alert for more bitterness.
This is why you might notice that a high-IBU beer becomes almost too bitter as you drink more of it because the bitterness sensors are being continually triggered.
The malt and other flavors can mask the actual taste of bitterness in beer. You should note that a less malty beer with a low IBU such as 20 may taste more bitter as compared to a more malty beer with an IBU of 50.
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The Heroic Origin Story Of The Ibu Rating
Beginning in the early 20th century, the degree of bitterness became possible to test during the brewing process. At first, the methods used were either inaccurate, would take too long, or both.
For example, in 1955 chloroform was used to extract the bitter substance. Then the dried extract would be weighed. This turned out to be an ineffective method because it didnt take into account other substances that needed to be extracted.
To improve accuracy, this method was developed by taking the iso-octane extract of the acidified beer and washing it with acidified methanol. This removed impurities, calculating results as iso-humulones using ultraviolet light and becoming the industry standard. There was still room for improvement, however, since this process needed to be faster to be the most useful for brewers.
Another method came along using a higher ultraviolet wavelength to skip the washing process, but then there were two competing methods to measure bittering compounds.
In 1964, the American Society of Brewing Chemists tested the accuracy of each method to make the determination for which would become the industry standard. While both pretty accurate, the Rigby and Bethune method of washing the iso-octane extract and using ultraviolet light won out. The organization announced that this method would now be called International Bitterness Units.
How Can I Tell The Ibu Of My Beer
Beer can have a very wide range of IBU values, from around 5 all the way up to 120. The higher the figure, the more bittering compounds the beer will contain. Almost all beers fall within the 15 to 80 IBUs range.
Different beer styles also typically have different IBUs. At the lower end of the scale, youll find lambic, wheat beers and American lagers. Expect these to have anything from 0 to 26 IBUs.
Barleywine and IPAs tend to be at the opposite end of the scale between 34 and 120 IBUs. Note the size of that range, though. There are lots of different levels within these categories.
Somewhere in the middle, youll generally find pilsners, porters and bitters, with between 18 and 50 IBUs.
If youre buying a craft beer in a bar, the IBU value may be included on the menu.
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Why It Really Matter
Beer drinkers fascination with IBUs, in all their glory, seem like theyre here to stay, but that might miss the point.
The point of great beer, any great beer, is that you enjoy the liquid in your hand and understand the true vision of the brewer with every sip, along with the story behind the brewery and their motivations for making the product in the first place. Beer, in its science and its art, is the composition and combination of balance and intention. Water, malt, hops and yeast in perfect unity. Poetic stuff.
To that end, great beer is about your perception, and on the topic of bitterness and hoppiness , perceived bitterness is very different from actual, measured IBU counts in a lot of cases. I dont hate IBUs by any means, and I do think they can be generally indicative of how hoppy or bitter a beer will be in a lot of cases, but I think a more judicious use of them on our beer labels and in our conversations will help us truly appreciate what were consuming, and why it even matters in the first place. At the end of the day, IBUs do not indicate flavor, aroma, perceived bitterness, or really any other factor that allows you to actually enjoy the beer your drinking, but they are part of the industry, and its worth knowing a little more about them.
Hopefully, this piece helped you understand a little bit more about why theyre used, what they mean, and how they impact your enjoyment of all the great craft beer available right now.