Theoretical IBU... How high have you gone?

When brewing an insanely hopped recipe, I've always purposely reduced the bittering to shoot for 90-100 IBUs on purpose so that I don't waste. Save a few bucks.

 

I suggest you trade some BCBS for some DFH Hoo Lawd.

After you pick your face up off of the floor....I think you'll care less about IBU numbers, and more about making a balanced, and quaffable beer.

Notice the Bro's ratings vs. the couple public.....hahahahahhahahahah

Yea the bro's aren't biased..

 

I brewed one of Ron's recipes from ye olde days, a stout and I think that came in at close to 200 IBUs, all from fuggles - although I'm fairly sure I subbed challenger in for it. Much swearing took place as I had to jug the fucker through a sieve into the fermentor. The beer was great, still very bitter a year afterwards, certainly took at least six months before I'd have called it drinkable, not that that stopped me from trying it before it was ready

It had a shit load of black malt too iirc, so it was also bitter from that.

Just checked, I put 300g of challenger into it. 200g 90mins, 100g 30 mins.

 

A beer has to be hopped above 1000 ibu to avoid being classified as weak sauce.


2600 IBUs - Carbon Smith F*cks Up Your Sh*t

2500 IBUs - Flying Monkeys Alpha Fornication

2012 IBUs - Arbor FF #13 - 2012 Double Black IPA

2007 IBUs - Mikkeller X Hop Juice 2007 IBU

2000 IBUs - L’Espace Public Extrême 2000

1254 IBUs - Triggerfish The Kraken

1100 IBUs - Zaftig Shadowed Mistress

1100 IBUs - Daft Badger Double IPA

1066 IBUs - Hart & Thistle Hop Mess Monster v2.0

1000 IBUs - Mikkeller 1000 IBU Barrel Aged

 

So, if we can't tell the difference in IBU's between say 150 and over, why would anyone want to waste so much expense on hops to get extra bitterness that is not even noticeable? Is it for the flavor/aroma? If so, why not just steep at flame-out or dry hop?

 

You can't get anywhere near 150 IBUs using standard brewing processes, i.e. boiling hops. IMO the reason people hop to insane levels and claim hundreds of "theoretical" IBUs is that it makes them feel manly and/or they want to impress nimrods.

 

Shots fired.

 

Good cum shots, nonetheless. And IMO, what "man" amongst us could explain the "why"? Sounds like over-excessive testosterone to me, when a lot less will 'take the trick' and bring it home to more than satisfaction. The rooster seems to have puffed up much more colorful feathers than necessary - and that seems like the "bitter" truth. 'Hopping' along, If IBU, I would use less bittering hops

 

Dude, nobody wants to read that shit here.

 

I think the highest I ever did was about 200 IBU. However, there was probably only 50 IBU at 60 minutes.

For my palate, IBU that come late in the boil do not have the same bitterness effect as those that come from earlier in the boil. Should and IBU be an IBU be an IBU? I guess but that is not how I perceive it.

Learned that by doing hopburst beers. Just no bitterness for me no matter what I needed a little bit from earlier in the boil.

 

I agree. I don't understand the tendency to want try to cram as many IBUs as possible into a brew. It reminds me of that quote from Jurassic Park..."they were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should."

 

The other troubling thing, in this case, is that in the same way that the universe has a built-in speed limit -- the speed of light -- IBUs likewise reach a solubility limit that is around 90-100 IBUs. You can dump a bazillion hops into a beer and still end up with only 90 IBUs.

 

A 90ibu beer and a 180ibu beer made with the same hops do not make the same beer.

 

How do they differ, Brew_Betty?

 

Taste, aroma and mouthfeel are different.

 

The details, reasoning and experience you provide are staggering.

 

I'm not a "hop bro" by any means, but I made a Black IIPA a year or two ago where the recipe said 112 IBU. But it also had 18 lbs of grain for a 5 gallon batch. (Compared to the 10oz of hops).

Tis a good beer, really. Still have a gallon left, and it seems to be more interesting with age.