Why do brewers not list IBUs?

I don't know about them actively trying to hide it, but IBU is a generally useless term for consumers.

 

Yep. And the main reason why we've never added it as a field to our beer database. It was never intended to be used for marketing, but rather a refence for brewers. And, while not entirely worthless, it doesn't tell you much without more context (which consumers are rarely privy to).

Worth reading:

• Do IBUs Matter?
• Hazy IPAs May Finally Kill of the IBU

 

Have you tried reaching out to them directly and asking what the IBU is of the beer you're trying to clone?

 

This isn't specific to Tree House, so I updated the thread title. As @PA-Michigander mentioned, most brewers don't list IBU.

 

One, it's not required. Why spend the extra money (however minor)?

Two, as others have mentioned, most consumers don't care. Now, in the case of Tree House consumers, you can certainly make the argument that far more customers do care than, say, Bud Light drinkers.

Three, it only matters so much. Bitterness is subjective, and IBUs measure one specific aspect of bitterness. How much bitterness comes from the roasted barley, or added coffee (as one example), isn't going to be captured by IBUs. Heck, based on what I read recently from a link elsewhere on this forum, IBUs aren't even fully accurate at capturing hop contributions to bitterness when it comes to dry hopping.

So ... that's why. Breweries that list the IBU of their beer, especially on the can/bottle, are doing it primarily as a marketing ploy. Sixpoint labels their beers with IBUs; Tree House doesn't. As much as I love OG Resin, I'll take Tree House's IPAs over Sixpoint's 95 times out of 100, despite not knowing the IBU scores.