Most of you here probably already know this but I often see online banter and discussion about IBUs in beer; there's no way beer A is xx IBU, or beer C
has got to to be more than xx IBU etc. The fact of the matter is the measurement is that of isomerized alpha acids in solution and nothing more. That number is plugged into an equation to translate to an IBU number. It really means NOTHING of how you, your neighbour or industry professionals perceive bitterness in a given beer. Those days are gone with an older style of brewing (for lack of a better term).
The majority of beers I make @ Unfiltered Brewing are calculated to a minimum of 150 IBU, most are well above 200. And none of my calculations include flame-out or whirlpool hop additions. Therefore, and because they actually are, I label all these beers 100+ IBU knowing full well human perception levels and the saturation point of iso-alpha acid in wort and beer are slightly above 100. No matter how one perceives these beers, they do indeed contain these levels of iso-alpha acids and the numbers I publish aren't meant as scare tactics or to impress. I've had most of my beers analyzed for various parameters in a lab in QC, multiple times, and guess what? Most (ALL in the DIPA range) are indeed above 100 IBU, the highest result coming back being 113. Which beer was it? - Flat Black Jesus Stout. That's right. Next in line downward is Zion. And as a point of reference Exile On North St IPA is pegged at 97 IBU. I don't label Exile that because it's calculated to around 70, that, and if I call it 97 IBU y'all will probably think I'm crazy.
You may soon see me drop IBU numbers from our beer listings altogether. We'll see. </END RANT>
