Understanding what kind of beer you like just from looking at a menu isn’t easy. You have to know a few things before approaching a list of styles of beers confidently. Knowing why beer tastes like it does will keep you from falling for common craft beer myths such as the Indian Pale Ale IBU is through the roof. 

As you get into craft beers you might start to see a lot of abbreviations: IPA (Indian Pale Ale), ABV (Alcohol by Volume), and even IBU (International Bitterness Units). While the IBU appears on just about every brewery menu, people can easily miss it.

IBU in beer holds key information that will help you know what flavors to expect. Let’s go through it together so you can order a beer you’re confident will be up your alley next time you’re out.

What Are International Bitterness Units (IBU)?

International Bitterness Units (IBU) in beer involves a scale that goes from 0-120, but many breweries stop at 100 because human taste buds stop there. This means a beer that’s a 5 on the IBU scale will have little to no bitterness level and a 95 will be a very bitter beer. There’s one big caveat to that, however, and it’s that a bitter beer in terms of IBU won’t necessarily have a bitter taste. Why? Well, it comes down to styles of beers whose flavors will highlight or mask the bitterness of beer more — more on that later. First, let’s go through the bitterness scale in detail.

The IBU Bitterness Scale Explained

Let’s talk about what IBU is and isn’t. Beer makers use the IBU scale to define beer styles and flavors and to quality-control their products. It’s a chemical measurement that helps brewers achieve the style they’re looking for and is calculated by measuring the amount of iso-alpha acids, not by tasting the beer for bitter flavors since the human palate is not as reliable as measurable science. Beta acids don’t affect the bitterness in beer so they’re not really taken into account.

Factors That Influence IBU in Beer

The IBU number of a beer depends on the style of beer, brewing process used, and variety of hop. Let’s go into detail on those factors that influence beer measurement:

Hop Varieties

Hops have a bittering effect, meaning the more hops, the more bitter the beer is. Different varieties of hops can have different alpha acid concentration and thus affect the IBU differently. High-alpha acid concentration hops include Chinook, Horizon, and Warrior hops. 

Additionally, the amount of hops used is going to make a difference in flavor. For more intense flavored beers, you’ll want more hops in the recipe than, say, for light lagers. 

Boil Time

Add heat to your hops and you’ll also start to affect that IBU since heat is what isomerizes those alpha acids. The longer you boil your hops, the more the bitter acids are released into the beer. This and the variety used make up a complete dance of brewing magic for the flavors and IBU levels brewers want.

Malt Profile

The formula doesn’t end at hop variety and boil time, though. If you want a clearer picture of how bitter your beer will actually taste, you have to also look at the malt profile and sugar content. The residual sweetness of the malt content used in the beer can counteract the bitterness of the hops. This way, brewers can play with that balance to create the style of beer they want. 

Crafting Complexity

Beer, like food, has complex chemistry affecting the end result. The more ingredients you add during the brewing process, the more you’ll alter the final product. With beers, you can make the recipe more complex by adding special malts, different variety hops, fruits, and spices. Every one of these elements can also affect the IBU of the beer. 

Malts can affect flavors and aromas to balance or compete with the bitterness from the hops, as can yeast, which can influence the complexity of the beer, affecting bitterness.

This is why it’s so difficult to say how bitter a beer will taste based on IBU rating alone. There are many other factors involved in how bitter someone will perceive a beer to taste. 

The IBU of Different Types of Beers

While the IBU gives you a great clue to the bitterness, you have to also think of the style of beer and what that brewing process will do to that bitterness. Let’s look at common types of beers and their IBUs.

• Lambic. A spontaneous fermentation beer aged in wooden barrels. 0–10 IBUs
• Wheat beer. Brewed with a mix of malted barley and wheat in the grain bill. It’s fermented with ale yeast. 8–18 IBUs
• American lager. Clean and crisp profile beer brewed with lagering (cold storage) for a refreshing taste. 8–26 IBUs
• Irish red ale. Brewed with a variety of malted barley for a balanced flavor. 15–30 IBUs
• Kölsch. Fermented with Kölsch yeast and lagered at cooler temperatures. 20–30 IBUs
• Pilsner. Crisp beers that use Saaz hops and a lagering phase for a refreshing taste. 24–44 IBUs
• Porter. Malted barley mixed brews that use dark malts for a rich flavor. 18–50 IBUs
• Bitter. Traditional English ales with moderate hop bitterness. 24–50 IBUs
• Pale ale: A balanced beer that highlights hop flavors and aromas while keeping a balanced malt profile. 30–50 IBUs
• Stout. A dark beer with a robust, creamy character. 30–90 IBUs
• Barleywine. High-ABV beer with a rich, malty taste. Brewed with an extended fermentation for extra complexity. 34–100+ IBUs
• India pale ale. Hop-forward beer with highlighted aromas. These beers are brewed with heavy hopping. 40–120 IBUs

As you can see, the high IBU beers on this list aren’t even the one named Bitter or the Pale Ale. Funny how that works, right? But now you know why!

How Little Miami Brewing Company Crafts Beer for Every Taste

Little Miami Brewing Company understands that delicious beer takes many forms. We’re experts at what we do and love making brews for all beer drinkers. 

We welcome Cincinnati residents to stop by and grab a Turn the Paige (IBU 10) from our low IBU beers, Misty Mountain Hop (IBU 78), or anything else from our wide menu and varying IBU levels. Whether you want an after-work drink or are looking for a stop on the Little Miami River and Bike Trail, check out what we have to offer or stop by today!