For me, I have calibrated my taste buds to my IBU calculations in my spreadsheet. I don’t care whether an analysis of IBU gets the same number that I calculated or not- I just want my beer to taste the way I prefer. In addition to that, I use homegrown hops and assume some %aa numbers when I design my recipes so I’ve learned to trust my taste buds and intuition about my hops.
My post didn’t go through last time - I’ll try again:
For anyone interested, I think the episode Denny was referring to was Episode 32 - The IBU Is A Lie (https://www.experimentalbrew.com/podcast/episode-32-ibu-lie). It’s worth a listen.
True. If you like it, that is all that matters. As this beer was brewed for a competition, I want the judges to like it!
Yes, having a reference is a good thing.
I agree. The code could be 1,2,3,…. or A,B,C,… or IBU… as long as there’s a reference so when I taste it I can say this was too/not enough. I’ll take a note so the next time I brew this I’ll use the next higher/lower index.
Though inaccurate, the IBU (which as pointed out above can include other bittering constituencies) is simply a reference number.
I calculate BU/GU and use that to get into the ballpark to begin with and then a data point to make adjustments.
This is the practical answer. If you know your beers, brewed using the calculations available, are more bitter than you desire… reduce the hops and ignore the calculations. Brewing beer, especially at the homebrew level, is as much about art as it is science. Sometimes you have to push one aside in favor of the other to achieve the results you like.
Of course you want the judges to like it and consider it in style. I think that the best approach is to compare your beer to examples that you know are “to style” by drinking and evaluating them with your palate rather than comparing chemical analysis results. A beer could hit all of the analytical targets for a style and still not be all that wonderful at the judging table.
Your alkalinity is high for a pilsner. You said you don’t measure pH. I didn’t see anything about acid or acidulated malt to neutralize the alkalinity.
My pilsners improved and achieved that crisp snappy bitterness when i got tge alkalinity down. Now i use RO water, and some CaCl2, some CaSO4. Target 80-90 ppm SO4 for a northern German Pils, less if i want a southern Bavarian Pils.
I really do think that a little dash of acid is going to improve your pilsner. You won’t need acid for most other beer styles, only very pale yellow ones.
Once again, I have to concur. German beers are delicate and pH plays a huge role in the final product. Proper pH at pitch and in the finish will create a smoother, cleaner and more pleasant finish. A German Pils with 40-45 IBU should be pleasant beer and exceptionally smooth. Proper finish pH is the foundation of the smooth finish. Avoid alkaline water. Total alkalinity should be 25ppm or lower.
If your serious about producing a competitive beer, you should be hawkish on every detail. Brewing without a pH meter from mash to pitch and relying on mash calculators alone is a handicap. Checking finish pH is only necessary if you suspect a problem, but it should be check at least a couple of times when you first start checking it to get a baseline.
Your competing against people who pull out all the stops to produce a world class beer, especially in bigger comps. Winning once or twice can be luck, winning consistently requires a little more effort.
edit: At the same time, we have had a number of beers make it to the Best Of Show round at a national competition…Munich Helles, Festbier, Marzen, all without any water treatment. Other than filtering to remove any solids and chlorine, etc.
We do pull out all the stops, within our ability, with every beer that is brewed. For competitions, and personal consumption. It is a hobby, but a very serious hobby.