If you\u2019re new to the world of craft beer and brewing, you\u2019ve probably heard a ton of acronyms being thrown around. When you go to a new brewery and look at the board or screen of beer options, you\u2019ll be hit with even more acronyms, each describing a trait of the beer. For a newer craft beer drinker, it can be hard to choose what to drink, especially when beer descriptions are usually based on numbers associated with terms often unknown to the average beer consumer, like IBU (International Bitterness Unit), SRM (Standard Reference Method), and OG (Original Gravity).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article we will break down what the term IBU means, what it is, and how it affects your craft beer drinking experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IBU stands for International Bitterness Units scale (sometimes referred to as International Bittering Units scale). Essentially, the IBU scale describes the degree of bitterness present in a beer. IBU is one of the main metrics that brewers use to balance their beers as well as quantitatively describe the bitterness of the beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a general guideline, the lower the number of IBUs, the less bitter beer will be perceived to be. The higher the IBU, the higher the sensory bitterness of beer. Keep in mind that everyone has their own beer palate, and what some people find overwhelmingly bitter may not seem like much bitterness to someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Technically, IBU is a chemical measurement that quantifies the bittering compounds present in a beer, such as isomerized alpha acids (iso-alpha acids), oxidized alpha acids, polyphenols, and a couple of others. These compounds are responsible for the bitter taste of beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some brewers like to boast about their high IBU numbers, while others try to keep them low so that their beers are more approachable to the average beer drinker. Certain craft beer styles, like American IPAs (Now even we are throwing acronyms around! Click here to see our guide to IPAs to learn more<\/em>), are known for their high IBU levels, while other styles, like stouts and porters, tend to have lower IBU numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n