Brewing Clamper

Recipes 

Ok, I know this has been discussed, but what the hell, everything comes back up eventually. So do you guys & dolls use a particular ratio of these two or just go by what you think? I've tried doing brews light on the IBUs for the SWMBO but then she complains that they're too sweet (I'm thinking duh!) but that may also be because of a higher OG, anyway, what are your thoughts?

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--Omar

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cweston

Recipes 

BU:GU ratio is one of the critical things I always take into account in recipe design. Even if I don't do the actual math (I usually do), I'll look at where both the OG and the IBUs fall in the style range, to make sure they're proportional to the style.

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Primary: none
Secondary:
Bottle conditioning: Robust Porter
Drinking: Saison Dupont clone, tripel
Coming soon: Columbus APA, Rich Red ale

uwmgdman

Recipes 

For me, I do partial mashes, partial boils with late extract additions. Since I begin my boil with just the contents of the mash and add the extract with 20 mins remaining on the boil, my hop utilization varies greatly. In my brew spreadsheet I made, I spilt each hop addition up for the amount of time it is at each SG of boil. For example, 60 mins bittering addition, I use 40 mins of the hop at the SG of the partial mash, and then for the remaining 20 mins use the SG of the partial mash and extract added. I use the following formula from Palmer's book in my spreadsheet.

Utilization = f(G) x f(T)
where:
f(G) = 1.65 x 0.000125^(Gb - 1)
f(T) = [1 - e^(-0.04 x T)] / 4.15

As cweston said the BU:GU ratio is the key reading. After my IBUs are calculated on my spreadsheet I make sure that ratio is where I want it for the brew.

If you're curious how much of a difference it makes, spliting the hop times up and just using something like the Recipator that figures all fermentables in the kettle the entire time. For lower gravity beers not too much of difference, generally 5 or less IBUs. But for the SNCA clone-ish beer (high OG and high IBUs) I just made, it made a big difference something like 12 or 14 IBUs.

Probably more info than you wanted, but there it is anyway.

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Primary: None
Secondary: None
Bottled: None
Drinking: Schwarzbier, Raspberry Celebration, Northern English Brown, Carty Cascade Pale Ale - Vintage 2009, Maibock Pale Ale, 1120 IPA
Next: Simcoe IPA Bohemian Pils? Classic American Pils? Robust Porter? Dunkelweizen? Blonde Ale?

the_bird

Recipes 

Get a copy of Ray Daniel's Designing Great Beers, it discusses BU:GU in great detail. It all depends on the style, there's a range that is appropriate. Doesn't mean that you NEED to stick to that range, but be aware of it to know that you may not be brewing to style (there may be other styles she would prefer).

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Desert_Sky

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Desert Sky Brewing Co.
Sierra Vista, AZ

Brewing Clamper

Recipes 

Wow, that's a nice little chart... Thanks for the advice guys....

__________________
--Omar

4 Ohms Aleworks & Lagers | Twitter | Facebook | Blog |

uwmgdman

Recipes 

love that chart!
where's it from?

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#######################
Primary: None
Secondary: None
Bottled: None
Drinking: Schwarzbier, Raspberry Celebration, Northern English Brown, Carty Cascade Pale Ale - Vintage 2009, Maibock Pale Ale, 1120 IPA
Next: Simcoe IPA Bohemian Pils? Classic American Pils? Robust Porter? Dunkelweizen? Blonde Ale?

Desert_Sky

Recipes 

ask and ye shall receive


click me

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Desert Sky Brewing Co.
Sierra Vista, AZ

trinitone

Recipes 

Thanks Chimone. That's some good info. Other good info on that site, too.

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Planning: Ned's Red (Flanders style)
Primary: Niet
Secondary 1: Cripple Kriek (a 'pseudo' cherry lambic)
Secondary 2: Monk's Tripel...
Bottled: Dark Star Brown Ale, Watership Stout, Yet to be named cider

Well... a person can work up a mean, mean thirst after a hard day of nothing much at all.

This kind of an area is the best place for survival because you do have good, basically intelligent, hard working, decent people and they're all armed to the teeth... and that's my kind of people.

zoebisch01

Recipes 

You know another easy way to check is look at the BJCP chart online for the style and formulate your recipe around those numbers. I like that chart, Chimone, easy to read and gives a good insight just by glancing. thx