Hey all-I've been brewing for years now and, historically, have always found my beers to be reasonably accurate with what I was aiming for. Recently, however, I've managed to bump my efficiency from around 65% to 70-73% primarily thanks to better temp control and by adding a higher-temp mash-out step. But far too many of my recent higher-hop beers have been coming out seemingly way more bitter than expected. Some of these are, I think, due to choosing too low a mash temp and thereby ending up with just far less body than the IBUs would comfortably support, but there are some that I just can't make heads or tails out of. For example, I brewed a rye IPA last week: 15g (1/2oz) Warrior for 60' then 30g Chinook/15g Amarillo/15g Centennial for a 15' whirlpool starting at 90C. Mash was at 69C(156F) so should be full-bodied, and it is to a good extent, partly because it's also 6.7%, but bitterness seems WAY high while BeerSmith says it should only be 51.7IBU. Calcium 77, sulfate 95. Yesterday I brewed a Vic Secret SMaSH ale with all late-boil additions and a 45g/1.5oz 15' whirlpool, 65.5C/150F mash and, according to BeerSmith, 37.7IBU but even though it's only 1/3 through fermentation it already seems way too bitter. My water here is 85 Calcium, 131 Sulfate.
I'm not afraid of bitterness, either, I'm just trying to figure out what's happening here. I imagine it might well be my water balance, I've never paid too much attention to those, but I generally choose a rough profile for what I'm looking for-the Rye, for example, was a 'Brown Balanced' and the SMaSH I was aiming for 'light & hoppy', but not 'bitter bomb'. Thanks in advance for any thoughts-I've only ended up with one beer that's been fully *ruined* here, but nearly everything I've brewed that's been over 30IBU has run the risk of being borderline...
I'm not afraid of bitterness, either, I'm just trying to figure out what's happening here. I imagine it might well be my water balance, I've never paid too much attention to those, but I generally choose a rough profile for what I'm looking for-the Rye, for example, was a 'Brown Balanced' and the SMaSH I was aiming for 'light & hoppy', but not 'bitter bomb'. Thanks in advance for any thoughts-I've only ended up with one beer that's been fully *ruined* here, but nearly everything I've brewed that's been over 30IBU has run the risk of being borderline...