OG is low IBU would be higher?

[Boo-urns]

I brewed an imperial stout a few weeks ago and started thinking. Since I had sparge / water issues and my OG came out a LOT lower than expected and I stuck to the same hop schedule wouldn't my IBU's be much higher?

http://www.brewtoad.com/recipes/night-train-2

 

[frazier]

In a word, yes. How much depends on the gravity. Plug the numbers into your recipe calculator and see how it affects the IBUs. The easiest way is to dial back the efficiency setting until it gives you the OG you actually got.

Cheers,

 

[Boo-urns]

Duh I should have dialed back the efficiency setting, I just created a variant of the recipe with same percentages to create the OG. Just shocked at how high the IBU's came out to be vs. taste. It tastes absolutely delicious right now. Been 5 weeks so far.

Thanks frazier!

 

[Trail]

Your IBUs will be a little higher because a thinner wort utilizes hops better. The bigger problem is that with less malt there's less sweetness to offset the bitter flavors, so it will subjectively taste hoppier.

 

[strambo]

Yeah, as Trail said, the raw IBU # will be a little different, but the change in BU/GU ratio is more significant.

Is a 60 IBU beer bitter? As a 5% session IPA, yes. In a 9% RIS, not so much.