To all Hopheads

What is your target IBU# in your favorite IPA? I have been playing with the number since I purchased Beersmith. I plugged in some of my older recipes to see where they were. Found all to be extremely high. I'm trying to bring things more into range but love the bitterness. What # do you like?

 

My favorite IPA is Fat Head's Head Hunter IPA from North Olmstead, OH. It's borderline between an American IPA & Imperial IPA...right at 7.4% ABV & mid-80's in terms of IBUs. They use a combo of Simcoe, Columbus, & Cascade hops.

It's quite bitter without going overboard, balanced perfectly against a subtle maltiness. The best part is the citrus/pine aroma. It's the best smelling IPA I've ever had...& I've been to Russian River & Firestone-Walker who both have a wide variety of great pales & IPAs.

I'm brewing my 2nd IPA next weekend & hoping to come in around 7.6% ABV & 86 IBUs. It's not really an attempt at a clone, since I'll be using Simcoe, Amarillo, Centennial, & Chinook hops. I'd like it to turn out a little more piney & slightly less citrusy.

 

I think that is the range I would be shooting for also. 80 and higher is where I like mine also. I had a friend of mine tell me about that Head Hunter and he said it was excellent.

 

My favorites are all over the place. Some are more bitter, some less. More hops flavor and aroma, rather than bitterness, is key for me.

 

My favorite IPA is Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada. They target their's around 65 IBUs and I find that number to be just perfect for an American IPA.

 

I'm way more about flavor and aroma than IBU. I can enjoy a Stone Ruination now and then, but prefer a little less bitterness and way more late addition hopping. The IBU calculations also becomes less accurate with later additions, and since I add so many late hops it's hard to say exactly what the IBU is for my favorite recipes. The other issue is that a maltier IPA can withstand much higher IBU than a light dry one. I feel like some grain bill / mash schedule combinations have good bitterness with only 70 IBU hopping, whereas others might need >80 IBU to balance the malt. According to beersmith, my IPA's range from 67 IBU to well over 100.