So I brewed a sort of pils with 3lbs of Pils dme in 2.5 gallons of water. I boiled .75 ounces of Saaz a hops for 45 minutes and added another .25 ounces of Saaz for the last 15 minutes. According to the Brewers Friend calculator that gravity/hops/boil time should give me 22-23 IBUs but when I tasted the O.G. sample it was very bitter. Since this is my first hop boil, I'm wondering if that bitterness will diminish as fermentation, lagering, carbing, etc. proceeds, or is the end product going to be that bitter?
Does bitterness diminish?
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Bitterness will diminish. I haven't really experienced it myself, but I have heard that it is particularly noticable in doppelbocks and barelywines that get to be more than a year old.
There's bitterness and perception of bitterness. Personally, I find it very hard to make any judgments based on pre-fermentation tastings. I wouldn't worry about it yet.
That being said, did your Brewer's Friend calculcation take into account your 2.5 gallon volume? Also, did you use a specific alpha acid percentage for your calculation and did that AA% match the actual AA% of your Saaz hops? Both of those could be where your problem arose.
That being said, did your Brewer's Friend calculcation take into account your 2.5 gallon volume? Also, did you use a specific alpha acid percentage for your calculation and did that AA% match the actual AA% of your Saaz hops? Both of those could be where your problem arose.
Lefou
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Bitterness perception is something that interests me.
My beers rarely have substantial amounts of hops with any real alpha acid content and, more or less, the majority of the hops I use and prefer are low alpha aroma hops. This last ale made was one using Saaz hops as first wort additions and the perception isn't bitter up front, but more of a lingering taste in the finish after a sharp carb bite.
One of my blondes used a small amount of Citra for bittering and the taste was immediately noticeable but as the beer aged, it seemed less strong.
It would be interesting to hear other experiences on that and how other people use hops, and why.
My beers rarely have substantial amounts of hops with any real alpha acid content and, more or less, the majority of the hops I use and prefer are low alpha aroma hops. This last ale made was one using Saaz hops as first wort additions and the perception isn't bitter up front, but more of a lingering taste in the finish after a sharp carb bite.
One of my blondes used a small amount of Citra for bittering and the taste was immediately noticeable but as the beer aged, it seemed less strong.
It would be interesting to hear other experiences on that and how other people use hops, and why.
Pappers, yes, I entered the 2.5 gallon boil size. Your question about AAs is a good one. I bought an ounce of Czech Saaz listed as 2-5 AAs. I entered 3.5 in the calculator, but honestly have no idea. If the ounce i got was 5, my IBU would have been 30ish.
Is there a way to determine the actual AA level of a given sample of hops?
Is there a way to determine the actual AA level of a given sample of hops?
Lefou
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From the looks of how some calculators are set up and how the styles are organized, I think the bitterness perception is built in to reflect that. One of the measurements I pay attention to when building a beer is the bitterness-to-gravity ratio.
After brewing the recipe, I try to imagine how that particular measure has really influenced my beer ... and so far, it seems the bitterness perception is more noticeable in lighter gravity beers.
If the 2-5 AA was shown in the catalog, there should be an actual %AA printed on the package. Do you still have it?
Edit: Ignore this - I didn't see your last post.
Lefou
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Another hint ... even though the AAU rating is printed on the package, it can vary from lot lot and with the season.
I try to get my beers in a range of bitterness for the style without sweating the precise amount. None of my beers get submitted for competitions so it isn't something critical for me to suffer worry over.
I try to get my beers in a range of bitterness for the style without sweating the precise amount. None of my beers get submitted for competitions so it isn't something critical for me to suffer worry over.
TurnipGreen
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Yes. It sure will diminish with time. And yeast selection will drive some of the flavors too.
It’s good to taste your beer though out the process, but the flavors will change along the way. I’ve tasted the exact thing you’re describing in wort. Where it taste really bitter and doesn’t have the hop nose, let the yeast work and taste again. You’ll be surprised how it balances out.
It’s good to taste your beer though out the process, but the flavors will change along the way. I’ve tasted the exact thing you’re describing in wort. Where it taste really bitter and doesn’t have the hop nose, let the yeast work and taste again. You’ll be surprised how it balances out.
Smellyglove
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No matter what beer you brew. If you use hops in it, and taste the OG-sample, like you said you did, it will taste way more bitter than how it will en up. That's because you're not tasting just the "pure" bitterness, but also suspended particles in the sample which can fool you for tasting like "bitter". Try a sample of an IPA if you feel like the 23 IBU-pilsner felt bitter at the OG-sample. You'd want to toss it out if you didn't know better
