Frame of Reference for High or Low OG's... or anything else

[Cavallaro]

I'm about as new as it gets to home brewing. I'm in my preliminary researching stage and am just trying to obtain as much information as I possibly can before I even get near brewing. I bought the book "How To Brew" by John Palmer and have just started reading and is so far extremely informative.

I have a hard time grasping the concept of a high or low OG and other variables alike. I keep seeing things on this forum and others about "if you have a high OG...." and I have no frame of reference to recognize a high or low variable. The same goes for FG, AAU, and IBU (and other acronyms I just haven't stumbled upon yet). I know the answer to this will involve "well it depends on the style", but I'm looking for an average. If someone is willing to be EXTRA helpful maybe give me the average for a few different styles so that I have something to go on.

I'm also not sure exactly what significance these numbers really have. How will different numbers, high or low, affect my beer when all is said and done?

I really know next to nothing about any of this so if you have any information at all about what I've asked or maybe some pointers that you wish you had known for your first brewing experience, I would REALLY appreciate it!!

Thanks!

 

[Pie_Man]

In home brewing, gravity measurements indicate the dissolved sugars in solution. So, a higher OG, the more sugars in the wort (beer before adding yeast and beginning fermentation), the greater the potential for stronger, higher alcohol beers. Determing what is and is not high gravity is somewhat subjective. I believe the general consensus is anything over about 1.060 is considered a high OG. I personally tend to think of a high OG to be anything over about 1.070.

FG is also somewhat subjective in determing what is high and low. Higher alcohol (higher OG) beers tend to have higher FGs than lower alcohol beers. In general, somehthing around 1.014 is probably about average, but it varies depending on the style. Generally speaking, the higher the FG, the fuller the beer's mouthfeel and the more unfermented sugars remain in the beer which can (it does not always) lead a sweeter tasting beer. These generalizations are overly simplistic. Beer is quite complex and a high FG does not necessarily mean a sweeter and fuller finished beer.

IBUs are an indication of the beer's bitterness level. Comparing the OG to the IBU level is a good technique to use. The bitterness levels often increase with the OG in order to provide balance. This ratio varies widely depending on the beer style.
References: http://beersmith.com/blog/2009/09/26/balancing-your-beer-with-the-bitterness-ratio/ and http://www.hogtownbrewers.org/brewschooldocs/ub-og-ratios.pdf

Look around the BJCP style guides, and you can get an idea for average OGs, FGs, ABVs for different styles. The values really are relative to the beer style: http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/catdex.php.

 

[Euphist]

A dozen different brewers will give you a dozen different answers.

Personally, I anything over about 1.070 to be a high OG. You'll also hear it called a high gravity beer. Granted, it might be typical or even low for a particular style, but I would consider those to be high gravity styles. :-D

For FG, 1.01 is fairly average (depending on style) and high and low would be above and below.

As for AAU, I tend to think of 9 and higher as being a high alpha hop.

IBU, I would argue, definitely depends on the style. A high IBU IPA might be 100 IBUs, whereas a high IBU Pilsner might be 40.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[OneImpBrewery]

Sadly this answer comes with more reading. Here is a complete list from the judging association http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_Guidelines.pdf

This will all become a second language in a matter of time. Higher OG will attribute to a higher ABV due to the increase in fermentable sugars in the wort. FG is what is left over after the yeast have eaten everything that they can. The difference between your OG and your FG is dependent on the yeasts attenuation. Generally range from 60%-low 80%, meaning that they east will consume that much of the sugar available to them. A high OG for say a Cream ale would be 1.070 which will often put a beer out of its style. If someone is not going by a style I generally say it is a big beer if it goes over 1.100

IBU international bittering unit and AAU are both a measure of hoppiness/happiness depends who you ask. The higher the number the more bitter was attributed to the batch. This can result in a hoppy beer if enough is added or simply a balanced beer if you add somewhere in the middle. Very little hops will result in a malty beer. All good and all based on your taste. Youve got a good book on your hands. It will get you as prepared as you can be to start brewing but some things you will have to learn on your own. After a few brews under your belt you will start to get in the swing of things and know what to expect. Either way its a lot of fun and a great hobby to get into. Welcome to the forum. Hope this helps.

-Imp