Geetings, New to Brewing like the info here I've been reading

[Alcoholica]

Hello, This hangout looks extremely informative so I just joined. I keep ending up here in my quest to learn how to make that perfect cold beverage..

I will introduce myself as a noob with a simple noob questionoes anyone know a commercial beer that taste like it's in the 50 or 60 IBU range with cascade hops? And what is your favorite?

Because I think that is the brew range I'll end up with after playing with Q-brew .I would like to see what a 50-60 Ibu brew taste like for myself..And now would be a great time to do that.

If you answer God bless,If you don't Well, God bless you too. Nice to meet you all here

 

[Qhrumphf]

A good starting point will be Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I would assume it's a touch lower in terms of IBUs (although I don't know the exact amount), but it'll be close, and Cascade is a major player in that beer.

However, IBUs only matter when combined with a malt bill. There's a balance between the malt character (and residual malt sweetness) and IBUs, so a bigger, heavier beer will need higher IBUs to keep the same balance. One beer I've got in primary is just shy of 80 IBUs, and has a noticeable bitterness, but it's still fairly balanced between malt sweetness and hop bitterness. Where another beer at 80 IBUs may seem to have an INTENSE bitterness. When referring to the actual "bitter" flavor I prefer to think in BU:GU terms.

Plus there's the fact that all the software IBU calculations differ, and whichever formula you use (I use Tinseth personally) is still just an approximation.

So in the end, you'll have to see what the calculated IBUs tastes like to you, and use that experience as a guide in the future.

 

[Alcoholica]

O.K. Qhrumphf Thanks man , I had a feeling that would be the one..
I'm drinking Newcastle right now, It was on sale for 13 bucks a 12 pack and I like that beer a lot when it's not 16 or 17 bucks.... I've been drinking a lot of Dos Equis amber a lot lately as well.. So maybe I should give Sierra another chance and acquire the taste. I mean Since I have a Whole pound of Cascades

As far as malt I used a 3.3 can of briess amber lme for a 2-1/2 gallon batch and did the hopping by eye ball. Hopefully .5 oz cascades for 20 mins and .5 0z for 5 minutes with .3 oz of Centennial for an hour..But I may have done .75 on both cascades...
I still need to get some more hardware for the craft obviously.

I boiled a gallon of water on the electric stove and added a pound of LME and did the hopping. Then after flame out I added the remaining LME.. If I eye balled the hops correctly the IBU will be around 40..But I think I may have over did it on the cascades...But that may not be a bad thing...

Then again My small eye on the electric stove doesn't roll on the boil with 1 gallon of water,it's More like a quiet boil.. So that may have helped to keep it around 40..Oh well I'll get better ..Think I may go get a 12er of some Sierra and prepare myself for the piney beer then,Maybe I'll learn to appreciate it more now.. Thanks

 

[Qhrumphf]

That amber extract has a pretty good caramel character. Plus, factoring boil volume, you're looking at 47 IBUs according to BeerSmith at .5 oz each of Cascade. It'd say it'll probably be somewhere between an American Pale (a little too much caramel), American Amber (a little too bitter), and American IPA (not big enough, and on the very low end of hops), and I'd probably call it a "session IPA" myself. But I'd think that should be pretty tasty.

Electric stoves are no fun. I fought mine for years (although mine performs a bit better than that), and finally went the e-brewing route, so I don't even need the stove to brew any more (I'm on the 14th floor of a highrise, so propane isn't an option). We all have our roadblocks we have to get through.

In any event, welcome to the forum and the hobby.

 

[Alcoholica]

And thanks nice to meet you
I'll have to check out that software and try it again. I have 12 bucks for another can,lol. I have a good feeling I was over .5 oz though ,that 20 minute addition for flavor really showed it's true size after saturation.. Didn't think about buying scales until after I started boiling the malt:smack:..

Session IPA it is then,lol, at least I can call it something now,.. I was really shooting for the American Amber Ale range But I'll get it right next time.. When I do get it right then I'll start using some DME after that and get the hang of applying that .I see what you mean about the road blocks. So Eventually I'll just go step by step move on to the grains from extracts.Maybe buy a stove with at least one large eye,lol. .