IBU% of bittering hops in APA/IPA

When designing a recipe with emphasis on late additions (15-5minutes) what %/IBU (not AA%) of bittering hops do you use at the 60min addition?

I've been hitting a 60min IBU between 20-25% using columbus in my APA/IPAs. I'm getting wonderful hop flavor from the later additions but I want to tweak my 60min to add a slightly more kick without overpowering the later. What have you had success with?

Or I might go back to chinook, but I found that over powering of my citrusy late addition hops.

I'm experimenting with an APA right now putting more hops in later rather than the traditional 60min bittering charge. I put in bout 25 ibu of magnum at 45 and a half ounce each of cascade and centennial at 10 minutes and at flame out. I got about 10 ibu from these. My hope is that I will get a smoother bittering kick and more hop flavor doing it this way. If I'm not happy with this I may move the 45 up to 30 and increase the amount to keep the ibu level the same.

Ill bitter around 50% with a FWH to get a bolder smooth hop bite out of the back end on IPA/DIPAs
On pales ill use around 35% on a 60min charge.

...i like hoppy beers if u cant tell.

wow, that is pretty hoppy!

I had messed up in my original post, the percentage I was looking for was %/IBU, I see it used in beersmith's recipe design.

I plugged in SNPA and their bittering with pearle is only 14% which seemed low compared to mine.... I'm trying to understand the reasons behind %/IBU and how its used.

Paulgs3 said:

I had messed up in my original post, the percentage I was looking for was %/IBU, I see it used in beersmith's recipe design.

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In Beersmith "%/IBU" column is a multi-purpose column. IBU is obviously a reference to the bitterness contribution of each hop addition. % is used to display the percentage of the overall grain bill for each fermentable in the recipe.

But to answer the question I think you are asking: For an APA or IPA, I actually work backwards to determine the size of my bittering charge. I start with a target total IBU estimate in mind (e.g., 70 for an IPA). I then configure my aroma/flavor additions. The difference will become my target 60 minute charge.

Paulgs3 said:

wow, that is pretty hoppy!

I had messed up in my original post, the percentage I was looking for was %/IBU, I see it used in beersmith's recipe design.

I plugged in SNPA and their bittering with pearle is only 14% which seemed low compared to mine.... I'm trying to understand the reasons behind %/IBU and how its used.

Click to expand...

The %/IBU shows how much IBU you impart with a single addition with hops and with grain it shows the total % of that grain addition.

With an APA I like to do smaller additions at the start and work my way up towards the end with frequent additions throughout, so in my case it may look like this for a 3bbl batch...

2oz @ 60
2oz @ 45
3oz @ 30
5oz @ 15
(strictly example)

This way there is more flavor and aroma than there is bittering and it is quite a bit smoother than what you would look for out of an IPA. If you want to get even smoother take your hop additions and break them into every 10 minute additions or even every 5 minute additions which creates an entirely different finished product.

I have found the smaller more frequent additions as well as mixing up the hops in the addition (eg 1.5oz Willamette and 1oz Challenger) during additions creates a wonderful complexity to both IPA and APAs alike.

Unfortunatley not everyone who drinks your beer will appreciate it the same as you, but those that know will comment on it more often than not.

watersr said:

I put in bout 25 ibu of magnum at 45 and a half ounce each of cascade and centennial at 10 minutes and at flame out.

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So you are doing around the same as me. I have been shooting for 20-25 IBU. That is what I was trying to feel out, as what IBU (beersmith's %/IBU) people were targeting with favorable results.

I guess the best way to ask is what IBU people target for their 60-45 min addition for IBU. And as far as asking about the %/IBU yeah....I read Nightshade response and realized I just had a wtf Monday moment when I left my brain at home. I knew exactly what it was that I asked and I feel foolish for asking. Doh! Thank you for taking the time to answer!

Brewers made good ale before the advent to science. I just use an ounce or two of noble hops for, 60 min., bittering hop. I might replace that with a medium alpha duel purpose hops that has a noble hop character. It's like an old school chef that just seasons to taste.

Brewers made good ale for ages with low alpha hops. I stay way away from high alpha hops.

Brewing is an art and a science. Science has been a great boon to brewing but I lean more to the art side of it and don't want to get too technical. With hops I'm just looking for the right taste. Old school brewers got that just by tossing in a handful or two of hops.