0 Min. Hop Additions to Beersmith = 0 IBUs

[pshankstar]

Be ready, its another Beersmith question from a newbie working with Beersmith. ;-)

Why is it that Beersmith has 0 IBUs for 0 minute hop additions to the boil? I understand how the IBUs diminish at different times during the boil and what not, but something doesn't seem right.

For example, I am trying to input a Heady Topper Clone from BYO into Beersmith. The BYO recipe says it should be 100+ IBUs, but Beersmith says its around 40.7 IBUs. For all of the 0 minute hop additions I leave it set to "Boil" for the use, but even if I change it to "Steep/Whirlpool" it still is set to 0 IBUs.

Any help and/or insight would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[broadbill]

0 minute addition does not allow isomerization of the alpha acids, hence 0 IBUs. I don't get how BYO could get 100+ IBUs if they are calling for late-addition (which HT should be). HT certainly doesn't drink like a 100+ IBU beer, but its got plenty of hop aroma and flavor. Here I say BS is correct, BYO is wrong.

 

[okiedog]

For steep/whirlpool hops, don't forget to enter how many minutes you intend to steep or whirlpool. The IBUs will increase corresponding to the number of minutes you enter.

 

[pshankstar]

Well, after I entered in all the ingredients from the recipe list and started reading the instructions. The 0 min. additions are suppose to be 30 whirlpool/steeping. So now that I am going back and changing them all from "Boil - 0 min" to "Whirlpool/Steeping - 30 mins", the IBU counts are going up.

I guess I posted too early. Oooops! But that's a little confusing looking at the recipe to see 0 min boil, but later on in the recipe it says 30 min whirlpool. I guess its important to read through it all first!

@broadbill, thanks for the quick response! Cheers!

 

[pshankstar]

For steep/whirlpool hops, don't forget to enter how many minutes you intend to steep or whirlpool. The IBUs will increase corresponding to the number of minutes you enter.

Thanks! I wish it said it in the ingredients list instead of 0 min at the boil. Like I said earlier, I should have read it all the way through before posting. It's all a learning experience...

 

[Qhrumphf]

IIRC the actual isomerization limit is approximately 180F or something like that (may be 175, may be 185, but in that range). Anything added above that will isomerize and add bitterness, but when boiling it happens more rapidly than when not boiling. If you add hops at flameout, pop in an immersion chiller, and then immediately chill below that ~180F threshold, the IBU contribution of your flameout hops will be negligible and you'll preserve the flavor and aroma volatiles. However, if you have a long hot whirlpool after the boil (as most pros do, along with most homebrewers using plate/CF chillers), then that hot time will allow increased isomerization, as well as reduction of the hop volatiles. Making flameout additions less useful, and making additions during the whirlpool more useful. Hell, if I had that setup and was going highly hopped beers, I'd be using a hopback. Maximize the hop character, AND it helps filter any residual trub out of your chiller.

 

[blizz81]

Bringing this back from the dead to note something: if I add 1oz 17.7% AA hop and tell it to boil for 15 min, it shows a 5.1 IBU contribution using Tinseth. However, if I change the same hop line to whirlpool / steep for 15 min, it shows 15.3 IBU. Why is it calculating more isomerization during a whirlpool than boil?

 

[pricelessbrewing]

The entire whirlpool formulas are hugely inaccurate. IIRC it's simply taking the IBU contributions from a 60 minute addition, and halving it.