Currently the IBU’s are at 57. The crystal is 1 lb right now, what would be reasonable. 1.5? Why darker? That will change the color and add more of a caramel flavor?
In that case I’d skip the sugar and make sure the BU:GU ratio is at least .8:1.
Pardon my ignorence: BU:GU?
Bittering units:gravity units. I find it’s a useful way to think about the hop:malt balancde of a beer. Hoppy beers, like IPa, I like to get close to a 1:1 ratio…i.e., a 1.075 beer with 70-75 IBU. A beer like a Helles may be a ratio of .3:1. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but it helps you get in the ballpark when you design a recipe.
So gravity units suggests the OG? I have never heard of that system before. It seems like a nice guide for a beer style. Do you have any references on the subject?
“Gravity units” are a way of representing specific gravity by using just the numbers after the decimal. So, 1.038 = 38 and 1.105 = 105. So, a beer with 70 IBU and an OG of 1.070 has a BU:GU of 70:70, or 1:1.
IIRC, Ray Daniels first wrote about in Designing Great Beers.
As someone who is really just starting to make up my own recipes the ratio is hugely useful. Really helps me figure out what IBU’s to shoot for when I can use ratios from beers I’ve done or craft beers I’ve enjoyed to help guide me in the right direction.
+1.
Sounds like it would be helpful. I try to follow the BFCP as well as I can. But, anything else to help in teh process is a help.
It’s kind of implied in BJCP as they indicate acceptable ranges for both gravity and IBUs.
