Confused about Rager and Tinseth Forumlas - Please Help

I am working on an all grain recipe that calls for 60 IBU. Using Beersmith 1.4, if calculated with Rager, the recipe calls for 3.6 oz of hops. If calculated with Tinseth, the recipe shifts to 4.5 oz of hops - nearly 1 additional ounce.

That 4.5 oz in Tinseth changed back to Rager results in 85.5 IBU.

I am confused as to which calculation I should use. The bottom line is that I need 60 IBU.

Am I missing something?

Doesn't the bittering calculation make or break the recipe and taste?

Here's an article you might be interested in reading.  Skip to the last 4 paragraphs if you want a good summary or read the whole thing if your really into the nitty gritty of how the equations differ.

Hop utilization models are like economist opinions:  based on the same facts, full of assumptions and very different. 

Try to find out which model the recipe used.  JZ used Rager for Brewing Classic Styles, and I see Rager mentioned most often in magazines.  But most writers say Tinseth is technically the better model.  I think this is due to the current brewing gurus starting with Rager in ProMash and learning the ropes with Rager.  Ten years from now, after a decade of Tinseth and BeerSmith dominance (ha ha), perhaps most recipes will be based on Tinseth.

For the casual home brewer, it's usually recommended that you pick one and stick to it, and you gradually learn what 60 IBU tastes like to you, and you adjust from there. 

Ok, I'll go with Tinseth. Would you UP the hops to get 60 IBU and where is the best place to start? In other words, would you increase the hops @ 60 minutes vs. those at 5 minute?

ultravista said:

I am working on an all grain recipe that calls for 60 IBU. Using Beersmith 1.4, if calculated with Rager, the recipe calls for 3.6 oz of hops. If calculated with Tinseth, the recipe shifts to 4.5 oz of hops - nearly 1 additional ounce.

That 4.5 oz in Tinseth changed back to Rager results in 85.5 IBU.

I am confused as to which calculation I should use. The bottom line is that I need 60 IBU.

Am I missing something?

Doesn't the bittering calculation make or break the recipe and taste?

Click to expand...

You never stated what you are trying to accomplish.

First of all, recipes are GUIDELINES, road-maps to put you in the ball park of what you want to accomplish.  When in doubt split the difference and use 4 oz.  If you want to push the bitterness go to 4.5 or even 5 oz.  If you want the flavor/aroma backoff on the bittering.  Adjust the next time you brew.

the bottom line it's not the calculation that makes the beer, it's you,  I assure you that if You, Maltlicker, and I brewed the same beer we would for a number of reasons end up with 3 different beers. 

bonjour said:

You never stated what you are trying to accomplish.

First of all, recipes are GUIDELINES, road-maps to put you in the ball park of what you want to accomplish.  When in doubt split the difference and use 4 oz.  If you want to push the bitterness go to 4.5 or even 5 oz.  If you want the flavor/aroma backoff on the bittering.  Adjust the next time you brew.

the bottom line it's not the calculation that makes the beer, it's you,  I assure you that if You, Maltlicker, and I brewed the same beer we would for a number of reasons end up with 3 different beers. 

Click to expand...

+1

I'll add that your system and process will contribute to your own bitterness scale.  Pick one scale and only use one then, over time, you will learn that a 50 in tinseth tastes a certain way.  You will learn to up the bitter or drop it based on how your beers come out.  On my system, a tinseth 40 is too bitter so if a recipe calculates to a 40, I back it off 10 points.

- Joe

bonjour - I am working on a Rogue Double Dead Guy clone. As published by Rogue, the IBU is 60.

Where I am running into problems is the hop calculation. The difference between Tinseth and Rager is quite pronounced.

60 IBU in Rager is 85 in Tinseth. 60 in Tinseth is somewhere in the 30's when changed to Rager.

See where I am going with this?

I want to come in at 60 IBU ...

Then the only way to come in at 60 is to pick one and go for it.  Since it came from Rogue I would assume Rager, but I may be wrong.

You will still have to adjust your recipe to get a match.  Make sure you are using a fresh example of the beer for comparison.

When you finish send your beer to a lab to have it analyzed is 60 IBU's is that important to you.

It isn't the numbers, it's the taste.