08/31/2026
What the heck is an IBU? 🍺
We get this question a lot, so lets dive into it!
IBU stands for "International Bitterness Units", and it's simply a measurement of how much bitterness is in a beer.
The higher the number, the more bitterness you can generally expect.
But here's where it gets interesting...
A beer with 60 IBUs isn't automatically "twice as bitter" as a beer with 30 IBUs, and a beer with a high IBU doesn't always taste more bitter.
Why? Because sweetness, malt character, alcohol, and hop aroma all balance each other out. A juicy IPA with 50 IBUs can seem less bitter than a dry pale ale with 35.
As a rough guide:
🍺 0–15 IBU – Very low bitterness (wheat beers, light lagers)
🍺 15–30 IBU – Smooth and balanced (blondes, amber ales, many lagers)
🍺 30–50 IBU – Noticeable hop character (pale ales, many IPAs)
🍺 50+ IBU – Firm hop bitterness (West Coast IPAs and other hop-forward styles)
So the next time you're looking at our tap list, don't let the IBU number scare you. It's just one piece of the puzzle—and sometimes the most approachable beer on the board has a surprisingly high IBU.
That's one of the fun parts of craft beer... there's always something new to learn (and taste). Cheers! 🍻
