AG#2 IBU advice please

[guypettigrew]

Just planning AG brew No 2. Looking for some advice on IBU level.

AG#1 went well, considering it was my first for over a decade. It ended up being OG 1042-44, fermented out well and has cleared.

However, not knowing about Graham Wheeler's beer engine, I used hops at about the same rate as I'd always used them. 2 oz Golding and 1 1/2 oz Fuggles.

Since I last brewed, though, home brew hops seem to have improved. Plugging their alpha acid values into the engine tells me the beer has 111 IBUs! Silly! It certainly tastes very bitter.

So for the next brew, which I'm planning to be a 1045-50 bitter, using just pale and crystal malt, what IBU level should I be aiming for? The hops I have available (and their AA content) are; Goldings (7.5%), East Kent Goldings (4.6%), Fuggles (5.26%) and Saaz (3.5%).

What would you advise, please?

Guy

[pas8280]

Guy i don't think 111 ibu is obscene i'm drinking a 91ibu pale as i type , but for a standard bitter i find 30 to 40 ibu is fine and gives a well ballanced bitter, one of my better ones has been an 80 % fuggles creation with 20 % of goldings last 5 mins with 38ibu ,very easy drinking session ale .
Obviously its everyones own taste that they brew to Im planning a fuggles and Citra pale ale for the morning and looking at 45 ish ibu
regards Paul

[6470zzy]

For a Bitter I think 30-40 IBU would be about right............for me anyway opinions will vary I am certain

Cheers

[Beer O'Clock]

I have done everything from 25 -70 IBU. It is very style and taste dependant.