How do I plan multiple hop additions?

Calculate each addition separately. For example, if you want 30 IBU from a 60-min addition and 10 IBU from a 15-min addition, run this calculator twice with the appropriate boil times and target IBUs.

What IBU should I target?

Target IBU depends on beer style. Light lagers: 8-15, Wheat beers: 10-20, Pale ales: 30-45, IPAs: 40-70, DIPAs: 60-100+, Stouts: 25-50. Check BJCP guidelines for your specific style.

Should I round hop weights?

For homebrewing, rounding to the nearest gram is fine. A gram or two either way will not noticeably affect the final beer. Most kitchen scales are accurate to 1g anyway.

Does boil gravity affect the hop amount needed?

Yes, significantly. Higher gravity worts reduce hop utilisation, meaning you need more hops for the same IBU. A 1.070 wort may require 30-40% more hops than a 1.040 wort for the same bitterness at the same boil time.

What is the difference between bittering and flavour additions?

Bittering additions (45-60 min) extract maximum bitterness but minimal flavour and aroma. Flavour additions (15-30 min) contribute both bitterness and hop flavour. Aroma additions (0-5 min or hop stand) contribute mainly aroma with minimal bitterness.

BrewCalcs

Hop Addition Calculator — Target IBU

Calculate hop weight needed to hit a target IBU for a boil addition.

Target IBU

Enter the target ibu

Alpha Acid

Alpha acid percentage of your hops

Boil Time

Duration of the wort boil

Batch Size

Volume of your batch

Boil Gravity

Gravity of the wort during the boil

How We Calculate This

Reverse IBU Calculation

Hop Weight = (Target IBU x Volume) / (AA/100 x Utilisation x 1000)

This rearranges the Tinseth IBU formula to solve for hop weight. Enter your target IBU and the calculator determines how much hops you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Calculators

IBU Calculator

Calculate International Bitterness Units using Tinseth or Rager formulas.

Hop Utilisation Calculator

Calculate IBU contribution, utilisation percentage and bittering versus flavour ratio from alpha acid, hop weight, boil time and wort gravity.

Hop Substitution Calculator

Find equivalent hop amounts when substituting varieties.

Dry Hop Calculator

Calculate dry hop amounts based on desired intensity and batch size.

First Wort Hop Calculator

Calculate IBU contribution from first wort hopping additions.

Last updated: 2025-02-20

All calculations are estimates. Always verify values and adjust based on your equipment and ingredients.