What Is Srm In Craft Beer?

Standard Reference Method (Srm) is the method for color assessment of wort wort Wort (/ˈwɜːrt/) is the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whisky. Wort contains the sugars, the most important being maltose and maltotriose, that will be fermented by the brewing yeast to produce alcohol. https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Wort

Wort – Wikipedia

or beer as published in the recommended methods of the American Society of Brewing Chemists American Society of Brewing Chemists American Society Of Brewing Chemists (Asbc) is the society developed out of the Analysis Committee of the United States Brewers Association (USBA) that was pursuing standardized methods for the US brewing industry prior to prohibition.

American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC)

, See american society of brewing chemists (asbc). It is measured in a cell of path length 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) with light of wavelength 430 nm.
Two regular dudes who happen to be huge fans of American craft beer. We, as humans, are very visual. We use this sense to give us quick feedback on many aspects of life. Brewers only have one chance to set the first impression of a beer as it pours into our glass.

Based on the style of the beer, the color is the first gauge for what we expect in a beer. Other factors like retention, lacing, and color of the foam play a big part also. SRM is a scale for measuring the color intensity of a beer (it’s more technical than this, but we will leave it there). SRM was adopted by the Ameican Society of Brewing Chemists in 1951.

There is another, older scale named degrees Lovibond (devised by Joseph Williams Lovibond) that the SRM scale has replaced. The color chart and colors below are an approximation of the actual colors in the SRM scale. Two Beer Dudes tries to use these color descriptions or SRM number when rating beer.

Beer Colors and SRM Value
Color Swatch	SRM	Color
	2	Pale Straw
	3	Straw
	4	Pale Gold
	6	Deep Gold
	9	Pale Amber
	12	Medium Amber
	15	Deep Amber
	18	Amber-Brown
	20	Brown
	24	Ruby Brown
	30	Deep Brown
	40	Black

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Beer Style SRM Color Ranges Style SRM Range Pilsner 2 – 7 Witbier, Berliner Weisse 2 – 4 Belgian Strong Ale 4 – 7 Maibock 4 – 10 Vienna Lager 7 – 14 Oktoberfest 4 – 12 American Pale Ale 6 – 14 Pale Ale 5 – 14 English Golden Ale 4 – 8 Bavarian Weizen 4 – 10 Bitter, ESB 8 – 14 Märzen 7 – 15 Imperial Pale Ale 5 – 11 Bière de Garde 6 – 13 Dunkel Weizen 9 – 13 Amber Ale 11 – 18 English Brown Ale 12 – 22 Bock 15 – 30 Porter 20 – 40 Oatmeal Stout 25 – 40 Baltic Porter 17 – 40 Foreign Stout 30 – 65 Imperial Stout 50 – 80 Source: Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher

Two regular dudes who happen to be huge fans of American craft beer.

What is SRM units with beer?

Technical Background – The BJCP Color Guide is designed to help you estimate the color of a beer in SRM units (standard in the US for over 50 years). In a laboratory SRM (Standard Reference Method) is determined by measuring the diminution in the intensity of a beam of blue light (430 nm) as it passes through 1 cm of beer. SRM is the logarithm of the light loss (absorption) multiplied by 12.7. The European EBC color is determined in the same way except that the multiplier is 25. This means that the Guide can be used to estimated EBC as well as SRM color. Simply multiply SRM values by 1.97. Example 10 SRM is equivalent to 19.7 EBC. The Guide was prepared by measuring the spectral absorptions of approximately 100 beers. The data were used to calculate the colors of average beers with the SRM values printed on the guide The printer was asked to reproduce these colors as accurately as possible. Your ability to match the colors on the Guide to the color of a beer you are examining is limited by the fact that a given beer’s color may differ from the color of the average beer of the same SRM, by limitations in the printing process and by your color comparison skills which should improve with practice. Color-blind users should expect difficulty but can use the Guide. Testing indicates that comparisons are easier with lighter colored beers (<10 SRM) with errors expected to be 1-2 SRM. You may get a better reading by diluting a darker beer and then multiplying the SRM value of the closest patch by the dilution factor. Example: a beer diluted 2 parts distilled water to 1 part beer matches the SRM 9 patch closely. Its SRM is recorded as 27. The color patches were calculated for 5 cm (2″) path and for daylight (6500 K). Ideally beer samples should be examined in a 5 cm wide glass or (better) 5 cm square glass bottle by daylight or by artificial light of 5000-8000K with a high color rendering index (CRI). Fluorescents with these properties are sold at photo shops. Using daylight you can expect errors to be about 15% of the SRM value. Under tungsten light errors are about 20%. The width of the container is important!

What is SRM for ipa?

The quick and easy guide to beer colour and their generally accepted SRM values based on beer style. SRM Beer Colour Guide:

Beer Style	SRM Colour
D. Foreign Extra Stout	30-40+
E. American Stout	30-40+
F. Imperial Stout	30-40+
14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)

What does SRM mean in alcohol?

SRM: Standard Reference Method. Possibly the most confusing designation, Standard Reference Method measures the color of the beer in your glass—the higher the number, the darker the beer.

How is SRM calculated?

To measure SRM, blue light is passed through 1 centimeter of brewed beer: the amount of light lost is then multiplied by 12.7, the resulting number is your SRM. The more light lost through the centimeter of beer, the higher the SRM and the darker the color of the beer.

What is SRM score?

The range of standardized response mean (SRM) values across twenty-nine studies. The SRM range per study, represented by vertical bars, includes SRM for the lowest category of patient’s clinical change to the highest category of change.

Why does SRM matter in beer?

What Is SRM? – SRM stands for Standard Reference Method and is defined as measuring the attenuation of light of a particular wavelength in passing through 1 cm of the beer. If you think that is easy to understand then I highly recommend checking out the rest of the Wikipedia page about it.

They have equations, algebra, exponents, fractions and all types of crazy science going on over there. If you aren’t into a full math and science lesson then keep reading this because SRM is actually really easy to understand even if the process of determining it is complicated. More or less, SRM tells us the specific color of the beer based on how light passes through it.

It’s a consistent method for telling us if the beer is dark, straw, amber or another color. Related Post: How Long Should Beer Sit On A Store’s Shelf?

How many units is 3% beer?

We’re supposed to be keeping an eye on how much we drink, but how many of us really know what a unit of alcohol is? With so many different drinks and glass sizes, from shots to pints – not to mention bottles – it’s easy to get confused about how many units are in your drink.

• The idea of counting alcohol units was first introduced in the UK in 1987 to help people keep track of their drinking.
• Units are a simple way of expressing the quantity of pure alcohol in a drink.
• One unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour.

This means that within an hour there should be, in theory, little or no alcohol left in the blood of an adult, although this will vary from person to person. The number of units in a drink is based on the size of the drink, as well as its alcohol strength.

men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basisspread your drinking over 3 or more days if you regularly drink as much as 14 units a weekif you want to cut down, try to have several drink-free days each week

14 units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine.

What is IBU and SRM in beer?

While the acronyms of beer’s vital stats ‒ ABV, IBU, SRM and OG ‒ may seem like alphabet soup to the uninitiated, alcohol by volume, international bittering units, standard reference method and original gravity are all integral to understanding beer.

1. In this article, we’ll define these vital stats and explain how they’re useful.
2. Have you ever stood in the beer aisle wondering, “What style am I in the mood for? Do I want a 22-ounce bomber, or a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans? Should I try a new brewery’s beer or just grab one of my go-tos?” With so many options available for craft lovers, the easiest way to choose a brew is by style.

However, knowing a beer’s vital stats can help your decision-making process ‒ specifically, a beer’s alcohol by volume (ABV), international bittering units (IBU), standard reference method (SRM) and, sometime (but not always), original gravity (OG). ABV / Alcohol by Volume in Beer Almost every beer a consumer will find on the shelf or on draft will have its ABV clearly labeled. While that rather sticky scientific definition might be a mouthful, the fact is the higher the ABV, the boozier a beer will be in its aroma and flavor. For some, ABV is the most important factor for choosing a beer – or at least how many they down in a sitting.

• Large-scale lager fans will know that an American Lager or American Light Lager usually clocks in between 4 and 5 percent ABV, while Imperial Pastry Stout fans will scoff if a beer doesn’t hit at least 11 or 12 percent ABV.
• Since the ABV standard is used worldwide for all alcoholic beverages, it is perhaps the most important element of a beer’s vital stats.

IBU / International Bittering Units A slightly more obscure acronym among beer’s vital stats is a beer’s IBU total. IBUs stand for International Bittering Units ‒ a pretty good gauge of a beer’s bitterness. Any fan of hoppy beers, such as American IPAs or big, boozy Double IPAs, will know all about the IBU scale.

• You can read our full definition of the term in What’s The Meaning of IBU?,
• Much like alcohol by volume, international bittering units have a scientific underpinning: IBUs measure the parts per million of isohumulone found in a beer.
• Isohumulone is the acid found in hops that gives beer its distinct bitterness.

Though the IBU scale can be used as a general guideline for taste, with lower IBUs corresponding to less bitterness and vice versa, it’s important to note that malt and other flavors can mask the taste of bitterness in beer. Overall, the combination of ABV and IBU on a can or bottle of beer can convey an impressive amount of information when it comes to learning about a specific beer’s flavor and aroma profile.

1. SRM / Standard Reference Method Beer style and style family play a large role in a beer’s appearance, but one vital stat actually quantifies appearance.
2. While not quite as recognizable and widespread as alcohol by volume and international bittering units, SRM or Standard Reference Method is about as close as the beer world comes to a unified way of gauging color.

Multiple factors must be taken into account (many of which are outlined in What Determines the Color of Beer? ), but Standard Reference Method is calculated by passing light of a particular wavelength through a 1-centimeter-deep sample of beer and measuring the amount of light absorbed by the beer in that sample.

While the Standard Reference Method scale ranges from 2-5 (where you find lighter styles like Pilsner, Light Lagers, Helles Lagers and Exportbier) all the way up to 70s and 80s, the human eye can only see so many colors ( Mantis Shrimp we are not ), so all beers beyond the upper 40s (Imperial Stouts, Black IPA, Barrel-Aged Baltic Porters) simply look opaque and black.

Moving further along the SRM scale, beers at 7-15 SRM are generally amber, encompassing amber ales, pale ales and most modern IPAs. In the 16-25 range, beers are mostly dark amber to brown, featuring Barleywines, brown ales and Oud Bruins, among others. OG / Original Gravity Another less common acronym on a beer’s label is OG, or original gravity, Though a wee bit more granular than, say, the easily understood numbers of ABV, IBU and SRM, original gravity is defined as the relative density of the wort – the liquid that will ferment and become beer.

That density revolves mostly around the quantity of fermentable sugars in the wort, which are fermented by the yeast and become alcohol. In terms of usefulness, OG is regarded as a guide to the alcoholic strength of the finished beer, but in a more brewer-friendly term than, say, ABV, which is very clear to anyone who wants to purchase any alcoholic beverage.

So there you have it. While beer’s vital stats might seem like an unapproachable series of letters, numbers and decimal places, the truth is that these four acronyms serve to paint a fairly detailed picture of a beer in a very small amount of space – perfect for the tiny climes of a beer’s can or bottle artwork. Mikkeller IBU Photo Courtesy of Flickr/Bernt Rostad

What is the difference between beer SRM and EBC?

SRM vs. EBC — Under the Jenfluence Color Units EBC (European Brewery Convention) is the method established by the for assessing the color of wort or beer. Both methods involve measuring a beer sample color in a that is placed in a at a wavelength of 430 nm.

1. However, SRM color is measured using a 1/2 inch cuvette whereas EBC color is measured using a 1 centimeter cuvette.
2. The result is that EBC color is approximately 1.97 times the SRM color.
3. The equations for converting SRM to EBC or vice versa are fairly simple: SRM = EBC x 0.508 EBC = SRM x 1.97 Therefore, let’s say that on an exam (cough, cough) you are asked to convert a beer’s color of 16 SRM to EBC, all you have to do is multiply the SRM by 1.97 to figure out the EBC: EBC = 16 x 1.97 = 31.52 : SRM vs.

EBC — Under the Jenfluence

What is the SRM of Guinness?

Guinness Extra Stout is 5.6% ABV, 47 IBUs and 45 SRM.

What is the SRM of a brown ale?

Brown Ale Styles – There are at least three major distinct styles of brown ale, excluding Brown Porter which is a variation of Porter, Northern or Newcastle brown ales have an original gravity between 1.040 and 1.052, dark amber color between 12 and 22 SRM and bitterness of 20-30 IBUs.

1. Both malt and bitterness are present in moderate levels, and caramel/malt flavor adds some sweetness.
2. Newcastle Brown Ale is the obvious example, though a number of Nut Brown Ales also fall into this category.
3. London or Southern Brown ales are malty with relatively low bitterness.
4. They have a sweet caramel flavor, very dark color and some dark fruit (raisin) flavors.

They are made with an original gravity between 1.035 and 1.042 and low bitterness level of 12-20 IBUs with dark color of 19-35 SRM. American Brown ales are brewed with a higher starting gravity between 1.045 and 1.060 with higher bitterness of 20-40 IBUs.

What is the SRM of Bud Light?

Why Is Bud Light An American Light Lager? – First, it’s essential to know that there are five general criteria that help us classify beers in their categories. The first criterion is the bitterness of the beer. This is measured in International Bitterness Units (IBU).

American light lagers have an IBU between 6 – 12, which means they’re less bitter than regular American lagers ( such as Budweiser ), with an IBU of 8 – 18. Since Bud Light has an IBU of 6, this means this beer falls precisely in the American light lager category. Furthermore, there’s the SRM of the beer, which refers to the color.

American light lagers have an SRM between 2 – 3 which means they have a very light, golden color. As you can see in the image below, Bud Light has a very light, golden color, giving it an SRM of 2. That’s right in line with the American light lager category. The lightest color is SRM 1 and every shade darker is one SRM higher. Besides the bitterness and the color, there’s also the ‘original gravity’ of the beer. This indicates the beer’s potency and gives a brewer a clear indication of how much alcohol the brew will have after fermentation.

American light lagers typically have an OG of 1.028 – 1.040. After the fermentation of the beer, there’s another unit that we need to consider called ‘final gravity’. This number represents the number of unfermentable sugars in the beer that are left after the fermentation process is completed. American light lagers have an FG of 0.998 – 1.008.

Using an online calculator, we can calculate that Bud Light has an original gravity of 1.030 – 1.040 with a final gravity of 0.998 – 1.008. The reason for this is that both these combinations, and the combinations that are still possible, all deliver a beer with an ABV of 4.2%, which is what Bud Light has.

1. That also brings us to the most straightforward criterion of them all, and that’s the ABV of the beer.
2. American light lagers have an ABV between 2.8 – 4.2%.
3. Bud Light has an ABV of 4.2%, which means it also fits the typical American light lager percentage in terms of the percentage of alcohol.
4. This relatively low ABV also means you’ll have to drink a fair amount more to get drunk, compared to non-light beers.

Besides, with being a light lager also comes a lower calorie content. For Bud Light, this is only 110 per 12 fl. oz.

What is SRM in malt?

The SRM ( Standard Research Method ) scale is based on an older scale called degrees Lovibond, and for all practical purposes SRM and degree Lovibond are identical. American brewers use Lovibond to describe malts, while SRM is used to describe the color of the finished beer.

What is FG in beer?

The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of final gravity The Oxford Companion to Beer definition of Final Gravity is a measure of the specific gravity (ratio of the density of the beer to the density of water) or apparent extract of a beer at the end of fermentation.

1. This reading will often be taken with a hydrometer (or saccharometer).
2. While final gravity measures the unfermented substances left in the beer, it does not take into account the fact that the alcohol produced during the fermentation is lighter than water.
3. This skews the reading, rendering it an “apparent extract” as opposed to “real extract.” The final gravity is, however, a useful rough measure at the end of fermentation and can be used, in combination with the original gravity, to calculate the approximate ABV of the finished beer.

See also,, and, Keith Villa : The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of final gravity

What does SRM system stand for?

What is Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)? – Supplier relationship management (SRM) is a systematic approach to evaluating vendors that supply your organization with goods, materials and services. It’s one of the pieces that fall under the larger umbrella of supply chain management and is a key component to business success.

• This is done by determining each supplier’s strategic value and creating a supplier scorecard based on their contribution to your success.
• You then develop strategies to improve that performance by creating and leveraging strategic relationships with them.
• SRM is often confused with supplier risk management, but that is only a small part of what SRM encompasses.

Supplier relationship management (SRM) was originally coined in 1983 when Peter Kraljic, a director at the McKinsey & Company wrote an article called Purchasing Must Become Supply Management, published in the Harvard Business Review. Kraljic discussed segmenting the supplier base and mapping it against two key dimensions: risk and profitability.

Why is specific gravity important in beer?

Brewing with the Aurochs: The Importance of Gravity This is the first in a series of posts covering different elements and components of the brewing process, written by Aurochs team members Dave Rasmussen, Doug Foster, and Ryan Bove. For a quick introduction to the brewing process, check out out our on the topic.

Brewing beer reduces gravity. We don’t mean it decreases the force that warps space-time as described by Einstein’s elegant equations. We’re referring to the effect that brewing has on alcohol content and beer flavor. In the context of brewing, and more generally in the context of hydrodynamics, “gravity” describes the density of a particular fluid relative to a reference fluid.

The reference, or benchmark fluid, is usually water. This is primarily, and somewhat arbitrarily, because water is the most abundant liquid on the planet. In short, gravity is a measurement of the density of a liquid to compared water. It is commonly measured using a floating hydrometer (or, less commonly, a refractometer), which is submerged in a graduated cylinder filled with the subject liquid.

• The density of water is indexed to a value of 1.000, meaning a liquid with a density greater than water has a gravity more than 1.000.
• Gravity is a very important metric in the brewing process.
• It’s what enables brewers to determine when fermentation is complete, as well as the alcohol content of beers.

Gravity is measured after boiling the sugary wort, periodically during fermentation and immediately following fermentation. The first measurement is the original gravity (abbreviated OG). This is the density of wort, relative to water, before the yeast is pitched and the fermentation process has begun.

1. Since wort necessarily contains sugar, it is denser than water, and thus has a gravity measurement greater than 1.000, usually in the ballpark of 1.050.
2. Brewers can reach a higher OG by adding more fermentables, or grains, into the recipe.
3. During fermentation, the yeast consumes the sugar and converts it into carbon dioxide, alcohol and various flavor compounds.

As alcohol, which is less dense than water, replaces the sugar, the gravity of the wort approaches 1.000. Gravity measurements measures must be taken every few days during this fermentation process to track and record the declining density. After one to two weeks in the case of ale and six weeks in the case of lager, the fermentation process is complete.

The yeast is no longer active, and clump together as it falls to the bottom of the fermentation tank. To confirm that this process is complete, the brewer will check the specific gravity log to see if the gravity over the past several days has stayed the same. This means that the density of the beer, and therefore the alcohol content, has remained constant, indicating a complete fermentation.

The final measurement is called the final gravity (abbreviated FG). The difference between the OG and the FG allows the brewer to closely estimate the percentage of alcohol by volume. The higher the FG, the more sugar that is left over in after fermentation, producing a sweeter beer.

The process of declining density during fermentation is known as attenuation, which is measured in percentage terms. Pardon the math in a beer blog, but attenuation is measured as x 100. Brewer’s yeast typically has an attenuation range of 65-85%. A brewer can forecast the fermentation completion date by using the particular attenuation characteristics of their yeast and the sugar content of their wort.

OG plays a critical role at Aurochs Brewing Co, as it does at every other brewery. In our next post in this series, we’ll investigate other critical metrics and components of the brewing process. : Brewing with the Aurochs: The Importance of Gravity

What is the formula for beer color?

color units EBC – Color Units Ebc (European Brewery Convention) refer to the color of a beer measured in a technical manner. Prior to the development of the EBC method, beer color was estimated qualitatively (and perhaps somewhat subjectively) by comparing colored glass plate references, rendered in a scale known as degrees Lovibond, to samples of beer.

• The sample beer was then designated as a certain color in Lovibond units. See,
• The EBC method is quantitative and involves measuring the beer sample color in a cuvette that is placed in a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 430 nm.
• This particular wavelength was selected so that the final measured color was in agreement with Lovibond references.

The actual formula for measuring color is EBC = 25 × D × A 430, where D = dilution factor of the sample and A 430 = the light absorbance at 430 nanometers in a 1-cm cuvette. The EBC color system is used primarily in Europe, whereas North and South America use the Standard Reference Method (SRM) to measure beer color.

1. See, The two systems are closely related and can be converted in the following equations: SRM = EBC × 0,508 EBC = SRM × 1,97,
2. Additionally, both systems require that the beer sample be free of turbidity for an accurate color determination.
3. The sample must be filtered if the turbidity is measured at greater than 1 EBC turbidity unit.

A typical American mass-market lager measures between 4 and 8 EBC units, whereas a dark stout may measure 100 EBC units or above. See also, Keith Villa : The Oxford Companion to Beer Definition of color units EBC

How does final gravity affect beer?

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 NOTE: This chart has been updated with the latest BJCP style guidelines; please see the new chart here: Beer Styles – Original Gravity and Final Gravity Chart – 2017 Update Beer comes in a wide range of malt/hop flavor balance and alcohol level.

This chart shows the BJCP beer styles and their original gravity and final gravity in bar graph format. Original gravity (OG) measures how much sugar is present in the wort before it is fermented. The final gravity (FG) is how much sugar is left over when fermentation is done. For a beer to fit into a certain style, each of these numbers must be within the specified range as the chart depicts.

A lower final gravity indicates a dry or crisp flavor, while a higher final gravity indicates a sweet or malty flavor. The size of the gap between OG and FG can be used to calculate how much alcohol the beer contains. Data for this chart comes from the the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP).

What is SRM sample?

Define sample ratio mismatch (SRM) – Now that we have a clear picture of what the “sample” is, we can build a better understanding of what SRM means:

SRM happens when the ratio of the sample does not match the desired 50/50 (or even 33/33/33) traffic allocation SRM occurs when the observed traffic allocation to each variant does not match the allocation chosen for the test The control version and variation receive undesired mismatched samples

Whichever words you choose to describe SRM, we can now understand our original definition with more confidence: “Sample ratio mismatch is an experimental flaw where the expected traffic allocation doesn’t fit with the observed visitor number for each testing variation.”

What are the rankings of SRM?

SRM Institute of Science & Technology Chennai is ranked #1281 in Best Global Universities.

What does SRM mean in research?

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)

What is the SRM of Guinness?

Guinness Extra Stout is 5.6% ABV, 47 IBUs and 45 SRM.

What is SRM and EBC beer?

SRM vs. EBC — Under the Jenfluence Color Units EBC (European Brewery Convention) is the method established by the for assessing the color of wort or beer. Both methods involve measuring a beer sample color in a that is placed in a at a wavelength of 430 nm.

• However, SRM color is measured using a 1/2 inch cuvette whereas EBC color is measured using a 1 centimeter cuvette.
• The result is that EBC color is approximately 1.97 times the SRM color.
• The equations for converting SRM to EBC or vice versa are fairly simple: SRM = EBC x 0.508 EBC = SRM x 1.97 Therefore, let’s say that on an exam (cough, cough) you are asked to convert a beer’s color of 16 SRM to EBC, all you have to do is multiply the SRM by 1.97 to figure out the EBC: EBC = 16 x 1.97 = 31.52 : SRM vs.

EBC — Under the Jenfluence

What is the highest SRM beer?

What is the Highest SRM for Beer? – The highest SRM score for beer is 40+. Beers with an SRM score of 40+ are usually dark brown or black in color and are often referred to as “black beers.” These beers are typically brewed with roasted malted grains and have a heavy body and complex flavor profile.

What does IBU and SRM mean in beer?

While the acronyms of beer’s vital stats ‒ ABV, IBU, SRM and OG ‒ may seem like alphabet soup to the uninitiated, alcohol by volume, international bittering units, standard reference method and original gravity are all integral to understanding beer.

1. In this article, we’ll define these vital stats and explain how they’re useful.
2. Have you ever stood in the beer aisle wondering, “What style am I in the mood for? Do I want a 22-ounce bomber, or a 4-pack of 16-ounce cans? Should I try a new brewery’s beer or just grab one of my go-tos?” With so many options available for craft lovers, the easiest way to choose a brew is by style.

However, knowing a beer’s vital stats can help your decision-making process ‒ specifically, a beer’s alcohol by volume (ABV), international bittering units (IBU), standard reference method (SRM) and, sometime (but not always), original gravity (OG). ABV / Alcohol by Volume in Beer Almost every beer a consumer will find on the shelf or on draft will have its ABV clearly labeled. While that rather sticky scientific definition might be a mouthful, the fact is the higher the ABV, the boozier a beer will be in its aroma and flavor. For some, ABV is the most important factor for choosing a beer – or at least how many they down in a sitting.

Large-scale lager fans will know that an American Lager or American Light Lager usually clocks in between 4 and 5 percent ABV, while Imperial Pastry Stout fans will scoff if a beer doesn’t hit at least 11 or 12 percent ABV. Since the ABV standard is used worldwide for all alcoholic beverages, it is perhaps the most important element of a beer’s vital stats.

IBU / International Bittering Units A slightly more obscure acronym among beer’s vital stats is a beer’s IBU total. IBUs stand for International Bittering Units ‒ a pretty good gauge of a beer’s bitterness. Any fan of hoppy beers, such as American IPAs or big, boozy Double IPAs, will know all about the IBU scale.

You can read our full definition of the term in What’s The Meaning of IBU?, Much like alcohol by volume, international bittering units have a scientific underpinning: IBUs measure the parts per million of isohumulone found in a beer. Isohumulone is the acid found in hops that gives beer its distinct bitterness.

Though the IBU scale can be used as a general guideline for taste, with lower IBUs corresponding to less bitterness and vice versa, it’s important to note that malt and other flavors can mask the taste of bitterness in beer. Overall, the combination of ABV and IBU on a can or bottle of beer can convey an impressive amount of information when it comes to learning about a specific beer’s flavor and aroma profile.

1. SRM / Standard Reference Method Beer style and style family play a large role in a beer’s appearance, but one vital stat actually quantifies appearance.
2. While not quite as recognizable and widespread as alcohol by volume and international bittering units, SRM or Standard Reference Method is about as close as the beer world comes to a unified way of gauging color.

Multiple factors must be taken into account (many of which are outlined in What Determines the Color of Beer? ), but Standard Reference Method is calculated by passing light of a particular wavelength through a 1-centimeter-deep sample of beer and measuring the amount of light absorbed by the beer in that sample.

While the Standard Reference Method scale ranges from 2-5 (where you find lighter styles like Pilsner, Light Lagers, Helles Lagers and Exportbier) all the way up to 70s and 80s, the human eye can only see so many colors ( Mantis Shrimp we are not ), so all beers beyond the upper 40s (Imperial Stouts, Black IPA, Barrel-Aged Baltic Porters) simply look opaque and black.

Moving further along the SRM scale, beers at 7-15 SRM are generally amber, encompassing amber ales, pale ales and most modern IPAs. In the 16-25 range, beers are mostly dark amber to brown, featuring Barleywines, brown ales and Oud Bruins, among others. OG / Original Gravity Another less common acronym on a beer’s label is OG, or original gravity, Though a wee bit more granular than, say, the easily understood numbers of ABV, IBU and SRM, original gravity is defined as the relative density of the wort – the liquid that will ferment and become beer.

• That density revolves mostly around the quantity of fermentable sugars in the wort, which are fermented by the yeast and become alcohol.
• In terms of usefulness, OG is regarded as a guide to the alcoholic strength of the finished beer, but in a more brewer-friendly term than, say, ABV, which is very clear to anyone who wants to purchase any alcoholic beverage.

So there you have it. While beer’s vital stats might seem like an unapproachable series of letters, numbers and decimal places, the truth is that these four acronyms serve to paint a fairly detailed picture of a beer in a very small amount of space – perfect for the tiny climes of a beer’s can or bottle artwork. Mikkeller IBU Photo Courtesy of Flickr/Bernt Rostad