The Perfectly Average Beer
What’s the Perfectly Average Beer? Well, it’s all of the averages from the 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines in one beer. I was surprised after entering all of the data that the average beer is roughly what I would expect an average beer to look like. For example, the average bitterness ratio (BU:GU) is almost exactly 0.5, which I’ve always considered perfectly balanced for most malt bills.
Want the short version? The Perfectly Average Beer looks like this:
- ABV: 5.8%
- IBU: 28.6
- SRM: 14
- OG: 1.058
- FG: 1.013
- Bitterness Ratio: 0.5
Want some more details? I’m happy to oblige!
| Alcohol By Volume | ABV Low: 4.95% | ABV High: 6.71% | ABV Avg: 5.83% |
| Bitterness | IBU Low: 20.68 | IBU High: 36.51 | IBU Avg: 28.60 |
| Color | SRM Low: 10.07 | SRM High: 17.97 | SRM Avg: 14.02 |
| Original Gravity | OG Low: 1.050 | OG High: 1.065 | OG Avg: 1.058 |
| Final Gravity | FG Low: 1.009 | FG High: 1.016 | FG Avg: 1.013 |
| Attenuation | Apparent Atten Avg: 76.55% | Real Atten Avg: 62.71% | |
| Bitterness Ratio | IBU/OG Avg: 0.496 |
Want even MORE? Well, you’ll have to wait. I’m working up another post about beer balance and how attenuation figures into it, and I have a massive chart of all the style guidelines I’ll link at that time. Until then, enjoy knowing what the Perfectly Average Beer looks like.
