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Hops
Hop Utilization
Hop utilization describes the efficiency of alpha acid utilization as iso-alpha acids in the finished beer. Not all of the bitterness potential from the alpha acid in the hop is utilized, given the losses that occur throughout the brewing process. Therefore, the utilization of the bitter substances rarely exceeds 40% in commercial breweries and is often as low as 25% (31). The main reason for the low utilization has to do with low pH of the wort (i.e., pH of 5.0–5.5), with more efficient utilization occurring at a higher pH (i.e., pH of 10.0–11.0).
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