IBU

abbreviation or noun

ˌī-ˌbē-'yü 

plural IBUs

: a unit of measurement used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is

Brewers use the IBU to convey how bitter their beer is due to the addition of hops …

—Jonathan Chadwick

Dogfish Head Brewery is releasing what will be "the hoppiest beer ever documented through scientific analysis," coming in at 658 IBUs.

—Joanna Harkins

called also International Bitterness Unit, International Bittering Unit

Word History

First Known Use

1994, in the meaning defined above