Changes

Hop tolerance is not only species dependent, but is also strain dependent. For example, a dissertation by F.J. Methner measured the pH drop of wort that started at a pH of 5.55 from day 3 to day 14 for several strains of ''L. brevis'' at different IBU levels (7,9,11,13 and 18 IBU's). One strain of ''L. brevis'' eventually got down to a pH of 3.8 at day 14 with 7 IBU's, while another strain got down to 3.3 pH at day 14 (with other strains in-between those numbers). At 18 IBU, the relatively hop intolerant ''L. brevis'' strain got down to only 4.2 pH, while another strain got down to 3.7. In general, the higher the IBU, the slower the pH drop. Interestingly, another species called ''L. coryniformis'' was shown to be more hop tolerant than ''L. brevis''. ''L. coryniformis'' dropped the 18 IBU wort down to 3.6 pH over 14 days <ref name="Methner">[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1537381402956735/ Methner, F.D. Uber Die Aromabildung beim berliner weissebier unter besonderer berucksichtigung von sauren and estern (data reported and translated by Benedikt Rausch Koch on Milk THe Funk Facebook group). 1987.]</ref>.

Methner's data is shown below; graphs created by Benedikt Rausch Koch <ref name="Methner" />. Y axis = pH, X axis = days.