The International Bitterness Unit (IBU) wasn't invented to tell beer drinkers how bitter a beer would taste. It was invented to help brewers make more consistent beer. Somewhere along the way, the brewing industry's quality control measurement became a consumer-facing marketing number—and that's where much of the confusion began.

The method I tried was brewing teas out of nine different kinds of hops using a coffee maker. To do this experiment, you'll need a small coffeemaker, coffee filters, and as many different types of hops as you like.