What The Hop is going on?

[mattdc26]

Good Morning from the UK,

I have a question that will be up for debate possibly,

I started brewing extract 2 years ago and after about a year I switched over to all grain. My Extract IPA's used to be quite hoppy both in taste and smell, I have used the same recipe in my all grain beers and they are considerably less hoppy. Enough to post a thread on here about it. I have increased hop additions both in dry hopping and late additions with no result. Its like something is killing the hops. Any and all knowledge or suggestions are welcome.

Also I am an American I do live in the UK but i DO know what a good hoppy beer should be, contrary to British beliefs.

Cheers, Matt

 

[bob1852]

Are you treating your water at all? Both mash pH and sulfate can have a lot of impact on hop perception.

Also, with extract were you doing partial boils and late extract additions? Late extract additions can help with hop utilization.

 

[cjones]

Your sulfate to chloride ratio is off... You are leaning more towards the malty balanced side of the ratio.... Adjust for more bitter on next batch.

 

[cjones]

Go to link -

http://howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-3.html

At the bottom there is a free excel speed sheet - go to sheet two in the file - and input water detail - and play around - you will see what brewing salts you can add to adjust the sulfate to chloride ratio and how that ratio will apply to either balance the Alfa aicids or kill to many or let to many live - so malty - balanced - bitter.

Hope that helps

 

[mattdc26]

Thank you so much I greatly appreciate the help!

 

[mattdc26]

I did start using a filter here, but I might go back to water from the tap. I have heard that the water here is actually great for brewing, but cannot verify the numbers yet.

 

[Komodo]

I'm all for treating water, and I do, but it is also one quick way to mess up beer. It's way more complex than it appears on the surface, and for most beers you don't need to go crazy trying to match a profile from a certain city. Many don't consider that even though a beer may have been produced in a city known for that style, the brewers themselves may have treated their own water!

Anyhoo, read this thread first:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=198460

 

[mattdc26]

I literally got sucked into water science for the last hour and have come to the conclusion that my tap water is much better for my IPA's than filtered water, I found a drinking water report its not as in depth as US ones but it gives me enough of an idea. I knew water was important to beer but my mind just exploded. Must drink a beer to soak this all in.

 

[ram5ey]

I'd still run tap through a carbon filter.

 

[mattdc26]

Going to export my UK water profile to the Science Section, Its missing some values and i suck at understanding this stuff.