Where's my hop flavour gone?

[brewerJase]

I've been brewing all grain for 4-5 years. I brew all kinds of styles but prefer low bitter, high flavour pale ales and IPAs. My beers have always been bursting with flavour. (Grapefruit, passion fruit and so on depending on hops.) I moved about a year ago, and since then my beers have been lacking the flavour big time. I'm assuming this is due to a different water source. Does this sound like something different water could do? I never got in to water profiles or ph levels due to the great results I use to have. What would be the best steps to take the remedy this issue. I'm assuming a water report would be the best place to start. Then ph meter? Any easy to understand articles on water any one would recommend.

I need my hoppy hoppy flavours back!

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[cswis86]

Yes and yes. A pH meter is probably one of the single best pieces of brewing equipment for the money. Below is a link for Ward Labs water test kit so you can adjust your water appropriately for brewing. There's also a link for the water calculator I use for all of my batches. The calculator gives you target ranges for you mash pH and mineral. Typically for IPAs you would want a higher sulfate to chloride ratio. I normally aim for 150ppm for sulfate and 75ppm for chloride when brewing IPAs.

https://producers.wardlab.com/brewerskitorder.php

http://www.ezwatercalculator.com/

 

[jdauria]

Can definitely change your beer. You probably went from a town will a good amount of sulfate in the water to one much lower. Definitely do a Wards Lab test of your water. In my town, my water is all over the place so I use reverse osmosis or distilled water and then add gypsum, calcium chloride, etc based on what style beer I am making.