Bitterness Loss in Bottles

[alek]

Finally I am venturing outside of the beginner's subforum. My inattention to detail during cooking a batch produced a much better beer than I had hoped (https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/twice-hops-twice-yeast-apa-162954/). Friends, family, and I liked it so much that I decided that I will repeat it again soon.

However, the bottles I tried today (~6 weeks in bottles) wre significantly less bitter than two weeks ago. The aroma, nose, and taste of the Cascade hops are great, but the bitterness has declined. It was more like a Pale Ale (maybe a bit on the sweet side) instead of the Double IPA characteristics it had from week 3 in bottles. Week 4 was the perfect balance.

How can bitterness be lost so quick? Any advice on keeping bitterness more consistent with this recipe?

Here's the recipe:

Recipe: Partial
Batch: 2 gallon
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs light DME
- 1/4 lbs 60°L Crystal, crushed
- 1/4 lbs Cara Pils, crushed
- 1/4 lbs Aromatic, crushed
- 2 oz Cascade @ 60 minutes
- 1/2 oz Cascade @ 10 minutes
- 1 oz Cascade, steeped after boil for ten minutes
- 1 dry package of Wyeast #1056 American
OG (for the 5-gallon batch): 1.050-1.054
FG (for the 5-gallon batch): 1.0012-1.015

 

[COLObrewer]

Try a higher AA hop like an ounce of magnum hops or chinook or columbus in the 60 minute boil, Columbus would be the closest "flavor" match to cascade I believe.

 

[alek]

Thanks. Would suggest that in addition to the 2oz of Cascade at 60 minutes?

 

[cheezydemon3]

Another possible cause is the increase in your lupulin threshold.

As you become accustomed to the higher bitterness, your palate adjusts, quite similar to getting used to hot foods or high salt content.