Where did the hops go?

[Skiffy]

I responded originally that I agreed with water chemistry and mash pH. Although I still think that's important my working theory is now oxygenation, even just the rigors of racking and bottling. I know people that swear by kegging in closed systems to get the best IPAs. You said that your extract IPAs were better though? Doesn't quite make sense to me but there's a lot of reactions going on that I certainly don't know or understand.

 

[Speedbag]

Yes, the all-extract versions were far better in terms of hop flavor, just missing the body of all-grain.

This fall I think I might plan to try to brew two batches of the same recipe in the same day, one extract and one all grain, bottle them, and see how they compare.

I'm beginning to think it's a pH thing though, I don't know what else it could be besides oxidation.