German Brewing

Sorry if this has been discussed somewhere else, but is there a general consensus of what, if any O2-scavenging ability and flavor impacts this practice has?

Hop polyphenols scavenge oxygen. Their use as mash hops and first wort hops is not surprising when you consider these are two of the highest surface area to volume points (dough-in and first runnings) on the hot side. Their tannins may act like Brewtan B and bind up metals too.

It's my supposition that folks assumed MH and FWH were about hop characters. Maybe they still are, but the smoother bittering may just be a result lodo mashing and transfers to the boil kettle. Several of us have brewed lodo APA's, and the hop character is incredibly smooth and flavorful.

From Kunze:

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