Our freshly kegged Amber German Lager has a lingering bitterness (Mt. Hood), not unpleasant, but very perceptible. The water (filtered tap) had a moderate calcium content with other minerals.
The Amber Czech Lager has a very soft bitterness (Saaz), not nearly as pronounced. The water was a 50/50 split, RO and filtered tap water.
How much does the water profile impact the perceived bitterness level?