36 replies to this topic

[gnef]

I don't think my pallet is very sensitive. I've mostly used the canadian malt for the past 4 years or so, only due to cost, and recently tried some MO, and also have a sack of FB pils to test out. I can't really tell the difference in the end product, or at least I haven't really tried to pay close attention to it, or noticed any distractions to the beers when using just the canadian malt. I use both the pale and and pils from canada, and I can't complain about the value at all.

[EWW]

Gambrinus ESB malt has become my goto ale malt. I haven't done any formal experimentation with various base malts, but I really like the additional malt bone that I think I'm getting from it. Not much more to add except that I love me some ESB malt.

[siouxbrewer]

The Canadian Superior Pils malt I get from the LBG grainbuys is as good as any continental variety. MTC

[lowendfrequency]

On a side note, has anyone ever brewed with Global Kolsch malt? I've tried it a few times, but I wanted to see what everyone else thought before I weighed in with my opinion. So, Kolsch... anyone?

[MtnBrewer]

I don't think my pallet is very sensitive.

What kind of wood are you using?

[ColdAssHonky]

Has anyone tried home toasting (in the oven) their entire allotment of base malt for a brew to see what variability can be gained that way?It might be a bit time consuming, but it makes me wonder what 30 min at 350deg would do for a Pale Ale using the cheap domestic 2-row I usually get.

[MtnBrewer]

Has anyone tried home toasting (in the oven) their entire allotment of base malt for a brew to see what variability can be gained that way?It might be a bit time consuming, but it makes me wonder what 30 min at 350deg would do for a Pale Ale using the cheap domestic 2-row I usually get.

I have toasted a pound or two of base malt but I have never toasted the entire grain bill for fear of what it might do to the diastatic potential of the malt.

[ColdAssHonky]

I have toasted a pound or two of base malt but I have never toasted the entire grain bill for fear of what it might do to the diastatic potential of the malt.

Good point. I wonder how far you can take it before you start negatively impacting?

[MtnBrewer]

I think the safer approach would be to include around 5-10% melanoidin or aromatic malt. Or even Munich or Vienna.

[MtnBrewer]

Toasting the malt in an oven has given me a flavor that can't be duplicated in any other way.

Depending on how long you toast it and at what temperature, I actually find it somewhat similar to amber, brown or biscuit malt.

[earthtone]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the biggest noticeable between most base malts is the lovibond. By this I mean how long they have been kilned. Longer kilning mean a toastier malt (marris otter,UK pale) and less kilning-(lower lovibond) means a base malt a little less maltier and/or less toasty -ex. German, Belgian pils malt. But it really just comes down to the question of how traditional you are trying to be?(Pilsner malt for pilsners and american 2-row for pale ale for example). I believe this is ultimately up to each individual brewer and their own styles. I totally agree with JZ's philosophy when he says the base malt should be where you get your malt profile from mostly, not the specialty malts. He also says simply "..if you want a maltier beer, just use more malt." I always write my recipe around my base malt according to style. Whom ever came up with "keep it simple stupid" was a friggin genius!

I think this is a good point too, the base malt impacts several factors in the beer, so it makes sense that you could use perhaps any of a number of pale base malts for a pilsner that isn't going much further than 3-4 SRM. If you are keeping it simple and making a style that calls for a darker SRM range to be true to style then using a darker base malt will allow you to get the same colour with less specialty grains. Same with maltiness, you could add specialty grains but historically I imagine (correct me if I'm wrong) the short cuts we take by tossing in a bit of crystal or roast barley here and there gets us "true to style" but is not how it was traditionally done. Traditional base malts are important because historically they made the styles they belong to possible. That said I think as long as your base malt choice doesn't put you out of range for a style immediately in SRM you can probably brew your style. I think brewers today have found ways to emulate the flavours we seek in a specific style through a whole wide variety of means.Anyways, for me it means that the suggestions about mixing base malts or adding a little of this or that specialty grain make a lot of sense. We are improvising because we have an idea of how to get close to the original thing. I would bet money that many a beer brewed with the correct base malt has lost in competition to ones that were improvised and at the end of the day if you getting a comparable result whatever your method then what's wrong with that? Sounds like you've got it figured out George! Keeps it nice and simple.p.s. all I use is Canadian 2-Row, and it works well for a wiiiiide range of styles, at least as far as my buds can taste! good topic

[BrewerGeorge]

... I would bet money that many a beer brewed with the correct base malt has lost in competition to ones that were improvised and at the end of the day if you getting a comparable result whatever your method then what's wrong with that? ...

This, exactly. I tried brewing a vienna lager with 100% vienna malt and it did not do well in competition even though it had no flaws. Scored in the mid 30's IIRC.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

If you're trying to be true to style, it makes sense to use the malts from the place where the style originated. If you just want tasty beer, it's not necessary. For most styles, the base malt isn't going to matter to much.I'll also concur on the Canadian Pale, it's has a really nice malty flavor. It's currently running $25/55# from North Country Malt. For that price you can't go wrong. I just got a couple of sacks last week, along with a couple of sacks of Thomas Fawcett MO. I might do a direct comparison between the two this year.

I'd def like to know how this turns out.

[Malzig]

This, exactly. I tried brewing a vienna lager with 100% vienna malt and it did not do well in competition even though it had no flaws. Scored in the mid 30's IIRC.

Maybe this says more about the competitions than the beer?Samuel Adams Oktoberfest is an award-winning beer, and it might be pretty tasty, but it's also kind of a caricature of an Oktoberfest. I think I'd probably prefer your all-vienna malt lager.

[chefmiller]

I've used the kolsch, and it was not my favorite. Everything I brewed with it was a little thin until I compensated with specialty malts on later brews. There also seemed to be a disproportionate amount of chaff in the bag, making it take longer to vorlauf a clear wort.

[Malzig]

I've wondered about the Kölsch Malt. I'm surprised it's thinner tasting. I expected it would be bolder, since it's kilned more darkly.