Has anybody had experience with the Crisp Chevallier malt? I bought a sack on a whim and now am considering what to start with on this ingredient. I like a lot of English Ales - but I am wondering if there are more styles that would benefit from this malt. If only English Ales, then which of them are best in your experience with this malt? Any particularly good or bad experiences?
Historic Australian beers would be served well with Chevalier as well. While the book is a bit “meh” in terms of reading fun, Bronzed Brews provides plenty of options on how to use Chevalier.
What’s the barley? Is Chevallier a thing? My impression from old texts has always been that it was just a vague 19th century term indicating well-suited malting barley (this is way before any concept of botanical “variety”), the same way all really nice English hops were “Goldings” despite a stunning range of genetic and even physical differences. If it’s just a good, flavorful heirloom barley, its ancestors might have been shipped anywhere beer was made. Brew ANYTHING and it’ll taste better than modern industrial malt!
BTW I’ve seen the term Chevallier applied to Continental as well as British barley, especially as distinguishing old world 2 row from new world 6 row.
Where did you get it?
Didn’t Bell’s do an English ale with Chevalier a while back?
I’d think a Best or Extra Special bitter or an Old Ale would be best suited to emphasize the flavor of what you have there.
Yes, it was great! A 4.0% best bitter, the malt flavor was like a baguette with walnut paste.
Where did you find it ynotbrewsome?
Hi, all:
My LHBS happened across it and the owner ordered it for me on a lark, to see if I would want it. Since he was nice enough to do that, I took him up on the bag. It came in a burlap sack (outer covering, with a modern plastic liner as used in packaging malt generally). I don’t know where he ordered it from, but he said basically that craft malting is catching on big, including going for period malts (based on old records, I guess).
I definitely will make a nice bitter - it is my favorite English style; but with a whole sack to use, I may also go with a Stock Ale for putting up.