So I am fairly new to brewing. Have worked with a few kits and have made a few of my own recipes and I think I am getting the hang of it. My question is what is everyone’s preferred base malt? I know it really depends on the style of beer you are going for but I have seen some people say they use a certain base malt universally. I have had experience with Briess domestic 2-row and just recently brewed with Bohemian Pilsner. Let me know what you guys think.
PS: If anyone had any experience with Golden Promise please share!
Depends on the style I’m brewing : American - Rahr or Briess 2 row (Briess is not my favorite, but I’ll use it in a pinch). Belgian - Dingemanns or Castle pils and/or pale malts German - Best or Weyermann pils UK - Crisp or Fawcett Maris Otter, Simpson’s Golden Promise.
A German Pilsner or Bohemian Pilsner is great with German or Belgian pils malts IMO.
I think a lot of people will say it depends on what style you are brewing. I brew mostly american and german styles. I use German pilsner malt in all of my beers now and munich along with it in a good portion. I have pretty much stopped using domestic two row.
I use Maris Otter for most of my beers, but I tend to brew a lot of English styles, or at least English-influenced. Saisons and Pilsners though, I’m all Floor-Malted Bohemian Pilsner.
I guess put me as an outlier. I’m fine with Briess 2-row. My Scotch Ale (has won multiple awards including taking 3rd in MCAB and advancing to Finals at NHC) is all Briess malts.
Use German malts for German beers, English Malts for English Beers, Scottish malts for Scottish beers and American Malts for American beers. You can use Belgian Malts for Belgian beers, German and French malts work well too. Not too hard to figure out when you look at it that way.
So, it almost seems like you’re saying that when you try to recreate beers from certain areas that you tend to use ingredients from those areas. Or am I reading into it too much?
Hmm… I don’t know. I’ve done some side by side malt comparisons and the differences were way more subtle than I expected. I guess all I’m saying is that I believe a world class ESB or Pils can be produced with non-regional malts. Maybe I’m wrong.
I wouldn’t say you’re wrong. But it would make a bigger difference in maltier styles. At least in my limited experience thats true. A helles or dunkel with with little or no hop flavor and aroma will certainly show a difference between american and german malts.
Looking at it the other direction. Is there a noticeable difference between domestic hallertau and hallertauer hallertau? Most would probably say yes. But if your only using an ounce per 5 gallons at 60 minutes, then probably the difference is not very noticeable. But that doesn’t mean that suddenly there’s no difference between the two hops.
In the end I definitely think quality ingredients, regardless of their origin, is what it the most important. I am personally a fan of the Briess Pale Ale malt. It has a “cookie sweetness” I like that seems to be trying to mimic an English basemalt. But in the end, Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter is going to make a more “authentic” British Bitter than the Briess Pale Ale malt. There would be a good source for your experiment right there.
100% agree! Indistinguishability =/= no difference. If I can’t perceive a significant difference, however, I won’t be too concerned with sourcing regional ingredients that usually end up costing more.
That’s a great xBmt idea! I’m of the opinion that “quality” is hugely relative to the taster’s preference. For example, I have friend’s who swear EKG is the hop of the gods, I can’t stand the stuff, domestic or UK.