Prefered base malt for brewing?

I typically by 50 pound sacks of malt for my brewing so I always have some on hand when I want to brew.  I have a limited selection where I live (Fairbanks, Alaska) and tend to have to get whatever is available (frequently gambrinus or great western 2 row).  I just found a source with a selection of malts that has inexpensive shipping for me and I was wondering what people liked.

I tend to brew a variety of ales ranging from blondes, red ales, IPA’s, Stouts, Belgians, you name it…but I do tend to like malty beers.  This survey has a list of some of the malts I have to choose from and I just wanted to see what people liked :wink:

What is your preference as a base malt?
  • Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter
  • Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise
  • Great Western Northwest Pale Ale
  • Bairds British Pale Ale
  • Gambrinus ESB
0 voters

Well…you don’t have any of the malts I can get.  But I’d go with a 2 row pale malt as my basic base since I largely brew ales.

I don’t know that I can vote since I don’t consider any of those malts interchangeable. I will say that both the GW Pale Ale and the TF Maris Otter are great malts, in my experience.

2 row is my go to (Great Western or other domestic sources) in 50 lb sacks.

What are you making?
For some British Ales I like GP, for others I like MO. I do like GP for a sweet-malty flavor.

I never know what I’m making until the spirit strikes me.  It looks like the new supplier also has some basic 2-row also but I’m interested in something with a little character.  I brew fairly frequently but not enough to keep two different types of base malt on hand.

I haven’t brewed with Golden promise for years, could be interesting to try.  I think I’ve only ever used it for Scottish ales.

I regularly use both Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter and Great Western Northwest Pale Ale (Washington Select) and really like both.  I often blend them as well, using more or less of one or the other depending on what I’m going for.  If I were you I would get one or the other and then alternate sacks when you start to run low.  Best of both worlds :slight_smile:

More than anything else I use GW california select and/or munich (weyermann when I am feeling wealthy and not careing overly about environmental impact and gambrinus otherwise) I’ll grab a sack of pils (again, weyermann for the richie rich days and gambrinus or GW others)

of the ones listed, TF MO and GW NWPA.  Add in some Best or Weyermann Pilsner and I could get through just about everything I regularly make.

None from the list. Simpsons Maris Otter is what I can easily get over here in the UK.

I use Thomas Fawcett Maris Otter and Best pilsner as my base malts most of the time.  My choices for domestic 2 row are Briess and Canada Malting.  The Briess is OK, but I’m not a fan of the Canada Malting 2 row.

Depends on what I’m brewing.  For most of my house beers I go with a Maris Otter.  They are generally English styles.  For American and really light styles it is normally Rahr 2-row.

Paul

Definitely depends on what you are brewing. I tend to use either Pilsner or Pale Malt as a base male depending.

I use the Fawcett MO for some styles, but usually I’m using inexpensive 2-row pale(Rahr or Breiss) or Weyermann Pilsner or Munich.  Rahr wheat is also a great base malt.

I generally only use MO in English-style beers. I usually use continental pale malt for Belgian beers but anything else gets domestic stuff. I don’t think you could go wrong using MO for everything if you were willing to suck up the extra cost over a US or Canadian maltster.

I use Thomas Fawcett, Best and Rahr most regularly with very good results but I’ve heard good things about all that you’ve mentioned.

I like to use a house blend for almost all my recipes, unless I’m going for a truly traditional take on a beer (ESB, pils, Bock).

40% Rahr 2-row
40% Wey. Pils
20% Munich

I can increase the Munich for “malty-ness” and color, the Pils for delicate beers, or the 2-row if there is a lot of specialty malts or total fermentables (which drown out the pils anyway).

I kind of like the idea of blending base malts. +1

Thinking I might buy 2 bags and split with a friend so we each have a choice.  Maybe some Thomas Fawcett MO and Best Malz Pils…