Any thoughts on this malt? I may have found another LHBS that is considerably cheaper ($0.40/lb) in my area but their line of malts is also different.
Unfortunately, it looks like they only have Briess Vienna and Schill Munich which I don’t know anything about.
It looks like an average batch would save me 20% so I need to figure out which malts I prefer…
Rahr over breiss is my vote.
Well it’s more like Rahr vs. Canada Malting as far as pilsner is concerned and Briess vs. Great Western for Vienna. For the most part, my current LHBS has me covered for more expensive, continental malts
ANYTHING over Briess!
I think it’s in the same vein of the other thread on buying cheaper malts. If I use pils malt it’s usually on German and Belgian beers, and there’s just zero substitute for German and Belgian pils malts IMO. I love Rahr 2 row above all domestic 2 rows and don’t doubt that their pils is solid, but if it’s a beer with a pils base, I go with Avangard, Best, Weyermann, Dingemann’s , or Castle (depending on availability and what I’m brewing).
I prefer pilsner malt to 2 row for pretty much everything that I brew and I use a lot of munich and Vienna as well. Domestic pilsner for something like an APA is something that appeals to me.
I see that they do have Castle pils as well for only $0.40 more a pound…
Ok, gotcha. If it’s anything like the quality of their 2 row, it’s good.
Ok, one last scenario. I am brewing a kolsch. I will probably get some flack for my choices but it has worked well in the past for me. Let’s assume the grain % are set in stone. Basically, which LHBS I go to will determine which grains I can use. I am not going to go to 2 different shops for one beer.
LHBS 1:
80% Canada Malting Pilsner
15% Schill Kolsch Malt (I have been wanting to try this) or GW Vienna
5% Franco-Belges White Wheat
LHBS 2:
80% Castle Pils (I didn’t realize they have this and Rahr Pilsner)
15% Briess Vienna (this is the only Vienna that they have)
5% Rahr White Wheat
Ideally:
80% Castle Pils
15% Kolsch Malt
5% Franco-Belges White Wheat
Neither store has a continental choice for Vienna Malt. From what I gather, most may tell me to go with #2 since it is continental pilsner for a German style beer. Moreover, I assume that most would just say to scrap the Vienna altogether. If nothing else, I can call it an “out of style Kolsch style ale with domestic Vienna malt” or “the beer pretending to be a kolsch”
Honestly, I think any would make a good beer, with ‘ideally’ obviously the best. I would give the nod to #2 out of the other ones, since I have used all of those malts. I like the looks % wise of all three. Good luck !
Well I was wrong again. LHBS #1 has weyermann pilsner. Looks like that settles it…
80% weyermann pils
15% schill kolsch
5% franco belges white wheat
wlp029
Sorry for being all over the place…haha
I’ve been less than thrilled with Briess crystal malts for many years. I found out that they used a lot of 6 row for that production. But now I understand that they are moving to all 2 row. I am hoping that this makes a meaningful difference. I’m not willing to dismiss Briess yet.
Ok long story but I chose to go with Schill Pilsner and Vienna over Castle mainly because of the German/Belgian difference. Anyone have any experience with Schill Malz? It appears that this LHBS carries Schill exclusively for their German malts.
I have used their organic C60 for years. Not only is it organic, it’s made with 2 row.
Briess is is your malt Fuggles!
Just a comment. There are many breweries in MI that use Briess as a base malt. I am sure transportation costs drive some of that. These include Bell’s, Shorts, and Griffon Claw (was Big Rock ). Those breweries make some good beer and have won a few GABF and WBC medals.
I will have to find a new 6-row when Briess stops malting that. Great Western?
Mallett’s Malt book has some information on how some varieties do not grow well in the upper Midwest. He also states that variety of barley is very important in the finished malt flavor. Briess may use what grows in WI and MN, and those varieties may not have the flavor you are after.
Can anyone give me any input on Schill Malz? Primarily their pilsner, Vienna, munich malts.
In this thread I have gone from Rahr to Canada Malting to Castle to Weyermann to Schill…haha
I have been using the Schill vienna and munich malt (8L) for the past few mos from Northern Brewer. The profile is very European, easy to work with, and hard for me to distinguish from Weyermann which I used to order. Solid color and nice toasted maltiness to boot.
Cool thanks. Looks like I may have found my new LHBS. Much better grain prices…
As far as I am concerned, Briess is the bottom of the domestic barrel. I used to use a lot of Schreier 2-Row before the Cargill takeover. I have only used Rahr 2-Row in one batch thus far, but I am impressed with the results. I am definitely interested in trying Rahr’s other products.
I use quite a bit of Shills and Weyernmann.
Shills is good. It is a few cents cheaper per lb but it also have little less extract to my experience.
I prefer Weyernmann Bohemian Pilsner and Shills Dark Munich.
Good luck.