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Base Malts

K

KernelCrush

So I ordered some base malts, 1 lb each (I could hear a groan from my supplier even over the world wide web) mashed each with the same volume water at the same temp. Flavors were not remarkably different.    I consistently picked out floor malted Bo Pils as being sweeter.  Also could tell the Breiss mild as just different.  Do I have no taste or what?

breiss 6 row
rahr 2 row
weyermann pils
weyermann floor malted pils
breiss mild ashburne
Belgian pils
Belgian pale
rahr white wheat


Carabrown, Honey malt, and Victory all met their descriptions.
 
You picked a group of pretty similar malts. Though, I'm surprised that you didn't find the Rahr to stand out.

As wort, I wouldn't expect much of a flavor difference. Even as fermented, the differences are minor. In general, Belgian Pils malt is built to the same spec as German and I haven't found any significant flavor difference with Belg Pale from the Pils.

Colors should have varied by several shades, I would think.

I think one of the differences should have been in head retention and body. I would have expected the wheat and 6-row to have more body, but not sweetness. Recipes of mine include a little 6-row for head retention. I like it better than wheat for that purpose.
 
At first I was just gonna try 2 row vs 6 row, but then I just grabbed one of every base malt my supplier had on hand.  The Rahr 2 row was definitely the lightest in color and both Belgians were definitely the darkest.  The flavor differences were so slight to me that I think it would be covered by even the smallest dose of specialty malts.  It was interesting to see the differences in grain displacement and in the amount of oberteig.

I was reading a lot of bashing on 6 row and didnt want to make a mistake with 6 row.  Why do you just use small amounts and what does it do as a 100% base malt?  I read that it becomes overly 'grainy'.  I didnt get that.
 
The more I look at base malt, the more I think that I should base my recipes around the cheapest option available to me.
 
That's exactly what I am thinking.  Potatoes maybe, never corn or rice though.
 
My go to base malt is Northwest Pale Ale Malt.  I've tasted it against Maris Otter and it's quite close for an American Base Malt.  What is like is a can get 50 lb. bags of it for $35.99!  Maris Otter is $69.99 for a 55 lb. bag!!

The flavor and quality is so close, that I can't see spending the extra for Maris Otter.
 
KernelCrush said:
I was reading a lot of bashing on 6 row and didnt want to make a mistake with 6 row.  Why do you just use small amounts and what does it do as a 100% base malt?  I read that it becomes overly 'grainy'.  I didnt get that.

I've used 6-row as the sole malt for Pale Ale and IPA. It presents a crackery, crisp taste, similar to Pilsner without the backing sweetness. It mashes cleanly (lower yield than 2-row) and attenuates well. But it does have more protein, so has a bigger body than 2-row.

I use it in place of Carafoam or Carapils for head retention in lagers. Just 3 to 5%. It provides a creamier head that lasts longer. There's no chance of haze as there would be from wheat. Plus the added enzymes are a minor bonus.
 
Thanks Brewfun for a real world unbiased description.  Helps a lot!
 
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