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Best grains for a 'grainy' taste?

jcmca

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I want to brew a pale ale that has a noticeable 'grainy' flavor - which malts will give the best results? I don't want roasty, nutty, toasty - just grainy. Will be extract and grain brew. The closest I can come to explaining what I want is I once had Fat Tire on tap, and somewhere in the background was a neat grainy flavor - I want that, but more pronounced.

Many thanks!

 
I don't know Flat Tire but everything I've seen on it describes its grainy as biscuity.
Flaked barely is supposed to give what is described as a plain old grainy taste. Guinness uses a lot. It also gives a creamy head.

If you have a LHBS with bulk grain go in and taste some. It will give you an idea of how it will taste in a beer. You may have to go to a partial to get what you desire since you want it more pronounced. You can get away with steeping small amounts of grain that needs mashed for a hint of flavor but if you go over small amounts to make them pronounced you'll start running into starch problems.
 
You should look at a Belgian base malt and add some Munich or Vienna or Biscuit malt.  An English base malt like Marris Otter would also give some of that character.

 
For a 'grainy' taste, not a 'malty' one, I would go with an American 2-row malt (not pale malt) and limit other specialty grains, especially caramel/crystal malts. Perhaps a slightly higher mash temp (154-156) would prevent the beer from drying too much and leave some of that grain flavor. A little bit of wheat and/or pilsen malt in the grist can also help to enhance this character.
 
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