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Base Malts in Beer Brewing

Nice article:)!

Weyermann has not long ago come up with an heirloom malt, Isaria. It's darker than ordinary pilsner malt - around 4L - and I don't know if it should be called that. Maybe it's in a class of it's own? Pilsner is not on the list of beers Weyermann suggest it should be used for, but I've brewed a pilsner with it, and it turned out really good. But where it probably really will shine, is in traditional styles like zoigl and kellerbier.

There are some biscuit malts that border on being base malts, as I think they can actually convert themselves. Simpson's Imperial is one. Have you had any experience with massive doses of those? Simpson suggest up to 80% in dark beers and stouts. (Might be something for you, @MaxStout ;).) That sounds tempting.
 
Many malsters are now malting heirloom malts and special varieties as base malts which is a great thing as it gives more variety to brewers. I'm interviewing the CEO of Bestmalz for an upcoming podcast episode and he wants to discuss a heirloom malt they are working with now.

I've not tried using large quantities of biscuit malt, but you are correct the line between base malts and kilned malts is not a sharp distinction - many of the light colored kilned malts can be used as a base.
 
BeerSmith said:
Many malsters are now malting heirloom malts and special varieties as base malts which is a great thing as it gives more variety to brewers. I'm interviewing the CEO of Bestmalz for an upcoming podcast episode and he wants to discuss a heirloom malt they are working with now.

I've not tried using large quantities of biscuit malt, but you are correct the line between base malts and kilned malts is not a sharp distinction - many of the light colored kilned malts can be used as a base.
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Yeah, I've tried Crisp's Chevallier. Very nice taste, but I hadn't understood that I ought to do a protein rest, so the yield was rather disappointing:).

These new old varieties - which I agree certainly are exciting - fall into established categories, I think. But that Isaria malt from Weyermann doesn't seem to do that. Might it be sort of a parallell to the case of mild malt?
 
One issue is that only a handful of commercial barleys are widely produced, and they have similar characteristics. So one of the attractions of heirloom and new barley varieties is that they can offer in many cases a distinct flavor profile from typical malts.

The challenge, as with hops, is that it can take 15-20 years to get a new variety from conception through testing and into large scale production.
 
Finn Berger said:
Nice article:)!

Weyermann has not long ago come up with an heirloom malt, Isaria. It's darker than ordinary pilsner malt - around 4L - and I don't know if it should be called that. Maybe it's in a class of it's own? Pilsner is not on the list of beers Weyermann suggest it should be used for, but I've brewed a pilsner with it, and it turned out really good. But where it probably really will shine, is in traditional styles like zoigl and kellerbier.

There are some biscuit malts that border on being base malts, as I think they can actually convert themselves. Simpson's Imperial is one. Have you had any experience with massive doses of those? Simpson suggest up to 80% in dark beers and stouts. (Might be something for you, @MaxStout ;).) That sounds tempting.
Click to expand...

Done plenty of brews with Vienna and Munich I as base malt. If I need more diastatic power (i.e., lots of adjuncts), I mix it with some pilsner or 2-row, or add some alpha amylase to the mash. I made a nice red ale using RedX as the base, and it had plenty of diastatic power (around 61L), which is pretty good for a malt at 28 EBC.
 
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