Comments on: Malt (and barley) matters: Part II http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/ Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:38:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-38722 Stan Hieronymus Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:24:16 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-38722 And smaller brewers are left with what larger brewers want ... But to the other subject - the whole potato thing with McDonald's doesn't get nearly the attention beef does. And it should. Really pisses me off. And smaller brewers are left with what larger brewers want …

But to the other subject – the whole potato thing with McDonald’s doesn’t get nearly the attention beef does. And it should. Really pisses me off.

]]> By: Lew Bryson http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-38714 Lew Bryson Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:53:04 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-38714 There are still some floor maltings; saw the one at Balvenie on those travels I mentioned. But even at Balvenie, the floor-malted stuff is only a part of what they use. It's just gotten so big, with the world export market, that they can't afford to keep on with the floor maltings. The Macallan still requires "a proportion" of Golden Promise, but there just isn't that much grown. Malt distilleries are also pretty much left with what the brewers want: it's kind of like trying to find potatoes of a type other than what McDonald's wants. Brewery malt requirements are much, much larger than whisky distilleries'. There are still some floor maltings; saw the one at Balvenie on those travels I mentioned. But even at Balvenie, the floor-malted stuff is only a part of what they use. It’s just gotten so big, with the world export market, that they can’t afford to keep on with the floor maltings.

The Macallan still requires “a proportion” of Golden Promise, but there just isn’t that much grown. Malt distilleries are also pretty much left with what the brewers want: it’s kind of like trying to find potatoes of a type other than what McDonald’s wants. Brewery malt requirements are much, much larger than whisky distilleries’.

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-38709 Stan Hieronymus Fri, 27 Jul 2007 12:08:20 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-38709 Dang, Lew, that adds a thought to the mix. Guess I've looked at too many pretty picture books from Scotland with the floor maltings. Dang, Lew, that adds a thought to the mix.

Guess I’ve looked at too many pretty picture books from Scotland with the floor maltings.

]]> By: Lew Bryson http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-38594 Lew Bryson Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:37:10 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-38594 Coming late to this, I've been traveling, but...we did a 'Scotch whisky distillers roundtable' a few years ago at WhiskyFest, and were surprised to find that almost all of the distillers didn't give a damn about any malt characteristics but yield. They seemed just as surprised that we would ask. Coming late to this, I’ve been traveling, but…we did a ‘Scotch whisky distillers roundtable’ a few years ago at WhiskyFest, and were surprised to find that almost all of the distillers didn’t give a damn about any malt characteristics but yield. They seemed just as surprised that we would ask.

]]> By: SteveH http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36255 SteveH Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:33:53 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36255 <i>Also, you have a silo? There are brewpubs around here operating at a 1,500 a year pace still toting bags of grain.</i> The 3 closest to me still bag tote - no silo. Nice to have that luxury. Also, you have a silo? There are brewpubs around here operating at a 1,500 a year pace still toting bags of grain.

The 3 closest to me still bag tote – no silo. Nice to have that luxury.

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36245 Stan Hieronymus Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:47:57 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36245 Andrew, This is something I (now) intend to make a regular part of ongoing conversations with brewers. Specifying Maris Otter is relatively easily, asking for something like Barke is another matter. Even if a brewpub is getting rotating varieties (one time their pilsner malt is Scarlet, another Barke) then it still behooves them to track the differences. Also, you have a silo? There are brewpubs around here operating at a 1,500 a year pace still toting bags of grain. Andrew,

This is something I (now) intend to make a regular part of ongoing conversations with brewers. Specifying Maris Otter is relatively easily, asking for something like Barke is another matter. Even if a brewpub is getting rotating varieties (one time their pilsner malt is Scarlet, another Barke) then it still behooves them to track the differences.

Also, you have a silo? There are brewpubs around here operating at a 1,500 a year pace still toting bags of grain.

]]> By: brewer a http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36241 brewer a Fri, 13 Jul 2007 12:20:41 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36241 "This isn’t necessarily realistic for your average small brewery and certainly not for the local brewpub you should be stopping by tonight." Any brewpub that is large enough to have the bonus of a grain silo generally has the option of choosing the specific base 2-row they have it filled with. Now, picking the barley variety for specialty malts or smaller volumes of base malt, sure, you aren't going to be able to specify that, but a diligent brewer that is willing to possibly spend a little bit more money/lb. probably knows exactly what variety they are making their beers out of. “This isn’t necessarily realistic for your average small brewery and certainly not for the local brewpub you should be stopping by tonight.”

Any brewpub that is large enough to have the bonus of a grain silo generally has the option of choosing the specific base 2-row they have it filled with. Now, picking the barley variety for specialty malts or smaller volumes of base malt, sure, you aren’t going to be able to specify that, but a diligent brewer that is willing to possibly spend a little bit more money/lb. probably knows exactly what variety they are making their beers out of.

]]> By: Loren http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36236 Loren Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:55:48 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36236 All malt Michelob is VERY different than the old stuff. You can actually taste that poundcake sweetness that you get in their Brewmaster's Reserve (Hellerbock?). I think they did a good job redoing this beer...and it clearly shows. As for differences in malt suppliers...you can definitely tell a TF crystal malt from some others as it usually carries an almost melanoiden smoky sharpness to it. To me anyway...but I've been told I have a dead tongue...so... Cheers! All malt Michelob is VERY different than the old stuff. You can actually taste that poundcake sweetness that you get in their Brewmaster’s Reserve (Hellerbock?). I think they did a good job redoing this beer…and it clearly shows.

As for differences in malt suppliers…you can definitely tell a TF crystal malt from some others as it usually carries an almost melanoiden smoky sharpness to it. To me anyway…but I’ve been told I have a dead tongue…so…

Cheers!

]]> By: Stan Hieronymus http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36123 Stan Hieronymus Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:30:30 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36123 grove - you might find this article interesting, although its focus is on DeWolf-Cosyns (since closed). <a href="http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue1.1/fix.html" rel="nofollow">www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue1.1/fix.html</a> For one thing there's the comparison of the DWC pale and Maris Otter. Anyway, the old DWC recipes were said to go to Dingemans - although there was never mention of barley varieties (short-sighted, eh?). Also, in case you didn't know, Castle malts its own pale and pils. Its specialties are all made at Dingemans, and put in Castle bags right at Dingemans. I love the flavor of Castle pils although it isn't as efficient as some others. grove – you might find this article interesting, although its focus is on DeWolf-Cosyns (since closed).

http://www.brewingtechniques.com/library/backissues/issue1.1/fix.html

For one thing there’s the comparison of the DWC pale and Maris Otter.

Anyway, the old DWC recipes were said to go to Dingemans – although there was never mention of barley varieties (short-sighted, eh?).

Also, in case you didn’t know, Castle malts its own pale and pils. Its specialties are all made at Dingemans, and put in Castle bags right at Dingemans.

I love the flavor of Castle pils although it isn’t as efficient as some others.

]]> By: grove http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-36122 grove Thu, 12 Jul 2007 22:15:15 +0000 http://appellationbeer.com/blog/malt-and-barley-matters-part-ii/#comment-36122 This is definitely a road that is worth going down. I cannot say that I have noticed much of a difference between the various base malts that I have used when brewing my beers. Still I cannot say that there are significant differences between Weyermann's pilsener malt, Muntons Pearl pale malt, Castle's pilsener malt and Thomas Fawcett's Maris Otter, all malt types I've brewed with recently and all easily obtainable here in Europe. This can be attributed to a lack of focus on my behalf. The reason is most likely that my recipes have been very different and perhaps too complex to let the base malt showcase itself. I find this subject very interesting and find your posts about it very interesting. I find the comparison between wine grapes and malt types fascinating. In the future I'll definitely try to make an effort to try and identify the characteristics of the individual malt types in my own beers. Thanks for writing about it. It is much appreciated. This is definitely a road that is worth going down. I cannot say that I have noticed much of a difference between the various base malts that I have used when brewing my beers. Still I cannot say that there are significant differences between Weyermann’s pilsener malt, Muntons Pearl pale malt, Castle’s pilsener malt and Thomas Fawcett’s Maris Otter, all malt types I’ve brewed with recently and all easily obtainable here in Europe. This can be attributed to a lack of focus on my behalf. The reason is most likely that my recipes have been very different and perhaps too complex to let the base malt showcase itself.

I find this subject very interesting and find your posts about it very interesting. I find the comparison between wine grapes and malt types fascinating. In the future I’ll definitely try to make an effort to try and identify the characteristics of the individual malt types in my own beers. Thanks for writing about it. It is much appreciated.

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