Any experience with Golden Promise, Optic, or Halcyon?

I am about to take part in a group buy. I have been experimenting with base malts for a bit now, using Vienna, and have been loving it. I am excited to order some Maris Otter and was also wanting to try another type that Fawcett makes. Has anyone ever had experience with these? Thoughts?

I love using Golden Promise. I've used it mainly in Pales and IPAs with good results. It brings a little more color and maltiness than standard 2 Row.

That's what I'm talkin about brother. Is it a decently noticeable difference? Ill do a smash beer with it when I first get it.

I've never done a SMaSH with it, but I would say it'll be a noticeably different beer than one made with Briess, Rahr, etc. 2-Row...

Golden Promise has a sweetness to it compared to 2row or Maris Otter. I love it and use is quite a bit in a variety of recipes.

golden promise is a great base malt! It's warm and bready like maris otter but with a bit more malt forward flavor. I love it, and I've used it in several different styles (including American IPA). I'd buy it more often if I could get it cheaper.

I use golden promise in all my english beers (milds, english browns, bitters, etc.) Have not used it in IPA's or APA's, but I know lots of folks do - just have always used my 2 row for those. I really like it. No experience with the other two.

Well it sounds like a resounding thumbs up for golden promise. I will probably go with this.

If anyone else has something to say about the other two, please chime in.

Hey Yoop. We are doing a central ohio group buy, if you're still in ohio. I'm getting that golden promise for like $38. There is a thread about it on here, if you're interested. Us Youngstownians gotta stick together.

Im going to be using it for the first time in a few weeks myself, im going for burton ale yeast,as wells as a bunch of goldings and something else(I forget off hand) burton salts too. Going for a burton type ale,whatever that means I guess,Im still trying to figure it out,and Im not going to age it a year either before drinking,although now I think about it I may put it on oak too- I may be in over my head now.:cross:

Good luck man. I'm sure it will turn out great. Ferment on.

I just bought a sack of GP for use in making a Scotch Ale and have heard similar good things. A guy in my club regularly uses Optic in his stouts and porters with great success in competitions. I can say from firsthand experience that his beers are excellent. We traded off some grain and I am looking forward to giving the Optic a try.

I've really been interested in Optic, mostly because it sounds cool. Ha. Well thanks for the input. I can't wait to make this order. I'm going to see if people want to split some bags so I can try all three maybe. Saweet!

We all know that Pearl Malt, the English 2-row malt used in Heady Topper, is the best of the bunch.

For the heavier/maltier options, like MO and GP, I like to cut them with a bit of American 2-row when brewing something like a dry West-Coast IPA. Pearl malt already has traits of both so no tweaking is necessary.

bobbrews said:

For the heavier/maltier options, like MO and GP, I like to cut them with a bit of American 2-row when brewing something like a dry West-Coast IPA. Pearl malt already has traits of both so no tweaking is necessary.

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I do exactly the same when brewing a 1.055 or higher beer.

I'd also used Optic in the past. It's a bit lighter than M.O., but still has excellent flavors.

MC

bobbrews said:

We all know that Pearl Malt, the English 2-row malt used in Heady Topper, is the best of the bunch.

For the heavier/maltier options, like MO and GP, I like to cut them with a bit of American 2-row when brewing something like a dry West-Coast IPA. Pearl malt already has traits of both so no tweaking is necessary.

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Basically what I came in to say.

GP is delicious stuff, Surly is what originally led me to purchase the malt. They also do a 50/50 blend and besides decreasing the overall base malt cost it is a value add from a recipe standpoint.

FYI, GP is THE single malt in most of the single malt whiskeys made in Scotland.

Pearl is also delicious. I am generally a huge proponent of Thomas Fawcett malts and will be trying some of the others once I brew down my current overstock of malt.

Xpertskir said:

GP is delicious stuff, Surly is what originally led me to purchase the malt. They also do a 50/50 blend

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Yeah, I believe they use Canada Malting Superior Pale Ale Malt in addition to Simpsons Golden Promise... and minor amounts of specialty grain/other fermentables like Golden Naked Oats, Brewer's Crystals (sugar), & Light Crystal.

they use aromatic and a pinch of black roasted barley in Furious. Ive had a hard time with that beer, Ive been getting too much bitterness from the BRB. I think next time I make it, I'll cold steep the BRB as opposed to mashing.

Oh, I was referencing Abrasive.