Maris Otter in???

I've been reading a lot of posts that praise MO. I decided to experiment and have an American Hefeweizen fermenting that used 5 lbs of it so I'm curious how it will turn out. What beers/styles do you find it to be the best in and why?

I'm gonna follow this thread. I made a nut brown w MO. It wasn't my favorite. Would love to see other options - because like you said, it gets really good comments!

Maris Otter forms the backbone of all my English beers. It's got a nice bready, almost biscuity flavor that plays well with crystal malts and less attenuative yeasts. I also love it on its own in American pales and IPAS too.

MO is my primary base malt. I always use it for English, Irish, and Scottish beers (though Golden Promise is also great). I also love it in American pales and IPAs like daksin. Other styles it is great in: Porters, Stouts (though it gets kind of lost), Brown ales, Ambers. I'm actually surprised that Coohang didn't like it in the nut brown (or maybe just the recipe???). I think it is fantastic in browns, particularly nut browns.

What I don't use it for: wheat beers (usually use pils), light Belgians (use pils), and lighter American styles (blondes, cream ales). The nutty/biscuity flavor doesn't work as well in those, and MO is darker than normal 2-row/pale malt.

I tried it in a pale and wasn't a fan.

TimpanogosSlim said:

I tried it in a pale and wasn't a fan.

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Out of curiosity, what did you not like about it? The malty/nuttiness? Biscuity character? It definitely doesn't produce a "crisp" APA, but adds an almost English/ESB character IMO.

cyclonite said:

Out of curiosity, what did you not like about it? The malty/nuttiness? Biscuity character? It definitely doesn't produce a "crisp" APA, but adds an almost English/ESB character IMO.

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Biscuity flavor was too prominent perhaps. I lack adequate experience and vocabulary to describe it i guess. I liked the same recipe better with american 2row. "Happy wife pale ale" fwiw.

I'm trying a big IPA tomorrow with 17lbs of MO in the bill tomorrow, can't wait to see how it turns out!

I just tasted a SMASH I brewed with maris otter. I'm a big fan. It provided a very solid stage upon which the Amarillo hops could dance. It was big enough to have its own flavor profile, but subtle enough to allow the hops to shine. It's malty and delicious.

It makes a tremendous ESB. Also, great brown ales.

I use MO for everything. I get it by the sack. I brew (from most to least) American IPAs (single, double, and imperial,) pale ales, amber ales, dry stouts, British ales. North American 2-row tastes like straw to me. FWIW and YMMV and WTF.

Steve da sleeve

stevedasleeve said:

FWIW and YMMV and WTF.

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FTW

I would brew absolutely everything with MO. It's just about the best base malt there is IMHO. You can make a great pale ale(ala SMaSH) with nothing but MO.
The only thing I would not use it for is a non-wheat German

I use it as a base malt for all my British beer styles - British bitters, stouts, etc. For German style ales and American pales I use Pilsner malt - personally, I think the biscuity-ness of Maris Otter, which is delicious in a bitter, is too much for a Hefe or an APA. Having said that, I do prefer it in IPAs/RyePAs, even American style ones - I think it adds some character to a style that can be a bit one-note.

I like to use it in my stouts, browns, and porters. I tried a few pounds in my black IPA along with regular two row and it was great. I like it and I am definitely going to try it most of my other styles.

I like MO in malt forward, full bodied beers like anything British or dark, like a porter or stout. In yeast dominated beers, like hefes, wits, and Belgians, it can be too much if used as the primary fermentable. However, it does work as a specialty grain to add a subtle biscuit flavor.

Just brewed an IPA with #12 MO. Going into secondary. Will try without dry hopping as I LATE hopped a bunch. Just curious. One week till touch-down.
pao

I've started using MO almost exclusively as my base malt. I only use 2-row now for a few recipes.

If u love MO try the floor malted vatiety that NB sells. Its 4.5L so its got even more toasty biscuit character. I use MO in all British beers and some American, but still use US pale 2 row of im going for something more hop forward.

I'm looking forward to trying my first beer made with Maris Otter (SMaSH APA w/ Citra) soon. Dry hops went in a few days ago, and I'll hopefully bottle on Monday.

I use MO for British, Irish and Scottish. Also you can try Gambrinus ESB as an alternaative to the MO, I like it just as well.

I've used MO in ambers with great results. Also stouts.

Damn I want a beer.