Maris Otter and "crisp malt" definition?

Hey, everyone. I just got a 50 lb bag of Maris Otter malt, and in big, bold letters on the front it says "Crisp Malting." Now, I was at the Mammoth Bluesapaloosa beer fest a couple of weeks ago and a number of brewers were talking about crisp malt... Is this just another name for Maris, or is it a name given to a certain process of malting?

Thanks, -p

I don't actually know for sure (someone will correct me I'm sure), but as a guess that sounds like the name of the malting company.

Fly is close. Maris Otter is a cultivar of grain which can be produced by any number of maltsters. In your case Crisp is the maltster. Similar to American 2-row (cultivar) from maltster Briess

The only term that you'd normally see that applies to the method of production is floor malt. It means it's been done the traditional way.

Basic rule of packaging: the largest lettering is either a trademark name or the manufacturer.

Thanks, folks. I've been using a few pounds at a time to supplement my standard American Pale base... Now I'm gonna try several of my usual recipes using all Maris Otter as the base. It seems more flavorful than the American. Cheers, -p

orfy said:

The only term that you'd normally see that applies to the method of production is floor malt. It means it's been done the traditional way.

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So I have got a sack of Bairds Maris Otter. Is that floor malted?

Google can be your friend. Check this link for Crisp Malting:

http://www.crispmalt.info/

And this one for Baird Malt:

http://www.bairds-malt.co.uk/main_frame.htm

Thanks, guy from Iowa. Those links were interesting... I'm curious, and maybe this should be a separate post... are their any West Coast (USA) malting companies?

-p

perry said:

are their any West Coast (USA) malting companies?

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At least two on this list: http://brewingtechniques.com/bmg/adm.html

Great Western, and California Concentrates (makes Alexander's Sun Country).

Like others here have said, Crisp is one of the larger malting company in the UK. They produce several kinds of malt (base malt, caramel malts, etc). Maris Otter is a UK barley variety that has a unique flavor profile when malted. Any maltster can buy Maris Otter barley and process it into Maris Otter malt. You happen to have bought Maris Otter malt made by Crisp Maltings. This is a very good malt and Crisp is a very good malting company.:rockin:

Are there any west coast malting companies? There is one malting company on the west coast of the US and that is Great Western Malting Company. California Concentrates is a company that buys malt and makes extracts. GWMCO actually buys barley and makes the malt. There are some malting companies in Canada in western Canada. Gambrinus Malting is one. GWMCO also imports Baird's malt.

Just FYI.

Dr Malt

Any one can grow Maris Otter barley under licence.