OK, I want to buy some grains in bulk to save some money. My question is which one?? My house beer will always be some type of IPA or pale ale. So which grains do I buy in bulk! PS - just picked up a Corona Grain mill for $2 at a yard sale!!!
What malt to buy in bulk?
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InHopsWeTrust
Member
2 bucks? Nice score!!
sudsmcgee
Well-Known Member
Canadian 2-row is cheap and works well.
IMO it depends on what is cheaper 6-row or 2-row. You have to use a little more 6-row than 2-row but if the 6-row is significantly cheaper, I would not hesitate to grab a sack of that instead. FWIW the conversion is about 1 pound extra for every 10 pounds of 2-row. If they are the same price then 2-row all the way.
Golddiggie
Well-Known Member
Get a sack (or more) of some good [quality] 2-row [base] malt... You can get the rest as needed, or in semi-bulk as you decide.
Pale or good 2 row,i like how -breiss brewers 2 row- turned out recently in a batch i just was able to test a bottle of.I got some 10# bags got some Marris otter to try out.I guess there are different kinds of M.O.-not shure if there is a big difference or not.Its hit or miss if your going to get a big sack of something you havent tried.Ive noticed differnces when switching base grains.All are good,some i just like better ive been discovering that more latley using differnt base malts.But a sack of base for around 17 bucks for 10# for varity vs 50-55#bulk for 50-80 bucks-is way cheaper. Small batches would be the way to go to experiment with the variety of base grains though as far as price with base grain variety.
I've tried a lot of domestic pale malts. I hate Briess. Great Western is very good and Rahr is even better. And keep in mind that when people say "2 row", they almost always mean "pale malt". Most malt you find is 2 row, but it's the amount and style of kilning that differentiates the types.
How many differnt breiss malts have you tried though? 2 row is differnet than pale,pale has a bit of kilning unless im missing something it has a bit more color as well. I think sticking to a neutral base malt(not being pale) would be the way to go that way you can toast or get some busicuit or victory or other malts to suit a toasted(pale) taste.I think there are differnces within 2 rows as well.I used up a big sack of Organic GW pale 2 row -made some great beers with it,i just noticed from switching just to breiss brewers 2 row what a big difference it made in the beer- i just happend to like the difference both good just different.Freshness is key to because it was a new fresh bag and first batch out of the bag.Just blurpin that as well.
I've tried Briess pale, pale ale, and Munich at least...maybe others. I do like and use their organic 60L crystal and rye malts, but I just don't like the flavor of their base malts.
Denny said:
Their caramel Munich 60L is really good. I also use their 300L roasted barley, however I agree with you that most of their base malts are just so so.
How do you feel about best malz pils Denny? Just got a sack of it, and I'll be brewing up a Bo pils in a few hours.
Best is my favorite pils. I also like Durst (2nd choice) and Weyermann (3rd choice) but after trying Best it became my standard. Their Munich is great, too.
By "dark", I assume that's the 10L stuff? That's my go to Munich.
rklene
Active Member
I use Carmel 20L in all my pale and IPAs. But 2 row is a must.
OK, I'm gonna scream if I don't say this....it's pretty much ALL 2 row! It might be pale, pale ale, pils, Munich or some other kilning, but pretty much all malt (not entirely all) malt we get is 2 row!
Thank you for your patience with my rant.......
Thank you for your patience with my rant.......
ArcaneXor
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True, but as you know most maltsters differentiate between "plain", nearly flavorless 2-Row and the slightly darker and much more flavorful Pale Ale malt (along with all the other named malts). To minimize confusion we have adopted the same, admittedly odd nomenclature on the forums.
starrfish
Well-Known Member
Maris Otter, I use that as a base in all my english and some of my american styles.
There's really no reason to use 6 row for distatic power. These days, 2 row is nearly equal to 6 row.
Start with plain Jane "2-row" (i.e. pale). For example, Canadian Malting's version is called "Canadian 2‐Row" and has an color range of 1.5-2.1. I've also used Briess "2‐Row Brewers Malt" (1.8 color), and quite frankly can't tell the difference. Note that the Canadian Malting comes in a 55# sack, the Briess and Great Western (called "Premium 2‐Row", 1.8-2.2) come in 50# sacks.
If you like English Style ales (including IPA's), Maris Otter is awesome. I've only gotten Thomas Fawcett MO, it's been great. It has a color range 2.3-3.0 but more importantly a somewhat nutty flavor and a more robust complexity. According to TF, it is still produced using their traditional floor malting process.
If I had to only pick two base malts, the above would be it. After that, consider things like Pilsen Malt, Vienna, and Munich (in terms of base malts). Oh, don't forget about wheat (malt and flaked) and corn (flaked) and so on.
What's nice about group buys is that everything becomes so much more reasonable that you want to try everything! (As I type this, I have over 300# of grains at home and just sent a check for another group buy and 12+ additional sacks of grain.)
Hope this helps.
Edit: Since you can't try everything, I've tended to buy grains based on the country associated with beer style. For base pale (2-row), Canadian is fine. When doing English, stick with TF or Bairds. For Pilsen, Vienna, Munich, pick one of the German ones (e.g Best Malz). I don't know if it makes a difference...but I do it.
rklene
Active Member
Using 6 row for the first time today. Making a cream ale, and doing my first temperature mash.
