Help me with my pallet- examples of MALTY beers?

that are likely to be commercially available? I don't know that I can currently tell a malty overtoned brew from one that isn't

Ale:
Alesmith Wee Heavy, or if you cannot find that, maybe a Belhaven or Traquair House Ale

Lager:
Spaten Optimator



You should be able to find the Optimator pretty easily, I'd think.

Celebrator Dopplebock

This is a cool thread-- I have trouble distinguishing malty as well. Thanks for putting this out there!

Would people consider Aventinus malty, or is that "wheaty"?

BTW, Celebrator is Awesome!

I don't remember who it's by, but it's real common. Smoked Baltic Porter. Yummy.

Big Sky's Moose Drool. Great beer. Nice and malty.

Moretti Larossa

Orkney Brewerys Red McGregor is quite a malty Irish Red

What about a Scottish Wee Heavy - "Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale" from Oskar Blues. Comes in a 6 pack in Aluminum Cans.

Dead Guy by Rogue. It's a "maibock style ale". My homebrew clone recipe is a malt bomb!

And marzens for that matter. The best ones taste like you're drinking a Heath bar.

jholen said:

What about a Scottish Wee Heavy - "Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale" from Oskar Blues. Comes in a 6 pack in Aluminum Cans.

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okay, had Old Chub...in fact, just the other day (and I'm not in Longmont). I am a big Oskar Blues fan (really like G'Nite which used to be "Gordon")...but don't like Old Chub. Now that I think of it, whatever's in old chub, makes me not that much a fan of Moose Drool either. Not sure if it's the malty taste or something else though.

I know this is really dumb.....but, how would you describe "malty" taste? When I think of Moose Drool or Old Chub, I only recall a really heavy (old chub in particular) beer with carbon hints. I don't think that's "malt"...? I always thought that was more the temperature at which the grain was heated, thus imparting carbon and the dark color. Is that wrong (probably)? What's the malt taste?

kramer said:

okay, had Old Chub...in fact, just the other day (and I'm not in Longmont). I am a big Oskar Blues fan (really like G'Nite which used to be "Gordon")...but don't like Old Chub. Now that I think of it, whatever's in old chub, makes me not that much a fan of Moose Drool either. Not sure if it's the malty taste or something else though.

I know this is really dumb.....but, how would you describe "malty" taste? When I think of Moose Drool or Old Chub, I only recall a really heavy (old chub in particular) beer with carbon hints. I don't think that's "malt"...? I always thought that was more the temperature at which the grain was heated, thus imparting carbon and the dark color. Is that wrong (probably)? What's the malt taste?

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I personally don't consider moose drool to be that heavy of a beer. While it is not a dry beer, I consider it to.be relatively lite bodied. That biscuity, nutty, roasty and toasty taste are all malt driven characters.

You may want to try some malty lagers instead. They may be more your speed for taste. Try a marzen or Oktoberfest, or like Yoop suggested a maibock.

kramer said:

okay, had Old Chub...in fact, just the other day (and I'm not in Longmont). I am a big Oskar Blues fan (really like G'Nite which used to be "Gordon")...but don't like Old Chub. Now that I think of it, whatever's in old chub, makes me not that much a fan of Moose Drool either. Not sure if it's the malty taste or something else though.

I know this is really dumb.....but, how would you describe "malty" taste? When I think of Moose Drool or Old Chub, I only recall a really heavy (old chub in particular) beer with carbon hints. I don't think that's "malt"...? I always thought that was more the temperature at which the grain was heated, thus imparting carbon and the dark color. Is that wrong (probably)? What's the malt taste?

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Not sure I can help you there as I'm just getting into this scene, so not very great at describing beer taste. I just know it is very different than most beers I've tried!

I'm planning on brewing a Scottish 70/- soon, and Old Chub was the only Scottish Ale I could find locally.. so just by assumption figured it'd be malty.

Yooper said:

Dead Guy by Rogue. It's a "maibock style ale". My homebrew clone recipe is a malt bomb!

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Dead Guy is an amazing example of a malty brew. also, most marzens are quite malt forward.

Homebrewtastic said:

I personally don't consider moose drool to be that heavy of a beer. While it is not a dry beer, I consider it to.be relatively lite bodied. That biscuity, nutty, roasty and toasty taste are all malt driven characters.

You may want to try some malty lagers instead. They may be more your speed for taste. Try a marzen or Oktoberfest, or like Yoop suggested a maibock.

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Oh....so would it be correct to say that the tastes that come through FROM the malted grains are what you'd call "malty". So, if a grain is heaviily toasted, perhaps I'd get a nutty, toasty taste. Thus, that would be a "malty" brew, because those flavors are from the malt/malted grain. ??

Think I'm catching on...maybe. So, would a Guinness Stout be a "malty" beer too, since the roasted malt flavors are present? Or am I going in the wrong direction?

Maibocks are malty deliciousness.

jholen said:

What about a Scottish Wee Heavy - "Old Chub - Scottish Style Ale" from Oskar Blues. Comes in a 6 pack in Aluminum Cans.

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Man that beer is awesome. The best part is it can be consumed on the boat in summertime; thank you cans!

Along with what others have said, Optimator is malt heavy, Leviathan Uber Bock is malt forward.

The 'malt' flavor depends on the malt itself. It can be nutty, carmel in character, chocolate or coffee like, sweet (which is the case in Marzen's from Pauliner and Spaten which is very good examples) just to name a few characteristic flavors.

kramer said:

Oh....so would it be correct to say that the tastes that come through FROM the malted grains are what you'd call "malty". So, if a grain is heaviily toasted, perhaps I'd get a nutty, toasty taste. Thus, that would be a "malty" brew, because those flavors are from the malt/malted grain. ??

Think I'm catching on...maybe. So, would a Guinness Stout be a "malty" beer too, since the roasted malt flavors are present? Or am I going in the wrong direction?

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The flavors of a malty beer do come from the malts. But with so many different types of specialty malts and base malts that all have their own distinct flavor. Different malts can chocolate characters, some caramel, biscuit, ashy, nutty etc...

Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company - Denver, CO

Malty goodness.

johnnybrew said:

Hibernation Ale - Great Divide Brewing Company - Denver, CO

Malty goodness.

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Amen.

Okay, grabbed some Optimator, Salvator and Maarzen/Oktoberfest.

In sampling the Optimator...the nose has a very distinct character. Obviously not hops; so, I guess that's the malt/s. (although when I smell some of my munich malt extract or even heavier malted barley.....there's no similarity). I guess I need to take a class or something so I know what I'm smelling and tasting. The taste is not exactly bitter, kinda sweet I guess....I don't know how to describe. I guess that's "malty". ? I like it. I'll check back after trying the Salvator (should be similar) and then the maarzen.

It is correct to say that "malty" taste is a broad description, and just means flavors/notes from the malt/s are coming through, loud and clear? Thus, something like an Old Chub, which is NOTHING like an Optimator....but both are consider "malty"? The Old Chub tastes like (to me) used motor oil with some dirt and peat mixed in...so, that's coming from the malt. ?? Am I even close? Or, is "malty" simply supposed to remind you of the taste you get from malted milk chocolate balls or from a malt (like from a malt shop)? When I taste my malt extracts, I definitely get that flavor. Or is that not the idea?

Okay, grabbed some Optimator, Salvator and Marzen/Oktoberfest.

In sampling the Optimator...the nose has a very distinct character. Obviously not hops; so, I guess that's the malt/s. I guess I need to take a class or something so I know what I'm smelling and tasting. The taste is not exactly bitter, kinda sweet I guess....I don't know how to describe. I guess that's "malty". ? I like it.

Marzen- lighter than the Optimator, with a bigger head. Nose does in fact remind me of malt, as in malted milk duds, or malt extract. Great beer. I've have many before, but didn't do anything but chug it down.

So....is it correct to think that "malty" flavor is just the hint of malt in taste and smell.....malt being that taste that is present in malted milk dud, a chocolate malt and malt extract? Is that all we're dealing with.....kinda like hops, only completely different?

But, something like Old Chub tastes like (to me) used motor oil with some dirt and peat mixed in...but, but many of you say that's also a "MALTY" beer?? Maybe I just didn't notice.....with all the peat and dirt overtone Am I even on the right track.....or....

Claymore ale by great divide is a good wee heavy that has a rich malty taste, celebrator, optimator and salvator are great doppelbocks with malty flavor. With each of those doppelbocks you get a nice rich (sweet) flavor that isn't cloying, but each one has a different level of roastiness, salvator being the lightest and celebrator proly more roasty than optimator.

The thing about malty beers is that you are tasting the flavor of the grains involved, and the hops are more just background. Kind of like how certain hops have certain flavors (piney, citrusy, etc), different malts have different flavors and how much of each used is determining the tastes you get. With the three doppels listed above, I would guess they all use the same amount of hallertau hops, but each one uses a different amount specialty grains and the more dark roasted grains used, the more dark roast you taste (celebrator vs salvator).

Common things I get with malty beers are sweet, biscuity, roasty, and caramely flavors. Any hop character should mainly be a balance for the sweet malts to keep the beers from being cloying. If you really want to get an idea for malty flavors, try eating some samples of different specialty grains.

To me, Newcastle is pretty malty. But then with as many IPAs as I drink I probably have desensitized my hops receptors.

Old chub isn't the best example in my opinion because it has other characteristics that come through - alcohol and smokiness.

English browns, dopplebocks, maibocks. Malty is really about a deep sweetness.

jholen said:

I'm planning on brewing a Scottish 70/- soon, and Old Chub was the only Scottish Ale I could find locally.. so just by assumption figured it'd be malty.

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Can you get Odell's beer from Ft Collins in your area? If so look for 90 Shilling, its one of their signature beers, a scottish ale, and is quite good. Laughing Lab from Bristol in Colorado Springs is also a scottish. Laughing Lab has more of a malt flavor, the 90 is a heavier beer, so there's a bit more hop to balance out the malt, but its still more malty in general.

I agree with whoever said Oktoberfest for a style that is malty. Any German Oktoberfest will give you a good taste of Munich Malt and Pilsner Malt. If you can find the canned version of Warsteiner Premium Verum, I think it has a good malt taste to it that comes through. I notice the malt more in the canned version. Not sure why. Conditioning maybe?

Yooper said:

Dead Guy by Rogue. It's a "maibock style ale". My homebrew clone recipe is a malt bomb!

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I brewed a dead guy kit and recently bottled it last Friday and it did actually blow the top off of my fermenter!! Maybe it was the measuring cup of honey and extra three lbs of golden light malt I added?

kramer said:

In sampling the Optimator...the nose has a very distinct character. Obviously not hops; so, I guess that's the malt/s. I guess I need to take a class or something so I know what I'm smelling and tasting. The taste is not exactly bitter, kinda sweet I guess....I don't know how to describe. I guess that's "malty". ?

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it's been a while since I had optimator, but IIRC the sweet smell is at least in part due to high alcohol content, which is only indirectly related to malt.

I don't know if I've had any of the beers mentioned so far (except Newcastle). The only ones I've even seen are Old Chub and Dead Guy.

I don't drink malty beers very often, but I'd simply suggest Fat Tire. It's widely available. I don't know how it compares to the others mentioned, but it tastes like a big mouthful of malted barley to me.

Go to any dessert place and order a vanilla milk shake and a malted vanilla milk shake and taste the difference.

acefaser said:

Go to any dessert place and order a vanilla milk shake and a malted vanilla milk shake and taste the difference.

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Okay, that's what I was looking for. That's "malty"....okay, got it Definitely can taste and smell that in the Marzen and Optimator. VERY clear in the Marzen though. Salvator is a little less prominent.

I recently had Black Boss Porter from Poland, and that was very malty.

I love this thread. Every thing is so hop centric these days I think a lot of brewers forget the wonderful diversity of flavors (and smells) you can get from the malt that makes up your beer. Think of malt as the sweetness in a beer. This sweetness can vary greatly from being subtle and mild to hitting your over the head with raisin or caramel overtones.

Beer at the end of the day is a balance between malt's sweetness and hop's bitterness. Take a beer you like, take a sip, and swish it in your mouth. Does it start sweet or bitter? Does is mature into other flavors while in your mouth (think malted milk ball, caramel, raisin) or does it become more bitter? And does it finish sweet or bitter or neutral? How does it taste on different parts of your tongue? Start doing this and you will start to see certain flavor patterns. Some you will like, others maybe not so much. You may have to drink a fair amount of beer to really grow your palette (oh nos!). Have fun!

In addition to drinking malty beers, you can also eat malted grains to get a feel for their character. It's amazing how recognizable malt flavors are in finished beer when you've sampled the grains going into them. My LHBS suggested the idea and they were always cool with sampling, but you might want to ask your local staff before tucking in

BenjaminBier said:

In addition to drinking malty beers, you can also eat malted grains to get a feel for their character. It's amazing how recognizable malt flavors are in finished beer when you've sampled the grains going into them. My LHBS suggested the idea and they were always cool with sampling, but you might want to ask your local staff before tucking in

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Great suggestion. I smell and taste each grain when I am weighing and crushing my grist bill. This is especially with grains I am less familiar with. You will find there are huge differences in both aroma and taste - especially with the specialty grains.

Love this thread as well. We're not really hopheads, so most of our fridge is probably considered malty. Moose Drool, Scottish Ale, Irish Red (underhopped but tasty), Winter Warmers.

Slightly OT: I love that craft beer is growing, but it seems to be growing closer to the West Coast with the uber-hopped beers. Hell, I had a glass of Franconia Winter Wheat last night that almost made me choke. If all I can taste in your "wheat" beer is hops, you may want to rename it. Not at all what I was expecting.

StophJS said:

I recently had Black Boss Porter from Poland, and that was very malty.

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Beer Club of the Month member by any chance?

Pallet?


Maybe you mean palate.