2 row versus 6 row

With the recession in full force it may be time to cut back a bit. In order to do my part, I will continue to brew at a good clip, however I am considering switching my recipes that use a 2 row base to use 6 row until we get out of this. To me it sounds like a win-win; I continue to brew and the LHBS still makes sales. Here is my question: How bad will by recipes suffer?

I am not sure how subbing 6-row for 2-row makes any difference unless there is a big difference in price. I am sure I am missing something simple, but it wouldn't be the first time.
As for your recipes, 6-row doesn't have the diastatic power of 2-row. So if you use a lot of adjuncts, there might not be enough enzymes to convert all the starches.

Actually, 6-row has MORE diastatic power, so it's used when more adjuncts are used. The issue is that 6-row tastes "grainier" than 2-row.

In many beers, I don't know if you'd see much of a difference (I use a boat load of hops in my IPAs and APAs!). But I've never done a beer with all 6-row, so I'd love to find out what exactly the differences.

6-row has a lot more protein than 2-row. It's best to use rice or corn as an adjunct... a la BMC.

What's the price difference? I get 50lb of GW 2 row for $.66 lb.
Briess 6 row would cost me $.84lb for 50lbs.

Your supplier might be way different, in my case it would not make much sense.

menschmaschine said:

6-row has a lot more protein than 2-row. It's best to use rice or corn as an adjunct... a la BMC.

Click to expand...

Believe it or not, at one time adding those adjuncts was a lot more expensive than using 100% barley. A-B did it because 6-row (which was all they had available) had a much grainier flavor than 2-row, and they were trying to get something cleaner and more similar to the 2-row flavor that appealed to German immigrants. They were one of the pioneers in trying to make something that tasted like high-end German lagers rather than a cheapo beverage.

How times change!