2-Row

[JesterMage]

I keep reading posts about grains and the term 2-Row. Since I am a new member I thought I would use the question "what is 2-Row?" as a way to introduce myself instead of Googling it.

I love reading all the articles here and look forward to many conversations.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Usually when "2-Row" is used it is a reference to "American Pale Malt". It is a light colored based malt.

I don't like the term as most barley used for brewing is 2-Row (including most roasted malts, English Pale Ale malts, Pilsner malts). The history is probably because in American there was a time with both 6-Row and 2-Row barley were common. Rahr labels their base malt as "Standard 2-Row" and Canada Malting Company lists their as "2-Row Malt" (they also sell a "6-Row Malt"). It is in the same category as Briess "Brewers Malt". This is generally a lighter colored malt than "Pale Ale Malt" and a little darker than "Pilsner Malt."

 

[bracconiere]

I thought I would use the question "what is 2-Row?" as a way to introduce myself instead of Googling it.

Small talk can be fun!

barley grows looking like two rows or 6? maybe even 9 if i'm not mistaken...2-row i believe is used for brewing because it has less protien, but 6-row has more diastaic power...or if you're not familar with that word, the enymatic content to convert a lot of geletanized starch to simpilier sugars...

 

[Transamguy77]

Small talk can be fun!

barley grows looking like two rows or 6? maybe even 9 if i'm not mistaken...2-row i believe is used for brewing because it has less protien, but 6-row has more diastaic power...or if you're not familar with that word, the enymatic content to convert a lot of geletanized starch to simpilier sugars...

@bracconiere is the king of small talk! And he is also a wealth of knowledge once you get him going.

@JesterMage you’ll get lots of good conversations here, welcome to the obsession.

 

[JesterMage]

I see I have a lot more to learn than I thought I did when it comes to brewing beer. Using kits has been very easy but since most of the work is done for you it couldn't be anything but easy. It's a good thing I like learning new things or this could become very overwhelming very quickly.

I have brewed several kits and have had fun and I've caught the bug but like most things with me I have an almost immediate urge to experiment. I think I really need to learn the basics first on this one. I don't want to have to wait a month or two to figure out that that great idea in my head doesn't really work in the real world of brewing.

 

[bracconiere]

immediate urge to experiment.

i just bought my first refractomter because i found out i can reverse find out the ABV comparing it to my hydro....great tip i got from HBT!

(and don't listen to the nay sayers, with all the money you'll be saving brewing your own, experiement away! lol )

 

[hout17]

Welcome! I would also suggest some light reading or not so light lol but I found the book "How to Brew" by John Palmer an invaluable resource. The most current edition is the 4th one. You can make brewing as simple or as complex as you like. I find I'm really enjoying learning about water chemistry and ph adjustments currently.

Be careful it's fun maybe a little too much fun.

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

Be careful it's fun maybe a little too much fun.

+1 but with proper diet, a 12 pack is a perfectly reasonable day's ration.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

2-row i believe is used for brewing because it has less protien, but 6-row has more diastaic power

If you want to dig into the history and breeding of barley in America, the Master Brewers Podcast has a 3 part series from a few years ago on the topic. It changed how I look at NA vs European barley.

Most North American 2-row barley varieties today came out of breeding program of the big guys to brew high diastatic 2-row that would support their 50% adjunct brews. Most North American 2-row is as high or higher in diastatic power than NA 6-row (and I am not sure 6-row has ever really been grown outside of NA). I am not sure how much 6-row is used these days for brewing beer (it might be used more for spirits). I have never brewed with 6-Row, but my understanding is that tends to be rather harsh/grainy...which is why adjucts like Corn and Rice were introduced into American beers.

But @JesterMage, if you see a recipe that lists "2-Row", 99% of the time it just means a pale NA base malt. Recipes may also reference malts like "Belgian Pale Ale", "German Pilsner", or "English Pale Ale/Maris Otter". A "simple" thing like the variety of base malts from different barley varieties, countries and maltsters can actually get very complex.

 

[bracconiere]

.which is why adjucts like Corn and Rice were introduced into American beers.

that's what i heard too, the german brewers didn't like the protein from american malt, and used rice to lighten it for their lagers....

 

[camonick]

I keep reading posts about grains and the term 2-Row. Since I am a new member I thought I would use the question "what is 2-Row?" as a way to introduce myself instead of Googling it.

I love reading all the articles here and look forward to many conversations.

It technically refers to the appearance of the grain head when viewed down the axis. 2-row literally has two rows of kernels while 6-row has six.

In recipes, 2-row is a generic term used to describe many different varieties of pale malt. Here is a short article describing the difference between the two and where they are used.

 

[bracconiere]

@JesterMage are we managing to intimidate you more then google yet?

 

[JesterMage]

This is much more fun than Google.

So far I have learned that the answer to my question was easier and WAY more complicated than I thought. But it was answered and answered with style and poise...Google ain't got nut'n on you guys.

Thank you all for answering my question.

 

[bracconiere]

Google ain't got nuts on you guys.

wait, i remember a post when I first started here....sitting down is the HBT prefered way to pee.......lol

 

[bwible]

So far I have learned that the answer to my question was easier and WAY more complicated than I thought....

Words of wisdom. You will find this to be true over and over again with brewing topics. People can make things as simple and straightforward as they want or as complicated and bogged down in minor details as they want. Happens in many discussions on here.

 

[JesterMage]

I have noticed that brewing habits cover the full spectrum from brewing in Lab condition that would be the envy of the CDC Lab Safty protocols and brewing in your barn over a campfire with a garbage can and an old hubcap.

 

[Grizwold1]

with proper diet, a 12 pack is a perfectly reasonable day's ration.

Or is a 12 pack what six-pack abs become after too many 12 packs?

 

[bracconiere]

brewing in your barn over a campfire with a garbage can and an old hubcap.

so you have seen my posts! lol

 

[firerat]

I have noticed that brewing habits cover the full spectrum from brewing in Lab condition that would be the envy of the CDC Lab Safty protocols and brewing in your barn over a campfire with a garbage can and an old hubcap.

This guy is gonna fit right in here.

Welcome aboard!!

 

[MaxStout]

I have noticed that brewing habits cover the full spectrum from brewing in Lab condition that would be the envy of the CDC Lab Safty protocols and brewing in your barn over a campfire with a garbage can and an old hubcap.

Brewing hooch in a prison cell sink has its own unique charm, too. Or so I have heard.

Many different ways to look at brewing, with many types of equipment, methods, etc. Someone upthread mentioned John Palmer's How to Brew. I highly recommend it and the 4th edition is packed with good info.

Good to have you with us!

 

[DarrellQ]

Words of wisdom. You will find this to be true over and over again with brewing topics. People can make things as simple and straightforward as they want or as complicated and bogged down in minor details as they want. Happens in many discussions on here.

Spot on. From my observations, you just described the difference between the Russian way of making things versus the American way of making things (generally speaking, of course).

 

[Bobby_M]

In brewing circles, the very high level barley type "2-row" has been used to describe the most commonly used generic base malt. Most malsters call it "Brewer's Malt". It is kilned just a touch darker than Pilsner malt but not quite as dark as Pale Malt. If someone just says "2-row", they mean a very light generic base malt and then 5 seconds later some malt snob will say "it's all 2-row". Yes, true, all the other malts across the spectrum were made from a 2-row barley type but that kind of stupid reply gets us nowhere.

For cross reference, an extract recipe that uses a "golden light" extract would use 2-row brewer's malt as well as about 2% crystal or dextrine malt in the all grain conversion.

 

[JesterMage]

Thank you all. These answers have made things more clear and I have ordered the book