Brown malt

[Cider123]

I was at a local brewpub recently and had a great brown ale. The best feature was the hint of hazelnut flavor it had.

I have a friend who is a regular there and knows the brewer. He offered to ask the guy if he was willing to share anything on the recipe. The brewer said it was the brown malt that gave it that particular flavor and that is pretty hard to find in most brew stores. In fact, he was kind enough to offer me enough to make a 5 gallon batch.

In reviewing posts here, everything I've read says that the brown malt gives roasted flavors and not the nut flavor. Most people are saying it is the victory and biscuit malts that provide this flavor.

Can anyone offer any insight into this for me? Are all brown malts similar in what they provide? Thanks

 

[folly]

It depends on how much you use. In a small amount it can add a little nuttiness, and in large amounts you get closer to a traditional porter with a good amount or roast flavor. Some of the original porters were almost all brown malt.

I've tried it in small amounts in a brown ale, although the flavors are very light and tend to get lost when used with strong flavored malt or a lot of hops are used. I use it at over 10% in one of my porter recipes and it really has a nice roasted, smokey, rich flavor. But at only 65-70L, you can use a good bit of it and not go overly dark and still get good flavor.

 

[Denny]

Different maltsters have very different takes on brown malt. It depends a lot on which one you use. Here's some info a friend dug up....

"Thought I'd give you a heads up on something. A while back I was asking about Baird brown malt, and whether it was really brown and not amber since the sack indicated both "brown" and "amber" (55-70L). Weird. The folks at Baird told me that it could be either brown or amber depending on what the customer wanted it to be, that the two malts are interchangeable. B.S! Anyway, I purchased some Crisp amber malt (35L) from Greg Beron at Culver City Homebrew in So. Cal., and it is visibly identical to Baird. Furthermore, I just received some Thomas Fawcett brown malt from North Country Malt and it is easily, visibly darker then the Baird. I mention this to you because if you're getting your brown malt through the LHBS, and he gets it from Steinbart's, it is Baird amber malt that is mislabeled. If you saw this Thomas Fawcett brown malt, it would be obvious. Makes me mad since I just kegged a porter brewed with the Baird amber, thinking/hoping it was brown malt."

 

[jonmohno]

I love it. This malt seems to make my darker beers better. I think I would use it in all of them I make.I would say toasted instead of roasted though but I can see using alot could make it roasty.I think it might be nutty too maybe kinda like Marris otter a little-im not 100% on going from memory here.It might be what i like about it,I know its just not a toasted flavor its more of a type of toasted taste-if that makes sense.

Ive only used one kind so I cant help you on the varitey of them,Im still trying to use different base malts to interperate each ones character.Like Golden Promise,German pale,amber malt,etc.. some Ive never used before. I just think no 2 row,or pales are equally the same thing either like Belgian pale,Canadian pale etc... So I guess I would say yes,a different malt from a different region may not taste exactly the same, its the same with hops too.

I think this malt is kinda like how if you toasted base malt and depending what degreee and how long you toast it, that it will give off different tastes,like grape nuts cereal.

 

[folly]

Different maltsters have very different takes on brown malt. It depends a lot on which one you use. Here's some info a friend dug up....

"Thought I'd give you a heads up on something. A while back I was asking about Baird brown malt, and whether it was really brown and not amber since the sack indicated both "brown" and "amber" (55-70L). Weird. The folks at Baird told me that it could be either brown or amber depending on what the customer wanted it to be, that the two malts are interchangeable. B.S! Anyway, I purchased some Crisp amber malt (35L) from Greg Beron at Culver City Homebrew in So. Cal., and it is visibly identical to Baird. Furthermore, I just received some Thomas Fawcett brown malt from North Country Malt and it is easily, visibly darker then the Baird. I mention this to you because if you're getting your brown malt through the LHBS, and he gets it from Steinbart's, it is Baird amber malt that is mislabeled. If you saw this Thomas Fawcett brown malt, it would be obvious. Makes me mad since I just kegged a porter brewed with the Baird amber, thinking/hoping it was brown malt."

I've only used the Fawcett brown malt and have always been happy with it. Although I've certainly seen some differences between different specialty malts (and base malts as well) depending on the maltser, that's an incredible difference. Amber or brown, depending? Sounds like, "What do you want my name to be Honey?"

 

[jonmohno]

I've only used the Fawcett brown malt and have always been happy with it. Although I've certainly seen some differences between different specialty malts (and base malts as well) depending on the maltser, that's an incredible difference. Amber or brown, depending? Sounds like, "What do you want my name to be Honey?"

Yeah, reminds me honeymalt is one of my favorates too.