malty flavor is missing in my beers!

[pjj2ba]

Zoebisch and I tasted a whole bunch of Euro-Pils on Saturday and most of them had what I'm tempted to call a "grainy" flavor, and differentiate it from a malty flavor. I guess I personally think of malty more in terms of English styles, Brown ales, etc, or even a Bock - some hints of richness to it. Very different to my taste buds. Our last beer of the night was a new Czech beer to us - Straponamen or something like that. VERY grainy. I am now really curious if they don't use a bunch of UN-malted barley in the mash, or the mythical undermodifed malts of yore. The flavor I got from this beer in particular was very reminiscent of moistened barley seed (I used to do a teaching lab that used germinating barley so of course it had to be tasted).

I'm going to order some flaked barley to try. Maybe that is the secret. American use corn or rice as an adjunct, and the Europeans use un-malted barley as an adjunct (or germinated for shorter than normal, but long enough for it to be called "malted"). As it would not have to go through the malting process it would be cheaper, and much of Europe is better suited to small grain farming, not corn, and certainly not rice (except Spain and Italy) so it would be more readily available than corn or rice.

This is what Northern Brewer says

Flaked Barley. Lends a rich grainy taste and increased head retention, creaminess, and body. Can make up to 40% of grist.

We noticed this flavor to varying degrees in most of the beers and initially thought, maybe there was a little wheat in them. I checked the label of one of the German pils expecting it to say malt, which then technically could include wheat malt. Nope it specifically said malted barley.

I had been contemplating making some home toasted pilsner malt to use in a Bohemian Pils, but now I'm thinking I will definitely buy and use some flaked barley instead.

 

[Got Trub?]

I found it!

Jamils podcast on Munich Helles contains a long discussion about what makes a beer malty.

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/jamil.php

September 25, 2006 - Munich Helles
In this episode Jamil and Jon discuss how to make an award winning Munich Helles. Getting malty flavors in beer. Debunking common myths about malty favors versus body.

GT

 

[delboy]

Any takers? Brew a Helles with only american 2 row...

GT

Mash high, decoct, add some Calcium Chloride to the brewing liquor and back off on the hops, no flavour additions, use a lager yeast known to accentuate malt flavours.

Im guessing you could pick up malt with a beer made only with 2 row under these circumstances.

 

[Got Trub?]

Mash high, decoct, add some Calcium Chloride to the brewing liquor and back off on the hops, no flavour additions, use a lager yeast known to accentuate malt flavours.

Im guessing you could pick up malt with a beer made only with 2 row under these circumstances.

Mash high will increase body - not maltiness. Your other suggestions will influence the perception of the malty flavour so will help. Listen to the podcast and it will clear up alot of confusion about maltiness and body.

GT

 

[delboy]

Mash high will increase body - not maltiness. Your other suggestions will influence the perception of the malty flavour so will help. Listen to the podcast and it will clear up alot of confusion about maltiness and body.

GT

I'll download it and listen to it the next time im out for a run.

 

[Madtown Brew]

After reading this thread last Sunday, I decided to put the question to The Pope himself. So, on Monday during the live Jamil Show I asked him to clarify where "maltiness" is derived during the brewing process.

Unfortunately, this was during the doppelbock show, which won't be posted in the archives until the 25th. The short answer though, is that maltiness is a grain derived flavor.