Most versatile base malt?

[razyrsharpe]

this is more of an opinion question. i am curious as to which base grain/malt do you brewers believe to be the most versatile? which one would you not hesitate to use in almost any style? my vote is for American 2-row, but that is just me.

 

[casualbrewer]

2 row will win here.

 

[cilestiok]

I use 2-row and Vienna almost equally (pound for pound). I go through more Vienna but only because two of my "house" beers are almost entirely Vienna malt. Alternatively, I use 2-row in more of my recipes than any other base malt.

 

[normonster]

Malt with more than one row but less than three.

 

[razyrsharpe]

Malt with more than one row but less than three.

i sense a Monty Python fan about... "and the number of counting shall be three!"

 

[JonM]

Use not thou rows of four, nor rows of three. Five is right out.

 

[jplowe]

Briess 2-row brewers malt. Local and cheap because of LHBS.

 

[BigEd]

this is more of an opinion question. i am curious as to which base grain/malt do you brewers believe to be the most versatile? which one would you not hesitate to use in almost any style? my vote is for American 2-row, but that is just me.

It really depends on what beer styles you brew. Domestic (North American) 2-row pale is fine for American styles if that's what you brew but if you brew European beers it doesn't cut it IMO. A British bitter or German Kolsch made with domestic 2-row just isn't going to measure up.

Frankly with the availability of malts today I don't think it makes sense to limit yourself to one choice. It's not that hard to buy the right malt for the style. But if I had to buy only one malt to make a wide variety of styles it would be a German pale ale malt. It's light and dry enough to sub for North American pale and has enough flavor to make a decent UK ale.

 

[FloppyKnockers]

six minus four row.

 

[JKaranka]

Crisp pale malt is a good all-rounder. It's often Flagon barley. Cheaper and more neutral than MO. Not sure if you could make a Pilsner with it, though.