Pale Malt (2 Row) or Maris Otter in Imperial Porter?

[ultravista]

I have a fairly complex grist bill for an Imperial Porter and wonder if there would be any benefit (to taste) by using Maris Otter instead of Pale Malt (2 Row).

 

[Chanoc]

I have a fairly complex grist bill for an Imperial Porter and wonder if there would be any benefit (to taste) by using Maris Otter instead of Pale Malt (2 Row).

I don't think so...
But my palate is not that "educated"
There are other strong flavors going on..
But for sure it will add character...
Ì am a fan of Brulosophy and there's a xbeeriment done to compare Maris Otter with two row on a simpler recipe and even though there were differences, they may not be that strightforward in a bigger beer.
HTH

 

[ultravista]

The difference is about $10 for this 6 gallon batch.

 

[mongoose33]

I don't think so...
But my palate is not that "educated"
There are other strong flavors going on..
But for sure it will add character...
Ì am a fan of Brulosophy and there's a xbeeriment done to compare Maris Otter with two row on a simpler recipe and even though there were differences, they may not be that strightforward in a bigger beer.
HTH

I happen to like MO better than 2-row, but that's just me. The Brulosophy exbeeriment showed that many people could distinguish between them, but as to which people preferred....guess what? 50-50.

If it were me, I'd probably use MO.

 

[jerbrew]

I'd use 2-row. It's cheaper and allows to to determine the flavor you're going for from just your specialty grains.

 

[kh54s10]

Since there are other dark malts giving a much stronger flavor I would save the Maris Otter for something lighter where it will give a more complex flavor.

I like M.O. in pale ales and similar styles that don't have darker malts.

 

[zlaker]

I like Maris Otter on pale ales as well, but it's also nice on some porters. However in an imperial stout I don't know how much difference it would make. Which one do you like the most? You could go 50-50 or do half batch with one and the other half batch with the other then see if you taste any difference.

 

[filthyastronaut]

I might spring for the MO if it's a 10 dollar difference. I tend to buy in bulk and get 2 row though, because you can augment it with specialty grains to get similar results. Not the same, but similar. That's not to say I don't get different base malts from time to time, 2 row is just the most economical and versatile for different styles.

If you want cheaper than MO but want a similar flavor, perhaps use 2 row and add a half pound of Biscuit or Victory malt.

 

[ultravista]

If you want cheaper than MO but want a similar flavor, perhaps use 2 row and add a half pound of Biscuit or Victory malt.

The recipe calls for 12.5 (~ 52% of the grain bill) in MO. How would you divy it up w/Biscuit or Victory. What about Biscuit and Victory?

 

[jjeffers09]

I enjoy a mixture of GP and MO as my base in dark beers strong beers. It helps soften the beer a little, in my experience

 

[filthyastronaut]

The recipe calls for 12.5 (~ 52% of the grain bill) in MO. How would you divy it up w/Biscuit or Victory. What about Biscuit and Victory?

There's no reason to use both, because they're just different versions of the same thing. I would just go with 5-10% of the grain bill, but closer to 5 if you are already using a lot of specialty grains.