Weyermann melanoidin malt

[odie]

my local brewery gifted me half a sack of melanoidin malt. Not sure what to use it for but some grain comparison charts seem to indicate it's sorta comparable to biscuit or victory malt.

use it as so or is it intended for other certain styles of beer?

 

[Willy]

my local brewery gifted me half a sack of melanoidin malt. Not sure what to use it for but some grain comparison charts seem to indicate it's sorta comparable to biscuit or victory malt.

use it as so or is it intended for other certain styles of beer?

I use melanoidan in Irish Red recipes for color. It is about 30 L ... So you get some color in addition to the improved "mouth feel" aspects. I like it.

 

[Bassman2003]

A sack is a lot! Most uses (like a super Munich) never go above 3% of the grain bill. So you might have it for a while.

 

[Bobby_M]

I use about 3-5 ounces in malty German lagers. I'd starting giving pounds of it away because half a sack is a lifetime supply for a 5 gallon batch brewer.

 

[MaxStout]

It's often used to mimic the flavor of a decoction in a single infusion mash. But a little goes a long way.

 

[odie]

sounds like it's used in very small quantities...

so not really a biscuit or victory substitute?

 

[Willy]

sounds like it's used in very small quantities...

so not really a biscuit or victory substitute?

Weyermann Melanoidan suggests up to 20% of the grain bill. I have used it at 10% or less with no issues. (For darker colored brews like a porter, stout or Irish Red). Most common use for me is 1-2% of the grain bill.

 

[ClaudiusB]

I use 20% for my German Nürnberger Rotbier.

 

[Shenanigans]

sounds like it's used in very small quantities...

so not really a biscuit or victory substitute?

No it's not like those two malts.
It's like a really intense Munich; if you are firmilar with Aromatic Malt then Melanoidin is to Munich what Aromatic malt is to Vienna malt.

If you are looking for a good recipe that uses a decent amount of it then one of the most brewed recipes on Brewer's Friend is Zombie Dust which uses 1/2 a pound.

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/5916/zombie-dust-clone-all-grain

This one here is also a very good recipe using another 1/2 pound

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/raging-red-irish-red-ale.239188/

If you like a malty pale ale I also brewed this a few times subing the Honey Malt with Melanoidin.
Not exactly the same but is a decent enough substitute when you dont have any Honey malt.
Was a very solid beer.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/sacred-summit-pale-ale-ag-gold-medal-and-best-in-show.62758/

 

[odie]

I have aromatic munich already. So it's more like that?

 

[Willy]

Melanoidin will probably be a little more malty/roasted. Lovibond for aromatic Munich is around 20° L while melanoidin is 23-31° L.

Also ... Somewhat different flavor/taste profiles.

 

[Miraculix]

I have no experience with aromatic, victory or buiscit, but I can say that melanoidin is REALLY intense and unique. I would rarely use it at 5%, probably more 2-3% and only in beers that are malty ones. Thinking of Hefeweizen (never used in in this, but can imagine it in it) or lagers without American Hop dominance.

So I agree with @Bobby_M , better give most of it away in small portions. Otherwise you risk having it lying around for so long that it gets bad.

 

[Shenanigans]

I have aromatic munich already. So it's more like that?

If you are referring to 20L Breiss aromatic munich malt then yes but more intense as it has an average color of approx. 27L.
https://www.weyermann.de/en-us/product/weyermann-melanoidin-malt-6/

 

[odie]

Otherwise you risk having it lying around for so long that it gets bad.

whole grain stored cool and dry in sealed containers will last for years.

 

[Miraculix]

whole grain stored cool and dry in sealed containers will last for years.

I know, but a bag of melanoidin will last for decades.

 

[Pennine]

Would melanoidin be similar to historic amber malt?

 

[Miraculix]

Would melanoidin be similar to historic amber malt?

No, I don't think so.

 

[Mark3885]

This is the grain bill for a malty , sweet brown ale, more like a sweet porter. I used these ingredients to use up what grains I had left over. It turned out great, very malty and a little sweet with a little bitter finish. I would certainly make this again. It may be too malty or sweet for most people but it’s a great tasting beer. Anybody that prefers a Bud light, Coors light would certainly not like this.

 

[Miraculix]

This is the grain bill for a malty , sweet brown ale, more like a sweet porter. I used these ingredients to use up what grains I had left over. It turned out great, very malty and a little sweet with a little bitter finish. I would certainly make this again. It may be too malty or sweet for most people but it’s a great tasting beer. Anybody that prefers a Bud light, Coors light would certainly not like this.

How malty would you like your beer?

Yes.

 

[Miraculix]

I start to wonder how a 10% melanoidin Barleywine, fermented with Nottingham, would taste like. I might do one the next time I am going to brew as a 4l fun side project... although.... I have no melanoidin malt here.

 

[wsmith1625]

I made this dark and mild recipe last Saturday. It has a very high % melanoidin. It's at FG, but letting it condition another week or 2 before I keg it. It's a very high % based on the feedback here. I tasted a sample and it was definitely malty. I though I was getting a lot of flavor from the chocolate malt. We'll see how the finished beer turns out.

Ingredients:​

• 8 lb Crisp Maris Otter
• 3 lb Weyermann Munich Malt
• 1.5 lb Weyermann Melanoidin Malt
• 1.25 lb Crisp Pale Chocolate
• 1 lb Rahr White Wheat
• 1 lb Crisp Amber Malt
• 0.75 lb Crisp C77
• 0.5 lb Crisp Brown Malt
• 0.5 oz German Magnum hops, 13.3% a.a. (60 min)
• 1.0 oz UK Fuggles hops, 5.5% a.a. (10 min)
• 1.0 oz UK Fuggles hops, 5.5% a.a. (whirlpool)
• White Labs Dusseldorf Alt yeast

 

[Miraculix]

I made this dark and mild recipe last Saturday. It has a very high % melanoidin. It's at FG, but letting it condition another week or 2 before I keg it. It's a very high % based on the feedback here. I tasted a sample and it was definitely malty. I though I was getting a lot of flavor from the chocolate malt. We'll see how the finished beer turns out.

Ingredients:​

• 8 lb Crisp Maris Otter
• 3 lb Weyermann Munich Malt
• 1.5 lb Weyermann Melanoidin Malt
• 1.25 lb Crisp Pale Chocolate
• 1 lb Rahr White Wheat
• 1 lb Crisp Amber Malt
• 0.75 lb Crisp C77
• 0.5 lb Crisp Brown Malt
• 0.5 oz German Magnum hops, 13.3% a.a. (60 min)
• 1.0 oz UK Fuggles hops, 5.5% a.a. (10 min)
• 1.0 oz UK Fuggles hops, 5.5% a.a. (whirlpool)
• White Labs Dusseldorf Alt yeast

Well, it's a beer. But it's not a dark mild. I don't see this one in any category tbh.

Way too busy of a grain bill for my liking, but if it tastes good, it tastes good.

 

[wsmith1625]

Well, it's a beer. But it's not a dark mild. I don't see this one in any category tbh.

Way too busy of a grain bill for my liking, but if it tastes good, it tastes good.

It's a recipe I got online, and not knowing too much about English ales, I thought it looked good. I'm looking forward to trying it.

 

[Willy]

Looked thru some recipes on BrewFather and found a bunch of recipes using between 1-2 lbs of melanoidin in 6 g batch recipes. Mostly Märzen recipes. Never made a Märzen - on my to do list for 2025.

I could see using some in other dark German varieties. It is an interesting malt and worth exploring. So far, I really like but only used it at 3% or less. It puts a little red hue in Irish Reds, Porters and Stouts.