Which kind of base malt should I buy?

[MikeSkril]

I have no local HB store where I can buy grains. I'm thinking going on a road trip and buy at least the base malt in big bags to save shipping coast. I would still buy all the rest online as it’s finally cheaper. Which kind of base malt should I buy? Just normal 2 row? (I'm just starting AG)

I like brewing IPA’s, IIPA’s, Ales and maybe Belgian in the future.

Here is the choice I have:

http://www.fabriqueduvin.com/pages_html/grains.htm
Thanks,

 

[FortMillBrew]

IMHO:
2-row
marris otter
6-row

 

[pricelessbrewing]

2row, pilsner. If you plan on doing any darker english ales, get some marris otter for browns, porters, stouts. Skip the 6-row.

How often will you be brewing?

 

[MikeSkril]

How often will you be brewing?

Like once a month. 5 gal batches.

 

[m00ps]

For your tastes, I'd definitely go regular old 2 row.

For what its worth, I try to keep a number of base grains an few lbs of nearly every specialty grain on hand along with a boatload of hops and culutred yeasts in my fridge. This way I can basically come up with a recipe of nearly any style on Friday (with some liquid inspiration of course) and brew it the next day

I always have a sack of 2row, pilsner, wheat, and maris otter on hand along with a pretty hefty amount of rye and oats. I use pils for any belgian style beers and 2row for lighter ales. I save the maris otter for English stuff and many of my darker beers

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

To echo responses thus far.

Basic 2-Row for your tastes is fine. IPAs are so hop driven the base malt usually isn't going to do much other than convert the mash and provide the gist of the fermentables.

In the future 2-row is serviceable for Belgian styles, pilsner is better, 2-row isnt *bad* for a belgian style so to speak (usually its so yeast and alcohol driven you may not even notice the subtle grainy sweetness of the pilsner malt).

For a slightly cheaper option instead of marris otter, an American Pale Ale Malt is a decent option, I've read others echo this, but in most beers, I cannot tell the difference if Marris Otter was used or Pale Ale malt (admittedly I have an insentive pallate, but, when I chew the uncracked malt raw, they taste really similar Pale Ale Malt and Marris Otter).

For transparancy sake. I have 50ish-lbs of an Briess Pilsner and Briess Pale Ale Malt in my basement. I use the pilsner for any continental European style. The pale ale malt is for *most* American styles and any English style I end up making. About 60% of the beer I brew is Belgian/German styles so I thought it prudent to keep pilsner on hand, the rest is split between assorted styles that pale ale malt is effective enough to use in it.

 

[Hello]

If you want to buy 3 bags, 2-row, pilser, marris otter OR golden promise. I believe that pilsner in an IPA, at least 50 % pilsner and 50 % 2-row, make for a slightly crisper IPA. If that is your thing of course.

 

[RM-MN]

If you want to buy 3 bags, 2-row, pilser, marris otter OR golden promise. I believe that pilsner in an IPA, at least 50 % pilsner and 50 % 2-row, make for a slightly crisper IPA. If that is your thing of course.

Why bother with Pilsner? Rahr Pilsner is 1.5 to 2.0 Lovibond while their Pale Malt is 1.7 to 2.0 Lovibond. What's the difference if you are drinking your own?

 

[solbes]

Eventually I think you should try all of the bases. I've kind of gone in this order: US 2-row, Pilsner, US Pale (kilned a little higher), Marris Otter, and Vienna. After brewing multiple beers with them, you start to learn what works well with what. I thought a Vienna based IPA would be good, but I was wrong (my 4th 2HeartedIPA). I can tell a difference between 2-row and pilsner if its a light beer (Kolsch for example). But its fairly subtle.

About the only bases left I can think of are 6 row and Munich. I have not yet tried 6 row (though want to make a pre-prohibition lager). And I've brewed with Munich plenty, but never needed a whole sack. Same thing goes for the other floor malted English varities like Golden Promise.

 

[kombat]

Definitely 2-row.

If you want to buy more, then it depends on what you plan to make. European style ales (Stouts, Porters, Reds, Bitters, English IPAs), then go with Maris Otter. Light lagers, German ales, go with Pilsner malt.

 

[mtyquinn]

Another vote for 2-row.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Why bother with Pilsner? Rahr Pilsner is 1.5 to 2.0 Lovibond while their Pale Malt is 1.7 to 2.0 Lovibond. What's the difference if you are drinking your own?

Isn't there a lot of anecdotal "evidence" to suggest that there is a difference between *plain* 2-Row and pilsner? 2-Row is generally described as "plain" or neutral, while pilsner is generally described as being "grainy sweet".

I use the term "evidence" loosely. It would make for a really interesting experiment to have a beer where you *only* change the base malt and perform a triangle test.

 

[MikeSkril]

It would make for a really interesting experiment to have a beer where you *only* change the base malt and perform a triangle test.

https://mtlehmanbrewery.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/the-great-base-malt-experiment/

 

[Hello]

Why bother with Pilsner? Rahr Pilsner is 1.5 to 2.0 Lovibond while their Pale Malt is 1.7 to 2.0 Lovibond. What's the difference if you are drinking your own?

It wasn't color, it was crispness or what I perceived as crispness.

 

[MikeSkril]

Thanks to all! I learned a lot.

 

[beernutz]

Rahr 2-row and Weyermann pilsner imo.

These are nice once you have some bulk grain. I own two of them.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJOOI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20