brewing an ale with lager malt

[farmer brown]

I had a brewers gold last week and have been looking into brewing it, i found a recipe and noticed they use lager malt and not pale malt? Can somebody explain the taste difference? Also do I just treat it the same as marris otter? I'm using Nottingham dry yeast to ferment

Thanks

 

[Ale-in-France]

I've been experimenting a bit with lager malt, although with minimal success. It's brewed out ok, but leaves a thin taste, I guess it's just not as rounded or flavoursome as the same recipe made with pale ale. Next time, I'm thinking of adding a little something (maybe crystal) to see if I can add some flavour back in.

 

[farmer brown]

Thanks for that.

Would you say it's more refreshing? Im trying to develop a more light crisp ale for the summer without having to go down the largering path... Brewers gold seems a popular one down my local at the moment.

 

[rpt]

In the forum beer swap I was sent a very dark best bitter that was made with lager malt. In this case the colour and flavour would have largely come from the other ingredients but it shows you can make ales with lager malt. In the USA I believe it is normal to make ales with lager malt. I have not used lager malt (I make my lager with marris otter) but I can't imagine it would make much difference.

According to A Guide to Craft Brewing by John Alexander British lager malt is slightly undermodified and so will produce some DMS (which has a sweetcorn flavour) whereas pale ale malt is fully modified and so doesn't produce DMS. However, a full boil will remove the DMS. The lager malt is more pale but otherwise I'm not sure there is much difference.

 

[farmer brown]

Thank you all, i might just pass on it as I do worry about DMS, its not worth the risk. I may mash my marris otter slightly lower and see if I get a more crisp finish on it instead?

 

[rpt]

If you do a full 90 minute boil with the lid off then all the DMS will go. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, just a different flavour component.

 

[farmer brown]

I may give it a try then.. :thumb:

 

[pittsy]

Lager malt is just an English version of pilsner malt but not as good (often) , not bad to brew with . Pale ale malt will have a little more about it so is better for ales and such like , i often use Dingemans Belgian pale ale which is more malty than MO . If brewing a lager , you would want the best ( i would) so pilsner malt for me . Can't see a need for lager malt based on my thinking :)

 

[Ale-in-France]

Yep - just had a taste of one - for research purposes, like. It is quite crisp and not unpleasant, there's just nothing there after the first taste, no back-taste that lingers. Not my fave, but not bad either.

 

[Good Ed]

you can mix lager malt with pale malt up to 50:50 for pale ales, but I also find using pale crystal to 4% or Caragold to 7% to be very good additions to pale ales for some colour and extra flavour

 

[DethApostle]

I have brewed a clone of Brewers Gold on two occasions now just using Lager Malt. The end result is a very light, pale, golden ale. Quite crisp and refreshing. Excellent for the summer months, but a bit lacking for winter (so 8 months of the year really!)
My recipes are on my blog (www button below!) if you are interested, but i'd definitely give it a go if I were you!

Cheers
DA

 

[farmer brown]

Some great tips there thanks, I just ordered a load of MO but I think I may try the same recipe with 50:50 to get a fresher/crisp taste in the next few weeks. Itll be a good test.. By the time I get it right it'll be winter again so back to darker malts

Really appreciate all the help and thanks for recipe DethApostle :hat: