Choice of pale malt

[Obfu]

Hi all,

I'm 4 brews into my AG career and have to buy some new pale malt but need some guidance...

My local homebrew shop sells Warminster Maris Otter, Simpsons Maris Otter and Simpsons Golden Promise. Does one pick based on price or are there descernable differences between these malts? Also, the Maris Otter 25kg sacks are £4.20 different in price. Is the Warminster worth the difference?
Are there better pale malts that I should consider from other vendors, even with postage included?

Thanks.

 

[Leemond]

I googled this recently as had both pale and golden promise in stock at home and wondered which to use - found a guide that outlined differing tasting notes but can't find it just now - will keep looking until someone else comes along for you :)

Edit: This was the article, may be of some use perhaps... http://www.homebrewtalk.com/english-base-malt-comparison.html

 

[Obfu]

Thank you sir.
I payed a visit to Simpsons website a few mins ago. It's a nice, clear site and they have very detailed information about their malts. Also, the Golden Promise has an endorsement from Andy Leman, Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd. I'm fairly certain if it's good enough for him, I can slum it for a batch or two whilst I decide :grin:

 

[MyQul]

Thank you sir.
I payed a visit to Simpsons website a few mins ago. It's a nice, clear site and they have very detailed information about their malts. Also, the Golden Promise has an endorsement from Andy Leman, Head Brewer, Timothy Taylor & Co Ltd. I'm fairly certain if it's good enough for him, I can slum it for a batch or two whilst I decide :grin:

TT use golden promise in their massively popular Landlord Ale

 

[Obfu]

One of my favourites too. Not only am I going to try Golden Promise out, I'm now going hunting for a clone recipe for Landlord.

Still interested if anyone who has tried both Simpson and Warminster Maris Otter have an opinion on whether either is better...

 

[HebridesRob]

Historic recipes for beer often used more than one variety of pale malt, a practice that seems no longer in vogue. They thought it gave a more complex flavour to the beer. Worth considering?

 

[Leemond]

Historic recipes for beer often used more than one variety of pale malt, a practice that seems no longer in vogue. They thought it gave a more complex flavour to the beer. Worth considering?

My latest brew has a mix of Pale and Golden Promise (half and half) - I'll let you all know how it tastes in a few weeks :thumb:

 

[Obfu]

Definitely worth it, although I'm a little concerned at the moment that I have limited sense of taste :-( I did an experiment where I fermented half a batch with Safeale s-04 and half with us-05. I was anticipating two very different beers so it came as a shock and disappointment that I could barely tell them apart.
The wort in question was 95% Maris Otter 5% Crystal (60) and single hop, Columbus. Very simple recipe chosen specifically to experiment with yeast differences. Not awesome that I can't easily tell them apart.

 

[HebridesRob]

Definitely worth it, although I'm a little concerned at the moment that I have limited sense of taste :-( I did an experiment where I fermented half a batch with Safeale s-04 and half with us-05. I was anticipating two very different beers so it came as a shock and disappointment that I could barely tell them apart.
The wort in question was 95% Maris Otter 5% Crystal (60) and single hop, Columbus. Very simple recipe chosen specifically to experiment with yeast differences. Not awesome that I can't easily tell them apart.

I know what you mean, my palate's rubbish as well. It is possible to train, apparently, plenty on Google.

 

[geetee]

The vast majority of Golden Promise goes to whisky production. As stated it is used in TTL and is a sweeter malt. I have tried Maris Otter, Golden Promise, Propino and Bairds Pale malt without noticing a massive difference.

if you want a recipe for Landlord then check out www.thehomebrewdiaries.co.uk/

He has made several clones and is currently on version 7 I think!

 

[Hoppyland]

Well, I've used a few pale malts - and never noticed any difference.
To be fair though, even if they were different I can't see how I would have noticed.
Unlike a commercial brewer, I'm not paranoid about producing an identical product every time.
I suppose that I might theoretically like a "house" beer that was exactly the same every time I brew it. But, in practice, I don't.
Normally, I either "tweak" the beer - usually on a whim - or circumstances tweak it for me.
The only way I could tell subtle differences between malts would be to brew back-to-back identical-recipe beers, with identical fermentation conditions. Unsurprisingly, I've never done that!
However, if there was a huge difference in the malts I've used then I think I've made enough brews to have noticed it. I haven't.

 

[Hoppyland]

Perhaps it's worth adding that my usual brews are pale, light and very hoppy - so the pale malt is by far the main tasting malt ingredient in more than half of my beers.

 

[pms67]

Tempest Brewery use this in Long White Cloud and Armadillo and both are superb.
I may order this as my base malt for a batch of brews

 

[Gerryjo]

I'm thinking of trying this Irish Ale Malt

http://www.geterbrewed.com/irish-ale-malt/

I've already tried this Minch Pale Malt and had some great results but I'm new to AG so experimenting.

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/hook-head-irish-pale-malt-crushed-25kg-46-ebc-minch-p-3662.html.

You may find discount code's on the forum.🍺

Sent from my ALE-L21

 

[simon12]

I agree there is not going to be a huge difference between any pale malt at least in my experience between warminster maris otter and crisp pale ale malt.

 

[DoctorMick]

I tend to just order the cheapest sack, can't say I've noticed any difference between the cheapest and Maris.

 

[Sbond10]

May I suggest summat ask um to either blind taste it or just taste abit of the malt.... go with what tastes good (hence the blind tasting)

To me minch is fantastic but more bready

Bairds pale blend 8s sweet to taste but efficency can be hit n miss

Simpsons concerto great smell nice sweet taste efficency seem good too