Has anyone used Chevalier malt?

[jceg316]

I've seen it on homebrew shops and it's very expensive, so I've been reading about it online and all I can get is a history of the malt, but not a flavour description. Geb says it's malty and aromatic, but that's about it.

I wanted to know if anyone has used this before and if it's worth the many extra £££?

 

[GerritT]

http://www.beeretseq.com/why-chevalier-malt/

 

[Drunkula]

http://no-ive-never-used-chubbablier-malt.com/here-some-cats!/

 

[Sadfield]

I'll let you know in February. I've a Heritage IPA brewed with 100% Chevallier that is 10 months into 12 months ageing on oak.

 

[dan125]

I've used it - once at 97% in a pale ale, and a few times as a 50/50 base malt mix with MO in bitters.
It has quite a nutty rich malty flavour, which I like, but its not overpowering - you'd be hard pressed to pick it out in the bitters if you didn't know it was in them (well I would anyway).

 

[Sadfield]

@dan125 Did you find that you needed to up the IBUs? I've heard that it tends to leave beers slightly sweeter tasting. Leading to the theory that achieving balance was the actual reason why IPAs were highly hopped.

 

[jceg316]

@dan125 that's interesting. Did you think it was worth the extra money for that flavour profile?

 

[IainM]

Yup, I've used it. Rich, malty and sweet, so you need to up the bittering compared to pale malt. The beer nabbed me a gold in the strong bitter category at the English Session comp back in April. It was nice but I'm not sure if I'd use it again though because the taste difference isn't far off what you could achieve with the right speciality malt in the grist.

 

[dan125]

@dan125 Did you find that you needed to up the IBUs? I've heard that it tends to leave beers slightly sweeter tasting. Leading to the theory that achieving balance was the actual reason why IPAs were highly hopped.

I like the theory - would make sense. Yes I do aim for more IBUs than the Beersmith standard range for the style with the Chevalier bitters - around 40-42 IBUs in a 1.038 OG beer, but I find that with my set-up I have to do this to some extent with all my beers to get the required balance, so its difficult to quantify the effect of the Chevalier.
The 97% Chavlier beer was 44 calculated IBUs in a 1.055 beer - it was about a year ago so its dfficult to remember, but in my notes I've put 'could use a few more IBUs'

 

[peebee]

Rich, like honey only the one I've got it in doesn't taste of honey anymore (7 months down the line) but the flavour/richness is still in that ball park.

I got a disappointing extract (65% when 75-80% is normal) but have been advised to give it a bit more time (2hr mash not 90 minutes). I did mash low-ish (65C) which I had also been advised to do.

Probably is a waste of money using it in a contemporary hop-forward "craft-beer" style. But rewards many-fold on something more suitable (I did 1886 Ushers 60/- Pale Ale recipe, 100% malt, 55-60IBU EKG, 5% ABV - was supposed to be 6% - "Edinburgh" WYeast 1728).

 

[dan125]

@dan125 that's interesting. Did you think it was worth the extra money for that flavour profile?

I agree that you could probably achieve something very similar with a few of the right speciality grains., but I'm only using 2-3kg in a bitter so its only an extra couple of quid on the batch compared to using all MO & the flavour works really well in a bitter - worth it I'd say.
I also like the idea of using & supporting a 'heritage' malt in a bitter - would like to see more old & unusual malts available
Greene King make a Chevalier beer that you can pick up in Tesco if you want to try it out - https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/299156951

 

[peebee]

To remind folk:

The "Chevallier" barley strain was selected by Reverend John Chevallier in 1824. Note two Ls, not one, so ignore the dumb spelling checkers and similar French words.



I always take swipes at the idea of using "mixed gas" to try and turn beer into shaving foam. But this keg of Chevallier pale ale (a SMaSH, but I didn't realise until it was made) at seven months old but only under modest pressure (<10PSI, 28g sugar priming in 20L), well … shaving foam anyone?

I would normally cut the pressure to 1 or 2 PSI and serve from hand-pump, but I find this Chevallier pale ale is better at 4-5 PSI, from free-flow tap and perhaps a tad cooler (12C, whereas I'm normally happy with 14-16C). Of course this won't help those who normally pump 20-30PSI into their 4C beers (those people will probably also be very disappointed with Chevallier malt too).

 

[alsacebrew]

I made a single malt beer with Chevallier once, with EKG and Styrian goldings (I used the TT Landlord recipe really) with wyeast 1469. It was nice and had a warming sweetness, the colour was a tad darker than the MO I usually use (Warminster). I would like to use this malt more often but I hesitate because presumably it has a low turnover rate and I am not sure how fresh the malt will be. But it is definitely a good malt, worth trying.

 

[jceg316]

I think I'm gonna give it a go, either as the total base malt or split with MO some time in the next couple of months. Last year I made a mild for my dad using my homegrown brambling X and want to do the same with this harvest, but I'll try Chevalier malt.

 

[peebee]

I think I'm gonna give it a go, either as the total base malt or split with MO some time in the next couple of months. Last year I made a mild for my dad using my homegrown brambling X and want to do the same with this harvest, but I'll try Chevalier malt.

If making a low gravity mild (<4%ABV) I'd consider 100% Chevallier malt (I think I'll start dreaming of a mild - can't do homegrown Bramling X though). But "cutting" the Chavallier malt with MO for other beers seems a good policy - 100% Chevallier malt doesn't make a good higher alcohol session beer because of the "rich" flavour.

 

[An Ankoù]

Just searched for (and found) this thread inspired by this comment by @peebee : (I'm a recent convert to Chevallier, and prefer it many times over to MO). in the Terry Foster Porter Recipe thread.
Recently got hold of a bag to try it out, but it's going to be some weeks before anything is ready to taste. Has anyone else used Chevallier since 2018?

 

[marshbrewer]

Yes, I've got one of Edd Mathers historical recipes conditioning at the moment, a Tetley bitter. Will let you now how it turns out in a week or so

 

[An Ankoù]

Yes, I've got one of Edd Mathers historical recipes conditioning at the moment, a Tetley bitter. Will let you now how it turns out in a week or so

Just looked up same (if it is the same). I really must look at EM's blog more frequently. What an unusual recipe! Three malts: Pop's, Crisp Mild (which is their Vienna, I believe) and Chevallier, and some German and some French hops among the hop charges. Very detailed process description. I'll print it off and give it a good staring at.
I've never used Pop's pale ale, but I read very good things about it.

 

[Richard_H]

Going to be making a winter ale next week (depending on delivery) with a combination of Chevalier, Munich and Brown malt for the base. Probably a small % of some steeping grains too so I will keep you posted how that turns out.

 

[alefric LeHendz]

My next brew will be a pale using challenger as the base (~80%) plus 10% Imperial Malt and golden Syrup, I'll update on that too