Pale Malt

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:24 pm

Have got my local HB shop to get my gear ready for an Abbot clone this weekend. The only thing was he doesnt have Maris Otter but has a weekly delivery of Edme (I think ).
Have ordered this - does the pale malt variety make as much difference to the taste as other ingredients do?

Yours novicelly

Post by **Andy** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:31 pm

I though Edme made malt extract rather than being a producer of grain ? :huh:

Are you still intending to do a full mash i.e. all *grain* brew ?

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:36 pm

oooo I am now concerned. I think a phone call to HB shop is coming up...

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Tue May 09, 2006 12:56 pm

You are right. Cheers Lads - Mrs Bigster-Smurf would have been picking up the order and mistake wouldnt have been noticed until too late.

Who do you get your marris otter from and can you order small quantities?

Cheers

bitter_dave · Post by **bitter_dave** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:10 pm

QUOTE (Bigster @ May 9 2006, 11:56 AM)You are right. Cheers Lads - Mrs Bigster-Smurf would have been picking up the order and mistake wouldnt have been noticed until too late.

Who do you get your marris otter from and can you order small quantities?

Cheers
Marris Otter is the standard pale malt from http://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/admin/cata ... e=0&page=1

I bought some the other day, although I've yet use it (could not brew this weekend after all

). It works out pretty darn cheap at Ã‚Â£1.13 per kilo - almost half the cost of my local HBS, which isn't Marris Otter either. You can order the exact amont you want, and postage is Ã‚Â£4.70.

Does anybody know why Marris Otter is supposed to be better then 'standard' pale malt?

tribs · Post by **tribs** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:41 pm

I'm not sure its supposed to be better.

I believe generic "pale malt" is usually blended, so it may be a mixture of varieties. It may contain a proportion of maris otter.

As I understand it, larger breweries request malts blended at certain proportion for its specific requirements from its maltster. In many cases it will be the only malt the maltster produces. Because its not a single variety they simply label it "pale malt".

Post by **Andy** » Tue May 09, 2006 1:46 pm

I get my pale malt (Marris Otter) from my local brewery

Cheaper than a shop or online and get exactly the quantity I need, nice and fresh.

bitter_dave · Post by **bitter_dave** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:30 pm

QUOTE (tribs @ May 9 2006, 12:41 PM) I'm not sure its supposed to be better.
You may well be right, it's just what I've read - for example Wheeler in BYOBRA calls it the 'premier brewing barley, and the most expensive to brewers'.

tribs · Post by **tribs** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:36 pm

I think other varieties such as halycon provide farmers with better yields which may affect the price to larger breweries. Its generally the cheapest malt available to us British homebrewers.

One thing is certain, though, its a top quality malt.

tribs · Post by **tribs** » Tue May 09, 2006 2:46 pm

Andy,

After johnmac's post regarding obtaining his malt for under 50p/kg from Titanic, I am planning to contact my local breweries to see if they will sell me ingredients. How much do you pay for yours at HogBack?

I reckon if I am successful in harvesting hop cones from my ordered first gold hop plants from Beer Essentials and I can obtain grain and yeast for around the same price as johnmac, I'll be able to brew 20L batches of a first gold pale ale for under Ã‚Â£4 a pop including leccy and water

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:12 pm

Mad dash from work to get to HB shop in time and they did have pale malt grain at a fiver for 3kgs so I am back on track for this weekend.

The mention of getting from the brewery is a good one - Bath Ales ( mmm Gem, barnstormer etc ) is a mere 500m or so up the cycle path from me. I think I will go and have a chat

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:12 pm

Mad dash from work to get to HB shop in time and they did have pale malt grain at a fiver for 3kgs so I am back on track for this weekend.

The mention of getting from the brewery is a good one - Bath Ales ( mmm Gem, barnstormer etc ) is a mere 500m or so up the cycle path from me. I think I will go and have a chat

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Fri May 12, 2006 1:01 pm

My local brewery may be persuaded to sell me uncrushed marris otter which has got me thinking :huh:

Do any of you guys crush your own?
If so can anyone recommend a crusher/grinder for a reasonable price?

I am assuming that uncrushed grain can be stored a lot longer than crushed - anyone know how long?

I may be trying to run before I can walk but always looking ahead

full malty · Post by **full malty** » Fri May 12, 2006 9:59 pm

QUOTE (Bigster @ May 12 2006, 12:01 PM)My local brewery may be persuaded to sell me uncrushed marris otter which has got me thinkingÃ‚Â :huh:

Do any of you guys crush your own?
If so can anyone recommend a crusher/grinder for a reasonable price?

I am assuming that uncrushed grain can be stored a lot longer than crushed - anyone know how long?

I may be trying to run before I can walk but always looking aheadÃ‚Â

I think the Phil Mill I is around Ã‚Â£90 - it's imported from the USA and is sold by many homebrew shops in the UK, certainly sold by the big mailorder homebrew suppliers.

Uncrushed grain will keep for a damned site longer than crushed. I'm now using grain I bought a year ago and it's fine.

Before buying a mill you need to do the 'mathematics' and work out if the investment is worthwhile. For some people, it's just not worthwhile buying a grain mill.

Photo of Phil Mill I here :

Bigster · Post by **Bigster** » Sat May 13, 2006 2:00 pm

Good points. Thanks for the picture full malty

At Ã‚Â£90 you are right regariding payback time. Will keep that idea on the back burner for now.

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