2 Row / Maris Otter

[Niall K]

What’s the difference if any between Pale Malt (2 row) and Pale Malt Maris Otter. My next recipe requires 2 row, would it make a difference if I used Maris Otter?

Thanks
Niall

[Andy]

Maris Otter is a type of 2-row malt....

[steve_flack]

American recipes often refer to their domestic pale malt as '2-row' so as to distinguish it from '6-row' malt. As Andy says Maris Otter is a two-row malt as is any British Pale Malt (and probably the Continental ones also) sold in a UK homebrew shop.

[PieOPah]

What does 2-row or 4-row actually mean anyway?

[steve_flack]

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley

Barley can be divided by the number of kernel rows in the head. Three forms have been cultivated; two-row barley (traditionally known as Hordeum distichum), four-row (Hordeum tetrastichum) and six-row barley (Hordeum vulgare). In two-row barley only one spikelet is fertile; in the four-row and six-row forms, all three are fertile.

Two-row barley is the oldest form, wild barley having two rows as well. Two-row barley has a lower protein content than six-row barley and thus a lower enzyme content. High protein barley is best suited for animal feed or malt that will be used to make beers with a large adjunct content. Two-row barley is traditionally used in English ale style beers. Six-row barley is common in some American lager style beers, whereas two-row malted summer barley is preferred for traditional German beers. Four-row is unsuitable for brewing.

[oblivious]

It’s to do with arrangement of the kernels when the head is viewed down its axis in row of 2 or 6.

In general, 6-row malted barley has more protein and enzyme content than 2-row malted barley, is thinner than two-row malt and contains less carbohydrate. There are also flavor differences between 2-row and 6-row and it seems that most brewers feel 2-row malt produces a fuller, maltier flavor and 6-row malt produces a grainier flavor in the finished beer.

[BigEd]

What does 2-row or 4-row actually mean anyway?

It refers to the arrangement of the barleycorns on the plant's stalks. Two-row barley has two opposing rows of seeds and is the generally preferred type for brewing. As steve said previously the term "two-row" used alone can be confusing because it is often used to describe North American pale malt. AFAIK all UK and European brewing malt is produced from two-row barley. Names like Maris-Otter, Pearl, Golden Promise, etc are particular cultivars within the two-row family of barleys.