# Grain Of The Week 28/10/09 - Munich



## Stuster (28/10/09)

So after a little prompting from a few people, I've started a new 'Style of the Week' thread, this time looking at grains. I thought we could look generally at Munich malts this week.

So what sort of beers do you use it for? What percentage do you use? Have you a favourite brand you like? Is Weyermann worth that much more than JW for example? Is there a sweet spot for mashing this malt? Have you used it for partials and how did that go? Are there any times it hasn't worked for you in a beer? And what commercial examples would you recommend to give somebody a real feel for what this malt can give a beer?


Anyway, here's some basic info on this malt from Home Brewing Wiki.



> Munich Malt has a malty sweet flavor characteristic and adds a reddish amber color to the beer. It has enough diastic power to convert itself, but needs help from another malt, such as 2-row malt, to convert other grains.



And from Wikipedia.



> Munich malt
> 
> Munich malt is used as the base malt of the bock beer style, especially doppelbock, and appears in dunkel lager in smaller quantities. While a darker grain, it has sufficient diastatic power to self-convert, despite being kilned at temperatures around 115 C. ASBC 4-6/EBC 10-15, DP 40 Lintner.



So tell us all you know so we can make some malty beers. :icon_drunk:


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## newguy (28/10/09)

Munich is my all-time favourite malt. I use 100% for a dunkel or bock/doppelbock although the bocks benefit from a small addition of caramunich/dark crystal - around 5%. Can also use a bit of carafa for colour in those styles (1-2%). About 30% munich, balance 2 row is a good base for Belgian pale ale; about 40-50% munich for an alt. A little in a Scottish ale works really well too.

As to what munich malt tastes and smells like, pick up a bottle of Celebrator doppelbock for an idea.


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## reviled (28/10/09)

Im with Newguy, Munich is one of my fave malts, and I generally use it in everything!!

Ive used Weyermann Munich I and Global Munich II, my favourite so far has been the Global

I used 100% Global Munich with 150gms of Amarillo through the boil and dry hop and it came out a gorgeous ruby red colour and bright as a button without any water chem, its about 25-EBC so has alot more oomf than the weyermann munich I - The beer came out awesome, great malt character, biscuity and sweet melanoiden type flavours going on, backed up the hop character perfectly, in fact so perfectly I didnt feel like anything was missing - Now thats a good base malt if you ask me  

10% in an AIPA, 6-8% in a pale ale, 20-30% in a Belgian

My grain supply is never complete without Munich :icon_drool2: 

I havent tried the JW stuff but would be quite keen to, also interested to see what people write about it here :icon_cheers: 

Cheers


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## Fourstar (28/10/09)

newguy said:


> As to what munich malt tastes and smells like, pick up a bottle of Celebrator doppelbock for an idea.



Like freshly baked artisan bread! :icon_drool2: 

Munich for me, is a must have in your range of malts. Can be used in values up to 8-10% for added malt complexity in alot of styles. Munich goes particulary well with highly hopped beers too to help balance everything out. In most of my brewing im using it to bulk up the malt complexity of a simple base malt such as JW Traditional Ale.

Any light SRM beers i make will usually feature around 10% Muncih for complexity and it also helps offset sweetness from pilsner malt and throw doughy breadyness in your malty beers.

As Newguy pointed out, Munich is a must have for Dunkels and Bocks.

As for the differences between Weyermann and JW Munich. The major difference i find is the Weyermanns aroma/flavour to be alot softer/delicate compared to JW munich which is much more in your face. I think JW munich is also kilned slightly higher than Weyermann Munich I which might put it closer to Weyermann Munich II on the aroma/flavour profiles.

Overall, munich (i find) is the 1st malt to use to add some strong complexity to your malt profile. Following that the addition of darker kilned malts.


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## jayse (28/10/09)

I don't know where to start right now :icon_cheers:


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## Stuster (28/10/09)

Hoping you can add something, Jayse. I think you're a fan of this malt. As am I. I really like the Wey Munich especially but JW is also ok. I'd say that the Wey adds a richer maltiness to my tastes. Having said that, I've had some great beers made with JW Munich so it may just be all in my head.

Certainly love it in dark, malty lagers. I made a Munich Dunkel with all JW Munich though and it could have done with a bit more complexity. Some Munich is almost always in my APAs and AIPAs. I also used 20% in a golden lager I made during the winter (along with 80% pils) and I thought it gave it a nice soft maltiness.


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## Bribie G (28/10/09)

I use 500g of Wey Munich I or II in my SuperLandlords; gives a rich complexity to the base malt which is usually Golden Promise. I have also used it in 'historical' versions of Australian Sparkling Ales and in the QABC it was judged "good malt aroma" and "sweet malt aroma" by the two judges. In many ways it is now doing the job that, earlier on in the piece, I used Carared for.

Edit: I buy all my grains from CB and although Ross does stock some JW products such as the fabulous Choc Chit I'd love to try the JW version of Munich and see how it goes with BB Ale similar to what FourStar does - also keeps the $ in Australia. Hint hint


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## jbirbeck (28/10/09)

BribieG said:


> I use 500g of Wey Munich I or II in my SuperLandlords; gives a rich complexity to the base malt which is usually Golden Promise. I have also used it in 'historical' versions of Australian Sparkling Ales and in the QABC it was judged "good malt aroma" and "sweet malt aroma" by the two judges. In many ways it is now doing the job that, earlier on in the piece, I used Carared for.
> 
> Edit: I buy all my grains from CB and although Ross does stock some JW products such as the fabulous Choc Chit I'd love to try the JW version of Munich and see how it goes with BB Ale similar to what FourStar does - also keeps the $ in Australia. Hint hint



Haven't used the JW but have always enjoyed the Wey I and II. Have used the Powells Munich as well which I really liked. I've got an alt with some in there at the moment so will be interesting to see how it turns out.


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## drsmurto (28/10/09)

Weyermann Munich I and II are the ducks nuts.

Happily munch away on some whilst running it through the mill.

Have gone up to 30% in an APA but a 100% Munich APA is on the cards.

Dunkels - Munich with a dash of carafa.

Dusseldorf Alt - i use 50% but the next will be >75% after tasting Jayse's Alt

Have used it in bitters as mentioned by Bribie to up the malt backbone.

My german pilsners contain 30% munich (or vienna in the recent batch).

It features in almost all of my recipes. Is there anything this malt can't do? :beerbang:


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## beerbrewer76543 (28/10/09)

I recently did an extract Dunkel with 2kg LDME and 2kg Munich on WLP029... :icon_drool2:

Edit: I mashed the grains in my not-quite-finished AG setup hence why it wasn't a full AG brew


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## Pennywise (28/10/09)

L_Bomb, I just did the same over the weekend 2kg Wey Munich 2, the smell comming from the mash tun when I opened it up was brilliant, nice sweet malty aroma, really rich, I really should have tasted it.


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## Stuster (28/10/09)

Bump. Any thoughts from the evening crowd. :icon_cheers:


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## Kai (28/10/09)

Weyermann Munich I, an essential malt for everybody's collection. Works well in everything right up to a 100% Munich APA.


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## jayse (28/10/09)

Everything has been covered I think, this is a malt most people aim to buy in bulk.
The only beers I may stay away from using munich is maybe some big stouts because you want to highlight the roast and not be a big malty robust porter, so you need a big point of difference between the styles sometimes. Saying that you could still use it in big stouts.

Wouldn't use it in a wit either :unsure: but other than that..................


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## clean brewer (28/10/09)

So for say a APA, would using 1/2 Base Ale Malt and 1/2 Munich I give you a distinct Maltier Aroma/Flavoured beer????? :unsure: 

:icon_cheers: CB


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## matho (28/10/09)

i love munich as said it ads balance to hoppy beer's i have only used jw but i am going to use Weyermann to see. 

use about 18% in my apa


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## newguy (29/10/09)

clean brewer said:


> So for say a APA, would using 1/2 Base Ale Malt and 1/2 Munich I give you a distinct Maltier Aroma/Flavoured beer????? :unsure:



I wouldn't use that much as an APA is known more for a caramel/crystal type of maltiness, not the toasty/raisin/plum maltiness you get from a high % of munich. 5 - 10% medium (at the darkest) crystal/caramel and up to about 20% munich for depth of flavour should be good for an APA. Bear in mind that I'm framing this answer from the point of view that you're going to compete with this beer; if you have no plans to enter it into a competition, go ahead and use 50% munich. It will be a good beer but it won't fit perfectly into the style guidelines.


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## technocat (29/10/09)

Kai said:


> Weyermann Munich I, an essential malt for everybody's collection. Works well in everything right up to a 100% Munich APA.



yep I have a 25 Kilo bag of it. I use it in varying quantities for many recipes and a kilo for an APA.
Love the stuff.

:chug:


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## bum (29/11/09)

Used this at 10% in my most recent beer (APA) and while I have nothing to compare it to really (first AG) I reckon it turned out pretty great.

A pointless addition to this thread you say? Well, just hoping a gentle reminder will bring about another grain thread in this forum - I reckon it is a great idea and hope it kicks on.


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## dr K (29/11/09)

whilst I am a user of both light and dark munich, and have gone so far as to use 100% in both, i would strongly suggest that munich is not such a good idea in an APA. if you are looking to add some oomph to your APA then i suggest vienna, up to 100%.

K


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## bum (29/11/09)

Will give it a crack, dr k.

Wasn't really trying to get a huge effect out of it though. Was just hoping to get a little complexity sitting under everything - didn't want to do a SMASH, you know? Thanks for the tip nonetheless. Might even try the same recipe with the vienna variation so I can see the difference it would make.


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## Stuster (29/11/09)

Why is that, dr K?

Vienna is a grain I've been meaning to play with a bit more.


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