Biscuit Malt?

[fixa]

Howdy..
Over on some of the US boards, they use "Biscuit Malt". WTF is it, and can i get it here? Or what would be a reasonable substitute?
Cheers

 

[Adamt]

I think it's some form of munich? Could be wrong, I'm pretty sure it's in that malt comparisons table floating around.

Edit: Palmer says Biscuit is close to Victory malt, and the malt comparisons table says Victory is close to Amber/Melanoidin.

 

[DJR]

It's a pale roast malt (like Chocolate/Patent/Roast Barley), you can make some yourself in the oven from pale malt if you want, the oz.craftbrewer page says ( http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Methods/.../roasting.shtml )

150 to 170c up to an hour (depends on type of flavour desired) - roasted in the oven.

Closest flavour substitute would probably be something like Weyermann Cara-Aroma, or Chocolate malt.

 

[Aaron]

Beersmith says:

Notes: Use for English ales, brown ales and porters.
Adds a biscuit like flavor and aroma.
Can be used as a substitute for toasted malt.

I have never seen it available in Australia. Then again I have never specifically looked for it.

 

[Voosher]

It's a pale roast malt (like Chocolate/Patent/Roast Barley), you can make some yourself in the oven from pale malt if you want, the oz.craftbrewer page says ( http://oz.craftbrewer.org/Library/Methods/.../roasting.shtml )

150 to 170c up to an hour (depends on type of flavour desired) - roasted in the oven.

Closest flavour substitute would probably be something like Weyermann Cara-Aroma, or Chocolate malt.

I'd recommend going down the home-roasting route.
I've done some myself using this link.
I included some descriptions of the flavours of the grain here which may give you some ideas as well.
I'd think an Amber malt would be closest of the grains generally available here but I don't think it's as subtle as a biscuit malt.

 

[fixa]

Thanks fellas. The depth of knowledge on this site continually amazes me.
Beers for you all!!!!

 

[cj in j]

Biscuit malt generally comes from Belgian maltsters, like Dingemans. Just an added note -- biscuit malt is very different from Cara-Aroma (which is a very dark crystal malt, like Special B) or chocolate. It's much lighter, more along the lines of aromatic or melanoidin malt. But the flavor is much different from those. Victory is nearly the same as biscuit. I haven't used British Amber malt in a long long time, but that's probably more similar. It has a bready flavor and aroma, similar to bread rolls or (duh! ) biscuits. Do-it-yourself toasted malt is probably similar as well, but I haven't done that so I'm not speaking from personal experience.

 

[Boots]

I did some home roasted biscuit in a brew earlier this year following the craftbrewer guide previously posted. Turned out a treat and was dead simple to do.

Roast your own :beerbang:

Edit: Although i should say i have no idea how close it came out to "real" biscuit malt....

 

[Simon W]

I can also vouch for home roasting.
I blindly made a 5L experimental batch of Marzen/Octoberfest about a year ago with 100% grainbill of home-(over)roasted Vienna malt(orig. JW pils).
While it wasn't an exact replica of the style(DCL 34/70 didn't help), it was dark but kinda close, the aroma was great.

Simo

 

[Darren]

Home roasting is great fun and can produce great results. Just make sure your oven is clean as any "fat" will adversely affect the head of your beer


cheers

Darren