Maris Otter and Pilsner

[Osangar]

Feel like a proper home brewer, after years of going recipe to recipe buying all bits at the local HBS, I finally bought 25kg pilsner, and 25kg Maris Otter. I’m thinking of buying a 25kg of wheat – as I’m into Hefeweizen at the moment; but due to bulk buy realities I went for the pils and MO (here in Singapore, the options are limited, and I take what I can get)

Can I ask, if anyone please can point me to ideas for these two grains that are worth taking a crack at, happy to add some speciality malts to get to the goal.

My first attempt - to just see how they go – and utilise stuff in the fridge ended up with this:

23L/OG 1.047
2.5kg Maris Otter
2.5kg Pilsner
20g Target 60 min
25g EKG 20 min
20g Centennial Whirlpool
25g EKG Dry Hop
SafAle S-04
1tsp Epsom
1tsp gypsum
1/2tsp calcium chloride
A smidge of lactic acid to bring the mash to 5.2

Any ideas would be much appreciated

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

I wouldn’t go blending MO and pilsner malt like that, they are malts with distinctive and desirable character and blending them will muddle it up I would say.

I would stick to one malt or the other, especially if you are not familiar with them as ingredients

 

[MHB]

Agree big time!
I know its trendy to mix different base malts, but I just don't get it. Maris is one of the most desired base malts in the world, it is designed to make full bodied UK ales and to work really well in isothermal UK style mash regimes.
Pilsner malt is less well modified and/or less well kilned, it excels at making continental pilsner style beers. But it will have more SSM that leads to DMS so it will benefit from longer more intensive mashing and boiling.

I think its mostly down to out American friends, bit like the "Wall of Sound" concept, if a little of something is good, more must be better - it's just a different world view. Personally I like the simplicity and clarity of flavour that comes from a few well selected quality ingredients, see Budvar one malt, one hop one hop addition, (when fresh) a wonderful beer! It's a fair argument that when you can brew that well, you can have a second addition.

Use the Maris to make a classic UK pale ale, you have the malt, hops and yeast. Get some classic noble hops and use the pilsner to make some classic lager/pilsner.

I learned in primary school that if you blend all the colours you get shit brown every time. Worth thinking about the same outcomes as related to brewing.
Mark

 

[Schikitar]

I learned in primary school that if you blend all the colours you get shit brown every time.

I like this analogy and it's good advice! I'm going to admit that the last brew I did I mixed almost equal amounts of MO with pilsner (a little more MO) but I didn't even consider the implications - I just wanted to get some body/breadiness into a lighter style hazy pale without making the malt profile too heavy and keeping the colour bright, I guess. Fortunately my own ignorance still turned out great, really happy with the malt profile, I probably went too far with the Hort 4337 & Nelson Sauv hops but after about 6 weeks it has mellowed into a delicious little hazy pale (that was the only part I thought I was muddying the waters with, so to speak). It worked out great for me this time but it certainly hasn't in the past. I'll be taking this advice onboard going forward and try to pay more attention to the subtleties rather than being so wreckless..

 

[DazGore]

@Osangar - what ingredients do you have on hand and what can you get in Singapore?

I see you have some EKG, that along with your Maris Otter is a good start towards a English Pale Ale, depending on what speciality grains you could also make something like an Irish Red (Kilkenny).

I would get the Wheat as well, that way you have 3 of the main base malts. Plus up to 5% wheat in your recipes can help with head retention etc...

What is the water like in Singapore - hard/soft?

 

[Osangar]

@Osangar - what ingredients do you have on hand and what can you get in Singapore?

I see you have some EKG, that along with your Maris Otter is a good start towards a English Pale Ale, depending on what speciality grains you could also make something like an Irish Red (Kilkenny).

I would get the Wheat as well, that way you have 3 of the main base malts. Plus up to 5% wheat in your recipes can help with head retention etc...

What is the water like in Singapore - hard/soft?

water in Singapore is very soft with a PH of 8.1.

I made the recipe I listed in my first post, and from the fermentor, it tasted malty, and could do with more hop punch, but I think it will be ok.

red ale - now that's a good idea. I might do that one next - thanks

 

[eastgummy]

Agree big time!
I know its trendy to mix different base malts, but I just don't get it. Maris is one of the most desired base malts in the world, it is designed to make full bodied UK ales and to work really well in isothermal UK style mash regimes.
Pilsner malt is less well modified and/or less well kilned, it excels at making continental pilsner style beers. But it will have more SSM that leads to DMS so it will benefit from longer more intensive mashing and boiling.

I think its mostly down to out American friends, bit like the "Wall of Sound" concept, if a little of something is good, more must be better - it's just a different world view. Personally I like the simplicity and clarity of flavour that comes from a few well selected quality ingredients, see Budvar one malt, one hop one hop addition, (when fresh) a wonderful beer! It's a fair argument that when you can brew that well, you can have a second addition.

Use the Maris to make a classic UK pale ale, you have the malt, hops and yeast. Get some classic noble hops and use the pilsner to make some classic lager/pilsner.

I learned in primary school that if you blend all the colours you get shit brown every time. Worth thinking about the same outcomes as related to brewing.
Mark

Agree on everything with you but one thing. Mixing too many good things and too much of them makes poop but Maris Otter and pilsner can also be something beautiful, come on, just a little bit of a waste expending the extra on the fancy posh pale for that, maybe.

You can always go full Belgian about it , use both, throw in some wlp530 and make a damm good blonde with what you have.