What is a good substitute for Dingemans Pilsner malt?

[LRAT]

Hi,
I grew up with Belgian beers since my childhood and my favourite beer is a Westmalle Tripel.
I found multiple recipes on the net to make this beer. There's many differences between the recipes but one thing in common is the use of Dingemans pilsner malt as a base malt.
However, this malt seems to be impossible to find in Melbourne, Australia (Many stores are sold out); so, I'm looking for a good substitute.
In my research I found that the Weyermann pilsner malt should be a great option; What's your opinion on this? And where should I buy it from?
I want to buy a bag of 25kg.
Thanks for your advice!

 

[MHB]

Would strongly recommend Weyermann Premium Pilsner. The Pilsner tends to go a little dryer, probably made more for north German styles, the Premium tends to leave a bit more maltyness in the flavour profile.
Planning a tripel karmeliet soon, it is a bit maltier than the Westmalle so might give the Floor Malted Bohemian a go. The floor malted tends to have a broader more complex flavour profile.
Those two are probably my favorite Tripels. Have found the recipes on Candi Syrup Inc very reliable and close to the original, both of the above are in there. At least their recipes are free of some of the flights of fancy and dozen malts used to make a beer like Westmalle that we find on/in a lot of American publications. I think most brewers know it is only a single malt, a shedload of sugar, with a truck load of good brewing applied (yeast management is king in these beers)

As to where, there are plenty of good home brew retailers in Melbourne, not being a local I cant advise but have when necessary used Grain and Grape and been more than happy with the service.
Just had my first Karmiliet in a bottle after a couple of years, mate of mine imports beer from Belgium, he brought in a couple of kegs, the stuff on tap was just so much better that I put off drinking it from a bottle, for a while.

Good luck, just remember the yeast is king! Culture lots or even brew a smaller Belgian pale then use the yeast cake.
Mark

 

[LRAT]

Would strongly recommend Weyermann Premium Pilsner. The Pilsner tends to go a little dryer, probably made more for north German styles, the Premium tends to leave a bit more maltyness in the flavour profile.
Planning a tripel karmeliet soon, it is a bit maltier than the Westmalle so might give the Floor Malted Bohemian a go. The floor malted tends to have a broader more complex flavour profile.
Those two are probably my favorite Tripels. Have found the recipes on Candi Syrup Inc very reliable and close to the original, both of the above are in there. At least their recipes are free of some of the flights of fancy and dozen malts used to make a beer like Westmalle that we find on/in a lot of American publications. I think most brewers know it is only a single malt, a shedload of sugar, with a truck load of good brewing applied (yeast management is king in these beers)

As to where, there are plenty of good home brew retailers in Melbourne, not being a local I cant advise but have when necessary used Grain and Grape and been more than happy with the service.
Just had my first Karmiliet in a bottle after a couple of years, mate of mine imports beer from Belgium, he brought in a couple of kegs, the stuff on tap was just so much better that I put off drinking it from a bottle, for a while.

Good luck, just remember the yeast is king! Culture lots or even brew a smaller Belgian pale then use the yeast cake.
Mark

Thank you MHB!
Yes, during my research I came across the recipe from Candi Syrup Inc and copied it. This one was also calling for Dingemans malt.
OK, I will take your advice on board and will buy a bag of Weyermann Premium Pilsner. This seems to be more commonly available from local suppliers.
Initially, when you look at the Westmalle Tripel recipe, it seems quite simple to replicate. The only snag is the amount of yeast to use.
The most widely recommended yeasts are:
White Labs WLP530
Wyeast 3787
Mangrove Jack's abbey yeast

I am still reading up how to make a yeast culture and how much I will need to make a 40 litres batch.
Thanks for your advice!
Cheers

 

[MHB]

I will be using the Wyeast.
Couple of reasons, one is my local stocks Wyeast, another is that I have used it before and loved it. No doubt the White Labs is just as good, so what ever you can get fresh. I wouldn't trust a dry yeast on this beer -yet, dry yeasts are getting better but I haven't heard enough feedback to be confidant. Bit like putting E-10 in a sports car, it sort of misses the point a bit.

Here is a good read on these yeasts BYO Yeast strains for Belgian...
The other tip I find helpful is not to add the sugar to the kettle but later in the ferment. Takes some of the stress off the yeast (lowers the OG) and too much simple sugar early, can make yeast a bit lazy on working through more complex sugars later in the ferment. Adding later can help the yeast attenuate fully.
Belgian brewers are prevented from doing this by their local tax law which is calculated on the wort gravity/volume in the kettle at the end of the boil. That doesn't stop us adding the sugar later.

I don't know your process but if you were no-chilling, with a bit of planning you could cube say 5-10L, brew that and use the yeast from that to ferment the remaining 30L. Lots of ways to build up a yeast population, in this case if you have a bag of malt you could be planning a series of brews, once you have enough yeast it all gets pretty easy, its just that first step up that a lot of work or money.
Mark

 

[kadmium]

Thank you MHB!
Yes, during my research I came across the recipe from Candi Syrup Inc and copied it. This one was also calling for Dingemans malt.
OK, I will take your advice on board and will buy a bag of Weyermann Premium Pilsner. This seems to be more commonly available from local suppliers.
Initially, when you look at the Westmalle Tripel recipe, it seems quite simple to replicate. The only snag is the amount of yeast to use.
The most widely recommended yeasts are:
White Labs WLP530
Wyeast 3787
Mangrove Jack's abbey yeast

I am still reading up how to make a yeast culture and how much I will need to make a 40 litres batch.
Thanks for your advice!
Cheers

I can highly recommend the Weyermans premium floor malted bohemian pilsner malt. I use it like its going out of fashion. Love the stuff. Complex, bready flavours.

It really should be subjected to a 90m boil though.

 

[mje1980]

Dingemans is awesome. I used it a lot a few years ago, loved it. I heard it was apparently coming back to oz recently but haven’t seen it yet

If you can get chateau aka Castle pils, it is also a very good Belgian pils malt

I find both the dingemans pils and castle pils work really good in well attenuated beers. I liked the ding pils in adjunct lagers and dry Belgians for that reason ( I like dry beers ). The castle is the same.
If I could get either again they’d be my main pils malt

You definitely can’t go wrong with wyermann though

 

[shacked]

+1 for Castle Pilsner. I believe The Brew Shop in Sydney import it, so if you can get your hands on it would be the pick of the others.

 

[MHB]

Its not on their list any more, just some Belgian specialty malts (bloody hard website to find stuff on).

That makes three importers that I know of who have brought in Belgian malts then dropped them. Much as I liked them it might be that the sales figures just weren't what what they were expecting.
Shame someone cant persist with them they are unique and do bring a certain something to a Belgian beer (especially Tripels). But they have always been very expensive and lets face it, this is a very price sensitive market.
Mark

 

[mje1980]

The castle pils was very reasonably priced from the brew shop/ESB. I really liked it

 

[LRAT]

Update:
I was able to find Dingemans Special B barley.
I purchased 25kg from Kegland in Melbourne for $89.50 + transport.
It was the only place I could find it.
I hope this will help for other brewers looking for the same product.

 

[kadmium]

Update:
I was able to find Dingemans Special B barley.
I purchased 25kg from Kegland in Melbourne for $89.50 + transport.
It was the only place I could find it.
I hope this will help for other brewers looking for the same product.

Also Keg King, Craft Brewer and Hoppy Days sell Special B.

 

[MHB]

Is Special-B a substitute for a Pilsner malt, Belgian or otherwise?

 

[shacked]

I called the brew shop today and they said they've been out of stock of castle pilsner since March last year. First there were supply constraints due to global shipping grinding to a halt and now prices have spiked to the point where considerable retail price increases would be required.

Special B is awesome! Buuuuut as a super dark crystal style malt, I'd suggest it'll take you quite a while to go through a whole sack on a homebrew level. A little bit goes a very very long way...

 

[chookherder]

Hi,

I just spoke with John at ibrew.com.au in QLD. He has 2 bags $85 each, they are listed as sold out on the website, but that is incorrect.

He also has the Dingemans Bohemian in, all arrived 2weeks ago.

If you want some, better be quick and call him to arrange. 07 55940388

https://www.ibrew.com.au/products/dingemans-pilsen-malt?_pos=2&_sid=c83caa656&_ss=r

 

[Half-baked]

Grain and Grape seem to have Dingemans... good price too

https://www.grainandgrape.com.au/pr... MALT GRAIN--dingemans-belgian-pilsner-per-kg