Beer Forum

Jamil's book calls for English Pale Ale malt in many recipes, now my supplier has Crisp Pale Ale Malt and Marris Otter Malt. Which of these would you recommend? Would the Crisp Pale Ale Malt be cheaper?

Here is the thing to keep in mind.

Maris Otter = a strain of barley.

There are many other types of barley, which make fine malt.

British or English Pale Ale = a malt that has been kilned in the traditional British style, resulting in a darker color and that signature biscuity/malty flavor.

This can happen with all sorts of barley, Maris Otter is just one of them.

Crisp = a malting house. Crisp is great, but there are other malt houses that make great malt too.

What do you need to look out for when I specify British Pale Ale malt? Just that, British Pale Ale malt. Something called Maris Otter doesn't mean that it is kilned to be like a British PA malt, though it usually does. Chances are, you're looking at exactly the same thing just at two different prices.

It would be great if everyone running a homebrew shop understood the differences. Luckily, many of them do, but not all.

I'm sorry Jamil, but I can't take you seriously anymore after seeing the picture of you laying down on B3 for your chocolate hazelnut porter.

"Maris Otter

This variety of barley has long been the favorite of the English brewers for it's rich flavor and very forgiving brewing performance. This malt is produced in traditional floor maltings or Saladin boxes."

THis is the description on the website for the supplier, so I assumed it would work, but I might request a swap to English Pale Ale malt.

As for hoping that homebrew shops would become a little more knowledgable about their malts.

Pilsner Malt - we are out be we can sub MO as both are premium 2 rows

Chances are good that anytime a maltster uses Maris Otter, they kiln it like a British Pale Ale malt.

Crisp makes a great product, and that is what use. Crisp pale ale malt made from floor malted Maris Otter.

jamilz wrote:Chances are good that anytime a maltster uses Maris Otter, they kiln it like a British Pale Ale malt.

Crisp makes a great product, and that is what use. Crisp pale ale malt made from floor malted Maris Otter.

so they're likely the same malt just listed twice... lol all this confusion and likely no difference...

beerdrinker wrote:Jamil's book calls for English Pale Ale malt in many recipes, now my supplier has Crisp Pale Ale Malt and Marris Otter Malt. Which of these would you recommend? Would the Crisp Pale Ale Malt be cheaper?

the Crisp malt is really nice, try some of it compared to another 2 row, just chew a few grains .. the Crisp stuff is really really good