[sladek]

OK Whats the secret to making VERY MALTY beers? grain selection and mash temp/schedule, water grain ratio...hop additions or lack of hop additions?

Just bitter and flavor and no middle additions of hops for more/intense malt flavor?
I always seem to have trouble achieving the malt flavor I am looking for 
Any suggestions?

Thanks

[dbeechum]

Malt selection is your first stop. Things like Maris Otter and Munich and even a good European pilsner malt will typically give you more malt flavor that the malts produce by American maltsters for the needs of the big guys here.

Mash technique does matter - can the use of decoction mashing push the maltiness? Sure, but the Scots seem to be able to do just fine making big malty beers with a single infusion mash.

Another place to check is your water and specifically your chloride levels. Where sulfate pushes the hops forward, chloride enhances malt perception. If you want a really well perceived malty beer, make sure you have more chloride than sulfate in the water.

[babalu87]

What Drew said

In addition a higher mash temperature , 154-156 will get you what your looking for too.

Some people say its all about the yeast and attenuation but US-05 makes a fine one, its mashing procedures that are key with these beers IMHO

[bluesman]

Malt selection is your first stop.

+1

and as babalu has said mashing techniques play a key role as well. Time and temperature....

[sladek]

Thanks Guys!

I just brewed a American Brown Ale using Maris Otter, Crystal 60, Victory, Honey malt, and Cara-pils, mashed at 153-154, and pitched WLP001, gravity came in at .059(.060 was target) after boil. so was happy with that, little less than 5 gallons in primary fermentor...gravity after primary ferment was .012 and secondary is perking away so I am thinking .010 or so when I bottle...we will see what happens, I am sure it will be a tasty beer, just hoping for some MALT flavor 

[dean]

I think yeast can contribute to malt flavor also, I did a batch about 3 weeks ago using 1450 with a grain bill I had always used S05 with before and this batch is much maltier... the munich stands out in this one.  I just did another batch with a totally different grain bill, used the slurry from the 1450 batch and up'd my chloride with this batch and I'm hoping the rye really stands out on this batch. 

[babalu87]

I think yeast can contribute to malt flavor also, I did a batch about 3 weeks ago using 1450 with a grain bill I had always used S05 with before and this batch is much maltier... the munich stands out in this one.  I just did another batch with a totally different grain bill, used the slurry from the 1450 batch and up'd my chloride with this batch and I'm hoping the rye really stands out on this batch. 

The 1450 gives more of a mouthfeel , maybe that was a perception of more malt flavor?

[denny]

In addition a higher mash temperature , 154-156 will get you what your looking for too.

Maybe, but that may just get you a sweeter beer, too.  I've been very impressed by the dunkel I just made which was mashed at about 148-149.  It's intensely malty without a trace of sweetness.  I think it's due to the yeast and the Best Munich that went into it.

[euge]

Using the S-05 might reveal more of a brew's malty flavor since it has a cleaner profile. I tend to brew in the ranges Denny suggested and the beer still has plenty of "sweetness" just not the dextrinous mouthfeel. There's quite a few factors that affect maltiness but the chloride one really stands out. According to Palmer the chloride-sulfate ratio has a big role to play. Depending on your water profile you might never achieve that sought after maltiness if that ratio is "all wonky".