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Author Topic: Briess Malts  (Read 6539 times)

Offline HoosierBrew

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #15 on: August 17, 2014, 09:48:11 am »
Another +1 for Rahr. I've never tried Great Western, but Rahr is my favorite American 2-row ( so far ).  I don't exactly dislike Briess, but I definitely like Rahr better.
Jon H.

Offline jeffy

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #16 on: August 17, 2014, 10:36:46 am »
Thanks everyone.  What about the Briess pale ale malt (3.5luv) compared with Crisp Marris Otter?  Are they interchangeable?

IMO, ANY malt is better than Briess.  Outside of a couple of their crystals and their rye malt, I have yet to find a Briess malt I like.  If you can't afford to get continental malts, at least get a domestic malt other than Briess.  I find both Rahr and Great western to be excellent.
Denny, this is great info to get from an experienced brewer. I have only purchased Briess 2 row, because that is what was easily available. I will seek out rahr for my next 2 row purchase to check out the difference myself. Thanks for your insight
I also tend to avoid Briess, except for the dark roast malts.  I used a couple of sacks of their Munich malt a few years ago and was surprised with a large efficiency increase when I switched back to Weyerman. 
I like Rahr for my domestics pale malt.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #17 on: August 17, 2014, 11:02:47 am »
Thanks everyone.  What about the Briess pale ale malt (3.5luv) compared with Crisp Marris Otter?  Are they interchangeable?

IMO, ANY malt is better than Briess.  Outside of a couple of their crystals and their rye malt, I have yet to find a Briess malt I like.  If you can't afford to get continental malts, at least get a domestic malt other than Briess.  I find both Rahr and Great western to be excellent.

Midnight wheat is fantastic. Try it.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #18 on: August 17, 2014, 11:10:22 am »
I agree that domestic pilsner malt won't get you the flavor you want in a German or Bohemian pilsner. That said, I am currently drinking a pilsner made in part with Briess pilsner and it's good stuff. It's definitely more grainy than German pilsner. On the next go I want to use floor malted pils malt but I bought the Briess stuff because it was what the store had available.

I don't mind Briess pils but their two row is bland. I thoroughly dislike Rahr pils but their other base malts are good. I agree with giving Avangard a try. Cheap stuff and seems to get great reviews.
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Offline denny

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #19 on: August 17, 2014, 11:14:15 am »
Midnight wheat is fantastic. Try it.

I have...meh.  Not bad, no big deal for the stuff I brew.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #20 on: August 17, 2014, 11:18:09 am »
Midnight wheat is fantastic. Try it.

I have...meh.  Not bad, no big deal for the stuff I brew.

I'll have to send you one of my schwarzbiers when they go into 6 packs later this fall.

Offline denny

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #21 on: August 17, 2014, 11:20:33 am »
I'll have to send you one of my schwarzbiers when they go into 6 packs later this fall.

I'll look forward to it!  I imagine it would be great in a beer like that.  But it just reinforces my finding that some Briess specialty malts are OK, but stay away from the base malts.  IMO.
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Offline majorvices

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #22 on: August 17, 2014, 11:23:16 am »
I'll have to send you one of my schwarzbiers when they go into 6 packs later this fall.

I'll look forward to it!  I imagine it would be great in a beer like that.  But it just reinforces my finding that some Briess specialty malts are OK, but stay away from the base malts.  IMO.

I use a heck of a lot of Best Malz and some Thomas Faucett. Don't currently use any Briess basemalts.

Offline denny

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #23 on: August 17, 2014, 12:45:54 pm »
I use a heck of a lot of Best Malz and some Thomas Faucett. Don't currently use any Briess basemalts.

I use Best for German and Belgian styles and Rahr or GW for American.  I don't brew British styles, so I don't have to worry about MO.
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #24 on: August 17, 2014, 05:43:27 pm »

I use a heck of a lot of Best Malz and some Thomas Faucett. Don't currently use any Briess basemalts.

I use Best for German and Belgian styles and Rahr or GW for American.  I don't brew British styles, so I don't have to worry about MO.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #25 on: August 17, 2014, 08:35:08 pm »
By the same token, Briess 2-row is my preferred base malt for American ales (Pale, Amber, Blonde, etc.) because that's what American breweries use for these beers. If I use Rahr or some other base malt, they tend not to taste quite right.

Maybe American breweries where you are.  Not around here.

True, many in the Midwest use Briess, West Coast not so much except for some specialty grains.
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Offline ajk

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #26 on: August 18, 2014, 07:07:56 am »

By the same token, Briess 2-row is my preferred base malt for American ales (Pale, Amber, Blonde, etc.) because that's what American breweries use for these beers. If I use Rahr or some other base malt, they tend not to taste quite right.

Maybe American breweries where you are.  Not around here.

True, many in the Midwest use Briess, West Coast not so much except for some specialty grains.

Maybe I over generalized, but I've been to a lot of breweries outside the Midwest that use Briess. Anyway, the point I meant to get across was if you use something other than a North American base malt in an American ale, you might not get the character you were looking for.

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #27 on: August 18, 2014, 07:31:06 pm »
IMO, ANY malt is better than Briess.

You took the words out of my mouth. Briess 2-row brewer's malt is the melba toast of 2-row malt.

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #28 on: August 18, 2014, 07:37:41 pm »
I use Avangard Pils for every style other than British ale.  It's a dead ringer for Durst Pils at an unbelievable price point.  My favorite British base malt is Thomas Fawcett Pearl.  I do not brew West Coast-style American ale (life is too short to spend it immersed in citrus and pine :) ).

Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Briess Malts
« Reply #29 on: August 18, 2014, 08:44:16 pm »
I have not found much difference between Briess and other American 2 row malts - but I so rarely use American base malts, that perhaps I should try to get some Rahr - it is cheaper from some sources.  My main malts are Avengard Pilsner and English Maris Otters.  But I brew a fair amount of English ales and very few hoppy beers - mostly BoPils and Helles with the pilsner malt.  My favorite is Best Malz - floor malted! It's more costly, but worth it.
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