what is it?

[Pat Rohla]

Hi there,
I want to brew an IPA. The recipe calls for 11 lbs of two row and 3.25 lbs of pale ale malt. I thought pale ale malt was two row. Does anyone know what the pale ale malt may be?
Thanks in advance.
pr

[steamyb]

IMHO -All grains start off as 2 row or 6 row.
All of the various 'malts' are prepared at the different malting houses by roasting the basic malts at different temperatures and for different times. This does several things to the starches in the malts. Obviously color changes and taste changes, but also the fermentation of those (starches are converted to sugars in the mash) starches will be altered. Some of the starches will not convert to sugars, so they will not ferment. But they add body &  'mouth-feel' to a beer and keep the beer from tasting watery.
You can make your own specialty grains on a cookie sheet in your oven. Spread the grains evenly on the cookie sheet.Be patient but deligent and use lower temps and stir frequently. If you use higher temps, the outside will brown and the inside grains will not. When they look and taste OK to you, grind as usual and add them to the mash. YouTube videos show the process. Good Luck & Don't Worry - Have a Homebrew! 17!

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[Slowbrew]

Check out the grain selection at your LHBS store.  You will see bags of "2 row", very lightly kilned standard base malts and bags of "pale ale" malts.  Pale ale malt is slightly more kilned and due to different processes applied has s bit more flavor development.

That's early morning, barely awake take on it though.  Others can expound on the list of differences.  Simple answer is, they are different from each other but both are made from 2-row wheat barley.

Paul

*** Corrected obvious mistake I made typing too early in my coffee acquisition phase. 

[jeffy]

Yes, pale ale malt is usually made up of two row, so your recipe doesn't make much sense.  For an IPA I usually use 80% two row malt, 10% Munich and 10% medium crystal for color, but you can do whatever you want.
Ooops, Slowbrew (Paul) was posting at the same time.  (It's not wheat, it's barley malt)

[KellerBrauer]

I recall reading someplace recently that there is a difference between “pale malt” and “pale ale malt”.  While very slight, I want to say the difference is in the color.  I also think I saw this information in a recent BYO.

[Robert]

There are a number of pale malts.  The most lightly kilned malts are designated as Pilsner malt, and have very light color and flavor development.   Pale malt usually refers to the most basic base malt in any country,  and in the US and many other countries this means a high enzyme malt capable of converting large amounts of adjuncts.  These malts may be the same or slightly higher color than Pilsner,  and have a little more flavor.  These malts are also variously called Brewers Malt or Lager Malt.  Old US homebrew habit is to specify 2 Row, because it used to be that this class of malt might be made from either 2 row or 6 row barley.  6 row barley has almost disappeared as 2 row varieties are now identical in enzyme and protein content but with higher yield,  and experts think 6 row will disappear in the next few years.  Pale ale malt usually refers to a base malt in the British style, slightly lower in protein and maybe higher in color than typical US Brewers Malt,  intended for lower adjunct beers and with even more flavor development.   In the UK these are usually in the 2-3°L color range,  and US versions tend to be 3-4°L.  There are Belgian versions too, modeled on the UK malts, though Belgian ales typically use Pilsner as a base malt.  And British mild ale malt is a pale malt in the British style made from higher protein barley,  maybe kilned to 3-4°L.  Briess calls their base malt Brewers Malt (they haven't made 6 row for several years) while Rahr calls it Standard 2 Row, and Great Western calls it Premium 2 Row. Hope everything is clear as mud.  I suspect that the OP's recipe is looking for a blend of US  base/brewers malt and US or UK pale ale malt, the latter for a touch of extra flavor without adding much color. 

[Slowbrew]

Yes, pale ale malt is usually made up of two row, so your recipe doesn't make much sense.  For an IPA I usually use 80% two row malt, 10% Munich and 10% medium crystal for color, but you can do whatever you want.
Ooops, Slowbrew (Paul) was posting at the same time.  (It's not wheat, it's barley malt)

You're right.  I stand by my 1/2 asleep comment. 

Barley.  NOT wheat.

[Pat Rohla]

Thanks to all those who chimed in with good info. I appreciate the feedback. I decided that I would use a Maris Otter and a Crystal to offset the basic two row.
Mucho appreciado.
P'Aleface Brewing