Is Marris Otter all it's cracked up to be? What is your favourite base malt?

[Ralph]

I stumbled across this blog post the other day, and it got me wondering what people around here prefer to brew with? I know a lot of people think MO is just thing for english style ales... but I hear things like Golden Promise getting high praise too.

http://brewstersbrewery.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/sacred-cow-gets-it...

[Tilt]

I get that and fair enough in say 0-5kg lots to satisfy a good chunk of the homebrew market. 

Would you want to restrict Gladfields direct sales in larger amounts as part of a retail arrangement?

[Tilt]

Yep - best to beg forgiveness than ask permission and all that.  It'd be good if their specialities were available from the HB shops .. as long as that didn't stop us from ordering direct in bulk with matching bulk order prices.

[Mark]

Seems such a shame none of these are available at HB shops(?!) Would be really keen to try a few, but it would take me a lifetime to use a sack of those special malts. I wonder if they supply to HB stores in general?

[Grant R Baker]

Deep deep deep down you are a good man.

[Mark]

Great stuff Aiden, I'm sure there's a market for selling these malts in smaller amounts a la crystal etc

[Grant R Baker]

Just saw your web page update and the Galdfields are there... that was freak'n fast.

Gonna get me some Toffee malt, oh yes.... and a bit of that RedBack too.

 

Nice one Aiden.

[Mark]

I've used the TF MO and I definitely prefer the Bairds. For some reason the TF didn't have as much of the distinctly "Marris Otter" flavour

[Tilt]

Interesting Mark, was it the floor malted version you used? (....do they do any other version?)

Bairds is definitely fine malt and I'm happy with the results to date - I'd be keen on doing a side by side with TF on an OB or similar to taste the diff.  A project for 'ron.

[Mark]

Can't remember off hand, I think I still have the sack floating around somewhere so I'll check. It was a bit random - I ordered what I thought was Bairds and received TF. Was quite happy about it at the time!

[Richard Deeble]

I brewed my Pale Ale today using Gladfield malts instead of Thomas Fawcett,  using Gladfield ale, toffee and medium crystal malts in place of GP, caramalt, TF medium crystal and carapils. I did slightly reduce the quantity of speciality malts as the Gladfield crystal has a higher yield than the English malts. Very impressed with how the malt performed in the mash, I gained 2 points more than normal in efficiency and had a really clear wort at the end of the boil with less break material than normal. I'm looking forward to being able to taste the beer in a few weeks to see how it compares.

[Grant R Baker]

Ahh ye bet me too it (by a long way)...  I'm gonna try a Gladfields Pilsner and Toffee malt mix.... probably target a Lager or Pale Ale.

[Matt Smith]

Ive been doing the same with my recipes, subbing all my english base and specialties for gladfield. It does take a bit of playing around to get a similar body and mouthfeel, but it does make great beer, and you can dial in a similar profile with Munich additions, or changing mash temps etc. Interested to hear how much difference it made in your recipe