2 row or 6 row?

Which base malt is the "best"? (explain your answer please)

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jmcnamara

jmcnamara

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That is the question

Assuming no real difference in price, which do you prefer?
I'm asking because I'm looking to start stockpiling ingredients, so I need a solid base malt to start with.

Unless I'm using a crazy amount of adjuncts, diastatic power is practically the same with the two. It really comes down to versatility. Im sure I can do smashes (as long as I'm testing hops and yeast), but are there certain styles that are better than others?
I assume that pilsner and specialty ones like maris otter and pearl will throw this a bit out of whack with everyone's opinions, but lay it on me my brewing brothers and sisters
 
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I've added a poll. Let me know if there's any other options I should add
 
Thank you for posting this. I'm about to embark on BIAB brewing and this poll will help answer one of my initial questions.
 
As far as my short experience with buying bulk grain. I'm looking for versatility a malt that can cover a broad array of styles so... That's why I chose Pilsner malt by adding special roast malts caramel malts you can brew a vast array adding some Vienna you can brew an nice ale. From another previous thread it seams it's pretty much the same as 2 row malt.

Vienna is out for bulk I'd buy 1-2 kg for part additions
Munich is out same as Vienna in regards to using it in less proportions.
6 row I can't comment on haven't used it and it ain available over here in Aus I hear it has better diastic power than two row tho.
Pearl I can't comment on will be interesting to learn of this as base malt.
Marris otter I'm considering on buying this up in bulk for some ale brewing but I don't think it would be as versatile as 2 row or Pilsner.
 
MO is very versatile , I use quite a bit of it and Golden promise also but then I am almost solely an ale brewer .
If lagers and pilsners were my mainstay it would have to be weyerman bo pils .

My absolute must have in most of my brews is rye malt , I just love what it brings to a beer
 
I've yet to try some rye in my brewing there Mark through someone's post thread attachment the other day on Simpsons malt I see they do crystal rye. What does the rye bring to the beer? Have you tried other different malts like Spalt I've herd it's a prehistoric type of wheat that was used in times past to make some of the first types of bread.

I've used rye in sourbread making it is a strong heavy flour quite grainy not as fine as wheat flour and adds a lot of colour and fiber to the bread
 
Caramel rye is interesting too, kind of a sweet and spicy thing going on
 
Before coming to a conclusion, I'd consider what types or styles I like most.
I wouldn't be buying MO if the plan was to brew IPA's or German lagers.
 
To me, the question is like, "Which meat is better for a pizza, pepperoni or sausage?" I think it all depends on the style you're brewing, as mentioned above. If you kept 2 row, pilsner, and MO, you'll be set for a lot of variety.
 
I added a check to other because you forgot my favorite, "Golden Promise", this grain is the only grain under any conditions that made a very good beer every time so I only buy the best even though its the highest price locally
 
Ozarks Mountain Brew said:
I added a check to other because you forgot my favorite, "Golden Promise", this grain is the only grain under any conditions that made a very good beer every time so I only buy the best even though its the highest price locally
Click to expand...
added that in for ya. too bad i can't reorder the choices now
 
All of the grains listed are two-row grains, except for the 6-row. :)

I think most crystal malts are made from 6-row, and Briess' Vienna malt was made from 6-row way back when. I don't know if it still is.

I think the question is which of the two-row base malts do you like best? I use maris otter or golden promise for English style beers, and some American ambers, and I use US two-row (often Briess' but sometimes Rahr or CMC's) for American style beers.

I use Weyermann's Munich for some beers, but Briess' Bonlander Munich is great and I find that I use that more oten.
 
Ill redact some, if using 2 row just because its cheap I use Briess, Im also big on Belgium Munich when needing it for anything calling for it but not too much, its strong flavored

so with that said the grains I store the most are

  • golden promise, full sacks, every now and then 2-row
  • 5 kinds of crystal , 5lb at a time
  • Belgium Munich , 5lb at a time
  • German Vienna , 5lb at a time
  • Victory , 5lb at a time
  • honey, 5lb at a time
  • amber, 5lb at a time
  • 3 kinds of dark grains , 1lb each because they do not get used as much
  • 10lb of rice hulls
because of the bug problem I buy flaked grains as needed
 
it depends.
For IPAs and things that I want to bring out the hops, American 2-row.
for bigger malty beers I like to base with MO.
For smaller malty beers I really like German Pilsner over other pilsner malts.
 
Yooper said:
All of the grains listed are two-row grains, except for the 6-row. :)

I think most crystal malts are made from 6-row, and Briess' Vienna malt was made from 6-row way back when. I don't know if it still is.
Click to expand...

I never thought about what crystal malts were made from. Interesting. I have heard that 6 row used to be hard to completely convert but with malting practices now its probably not an issue.

Malt Europe is sold locally.I use 2 row as a staple but grab a sack of some Castle Pilsner once in a while.
 
Head First said:
I never thought about what crystal malts were made from. Interesting. I have heard that 6 row used to be hard to completely convert but with malting practices now its probably not an issue.

Malt Europe is sold locally.I use 2 row as a staple but grab a sack of some Castle Pilsner once in a while.
Click to expand...

Actually, 6-row has more diastatic power, so that's why it's used occasionally for things like American Light Lager. It might have a DP of 160 (off the top of my head), while American brewer's 2-row may have 120.

Barley malt used in brewing is almost all two-row, except for the few instances where there is a 6-row base malt and many crystal malts are made of 6-row.

Maris otter, pale ale malt, US Brewer's two-row, Castle pilsner. and so on are all two-row.

When you're talking about base malt, it's useful to remember that in general it's ALL "Two-row". The types are differentiated by maltster and kilning. For example, golden promise is a UK two-row malted in Scotland, while maris otter is a British two-row malted in England. Castle pilsner malt is a two-row barley malted in Belgium, and so on.

So saying, "two-row" really doesn't denote a type of malt at all. Many brewers in the US may MEAN "US Brewer's Two-row by Briess" when they say "two-row" but it's really incorrect.
 
Maris Otter is my go to. But due to limited supply opportunity where I live I also use Golden Promise, and whatever else I can get.
 
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