Brewing Master

Question:

  What are the details about Gambrinus?  Are they a malting company?    Why you ignorant sot!  Here’s the scoop: <snip    My only remaining question is if they are in any way related to Gambrinus, the Texas-based parent company for Shiner and Pete’s, and also handles US sales for Moosehead and Corona.

You ignorant sot! I don’t believe so – they are (from second-hand knowledge) a family-run business.  The owner of a brewshop I used to frequent in Calgary would stop in at Gambrinus & pick up a few sacks of grain on his way back from his cottage in BC.  As soon as the local brewers got wind, we’d all be in there buying up Gambrinus – their pale ale malt (I think they call it "ESB malt") is the best base malt I’ve used.  Good conversion, good extract, and the flavour was much more "malty" than standard 2-row even in a simple one-step infusion mash. They also make a really nice brumalt style product (honey malt).  Their stuff doesn’t seem to be available in the east. Drew http://fast.to/strangebrew

Response:

: Nobody has yet to mention Gambrinus Pale Malt.  This is my favorite and I : use it in a lot of styles.  100% Harington 2-Row. 1.8L. Gambrinus is my standard base malt. Wonderful stuff, and I can get it pretty cheap at Spagnols (though I can’t quite remember what I paid last time – I split a 50 Kg bag with a friend). — Bill

Response:

You ignorant sot! I don’t believe so – they are (from second-hand knowledge) a family-run business.  The owner of a brewshop I used to frequent in Calgary would stop in at Gambrinus & pick up a few sacks of grain on his way back from his cottage in BC.  As soon as the local brewers got wind, we’d all be in there buying up Gambrinus – their pale ale malt (I think they call it "ESB malt") is the best base malt I’ve used.  Good conversion, good extract, and the flavour was much more "malty" than standard 2-row even in a simple one-step infusion mash. They also make a really nice brumalt style product (honey malt).  Their stuff doesn’t seem to be available in the east.

I’ve got the brew pot boiling right now full of the richness of 1.9L Gambrinus Pale Ale 2-row. This bag is marked Gambrinus(BC) so prehaps they have expanded. Man I love the smell of malt and hops on the boil! Regards, Greg Martin.

Response:

  What are the details about Gambrinus?  Are they a malting company?

   Why you ignorant sot!  Here’s the scoop: |   Gambrinus Malting Corporation has the distinction of being the smallest |malting house in North America. The company produces about 5,500 |tonnes (6,200 U.S. tons) of malt each year at its malthouse. The |malthouse originally belonged to the Schlossquell Brewery of Heidelberg, |Germany. In its time, the Schlossquell Brewery produced all of its own |brewing malt on-site in downtown Heidelberg. In 1992, the malthouse was |dismantled and shipped to Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada, where it |became the key component of Gambrinus’s fledgling malting operation. | |   During the past five years, Gambrinus’s product line has grown into a |select coterie of malts designed to serve the needs of the expanding craft |brewing sector. The company operates two distribution warehouses |located in Denver, Colorado, and Los Angeles, California, to speed |deliveries to U.S. breweries. In addition, Larry’s Brewing Supply of Kent, |Washington, provides complete personalized service for brewing |operations of all sizes. The barley sourced by Gambrinus is grown in the |Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta and are processed at |Gambrinus’ plant in Armstrong. [Source: The Brewer's Market Guide Online, http://brewingtechniques.com/bmg    My only remaining question is if they are in any way related to Gambrinus, the Texas-based parent company for Shiner and Pete's, and also handles US sales for Moosehead and Corona. -- Joel Plutchak "When *I* use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean-- neither more nor less."

Response:

I have been using Schreier 2 row pale for ales and lagers.  I began with it because the price is unbeatable (50# for $22.00), but have made some great beers with it regardless of mash type (single or step-infusion).  I just picked up a 55# bag each of Weyermann Pilsner and Munich while in the Orlando area.  The prices were fairly good for German malt ($35.95 & 39.95 respectively).  I will be doing a 10 gallon Octoberfest this month and will use plenty of both.  It will be interesting to see the differences.  I love tweaking with my house brews (California Common, German lagers). Scott

Response:

Nobody has yet to mention Gambrinus Pale Malt.  This is my favorite and I use it in a lot of styles.  100% Harington 2-Row. 1.8L. For British Beers I tend to use the Gambrinus ESB which is a little darker and has more flavor. I've also used Westcan Pale ale which was also good and had a nice flavor, and Canada Malting Pale ale Malt which is also a good standby. Layne Rossi Campbell River, BC

- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -well i've used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap. any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

Nobody has yet to mention Gambrinus Pale Malt.  This is my favorite and I use it in a lot of styles.  100% Harington 2-Row. 1.8L.

   What are the details about Gambrinus?  Are they a malting company? -- Joel Plutchak "When *I* use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean-- neither more nor less."

Response:

Not exactly, but they are related and you will be able to pick up some similarities when you give it a try. Having only one year of all-grain under my belt, I taste the grains to help me identify with each type. Burp, -Dan - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - I picked up a sack of Marris Otter but my first brew with it is still in the secondary (a Fuller's ESB). Go to your homebrew store and sample a few kernels from the various base malts. It's amazing some of the differences you will taste. Are the flavours you get when you chew grains the same as those you will end up with in the beer? Brian

Response:

well i've used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

   I use Hugh Baird Maris Otter as my base malt, brewing primarily Pale Ales, Stouts, and Porters.      I seem to be able to get a fuller bodied beer with HB than with domestic.       Mike S.

Response:

I primarily use Briess 2 row for the majority of my beers as well.  However, given that many of the styles that you listed are essentialy British beers, you may want to consider getting a sack of Marris Otter.  Fantastic grain that gives me very good extraction rates along with a distinct flavor. - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - well i've used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

I picked up a sack of Marris Otter but my first brew with it is still in the secondary (a Fuller's ESB). Go to your homebrew store and sample a few kernels from the various base malts. It's amazing some of the differences you will taste.

Are the flavours you get when you chew grains the same as those you will end up with in the beer? Brian

Response:

well i've used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

I primarily brew British dark ales: Scottish ales and browns make up the bulk, but I brew a decent amount of porters, stouts, pales and bitters. Most use Schreier 2-row pale as the base, since I often use large amounts of non-diastatic grains (home-roasted malts). I keep a sack of Maris Otter for paler British-style beers, where it adds a nice dry malt flavor, and a sack of Munich for German-style beers. Trevor

Response:

: well i've used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for : another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. : i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also : some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with : the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt?  what are you : guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing : with it? Personally, I love DWC Pilsen malt as a base for just about anything.  I'm something of a malthead, and a hophead - basically BIG beers.  The DeWolf-Cosyns 2-row Pilsen gives good maltiness. One of my favorite house beers is VERY simple.  8-10 lbs of DWC Pilsen and a TON of Tettnanger hops, bittering, flavor, and aroma additions. Cheers! Domenick Venezia Venezia & Company, LLC Maker of PrimeTab (206) 782-1152  phone (206) 782-6766  fax orders demonick at zgi dot com

Response:

Been using Schreier [sp?] Pils as the base for most of my beers lately. It seems pretty neutral.  For styles where I want more malt character, I throw in some Munich malt (typically Belgian or German). For dark ales, the choice of base malt is going to have less of an effect because of the strong flavors from the roasted grains.  For your Steam and CAP beers, a domestic 2-row malt (like you’ve been using) should be right on target. — – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

I particularly like using Belgian 2-Row as my base for lagers and most (pale) ales.  For stouts, I general use Klages.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap. any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

I prefer Great Western Pale Malt over Briess Pale Malt, but the problem is finding it on the East Coast.  Last time I was in CA a bought a 50 lb bag and it flew home with me! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

   I’ve heard some people say they can identify Briess by its flavor (and they tend to put a slightly negative cast to it).    I’ve used a lot of Schreier (2-row and Special Pale) and Dewolf-Cosyns (DWC).  The Schreier is fairly neutral, especially the 2-row, with the Special Pale being a little toasty.  I think Schreier makes for a solid base malt.  The DWC Pale has more maltiness (for lack of a better term), and I like the DWC specialty malts, and their pilsner for abbey-style ales.    For authentic British ales, I’ve heard some brewers swear by British malts, but I’m personally still experimenting with them.  So far I’ve found that the character of British malts is certainly different than domestics and DWC (Belgian). I’ve been using Beeston’s floor-malted Maris Otter and Halcyon, and will use their Pipkin next week. — Joel Plutchak "When *I* use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean– neither more nor less."

Response:

well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap.  any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response:

I picked up a sack of Marris Otter but my first brew with it is still in the secondary (a Fuller’s ESB). Go to your homebrew store and sample a few kernels from the various base malts. It’s amazing some of the differences you will taste. Burp, -Dan

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -well i’ve used up my first 50 lb sack of grain so its time for another.  i had nice results and no problems with  briess 2- row. i primarily brew dark ales(porters ,nut browns,stouts), but also some steams and recently a cap. any ideas? should i stick with the briess 2 row , try pale ale or an english malt? what are you guys using as your base grain and what are you primarily brewing with it?

Response: