UK Malt tips? Which Maris Otter to buy?

[seymour]

I think I'm going to stock up on some true UK Maris Otter base malt.

The choices available to me:

Crisp Malting Group of Great Ryburgh, England
-Maris Otter Floor Malted
-Glen Eagle's Maris Otter Floor Malted

Simpsons Malting of Berwick-Upon-Tweed, England
-Maris Otter

Also, I now have access to Malting Company of Cork, Ireland - Stout Malt.

Anyone have experience or tips regarding any of these?

[Lugsy]

I'm afraid I can't advise on any of those, the only Maris Otter I've used is Fawcetts. Out of interest though, how much does malt cost after it's been shipped across the pond?

[seymour]

I'm afraid I can't advise on any of those, the only Maris Otter I've used is Fawcetts. Out of interest though, how much does malt cost after it's been shipped across the pond?

Good question. I usually buy smaller quantities from a homebrew shop, but I found a regional wholesaler that will sell to homebrewers as well. So, these prices are substantially lower than I'm used to. You'll have to tell me if seems high or low compared to your side.

Crisp Malting Group of Great Ryburgh, England
-Maris Otter Floor Malted: $1.10/lb or $60.47/55 lb sack
-Glen Eagle's Maris Otter Floor Malted: $1.11/lb or $61.22/55 lb sack

Simpsons Malting of Berwick-Upon-Tweed, England
-Maris Otter: $1.09/lb or $59.73/55 lb sack

Also, I now have access to Malting Company of Cork, Ireland - Stout Malt: $1.02/lb or $56.02/55 lb sack.

[soupdragon]

Not sure about their Maris Otter but I've used Crisp's Pale malt and had no problems with it. Got better extraction with it over the Bairds I'd used previously

Cheers Tom

[boingy]

I've had one sack of Simpsons and pretty much all the rest has been Warminster. Not sure I could tell the difference once it's in a beer. There have been good reports from forum members regarding Crisps "non maris otter" too (can't remember the variety) and that tends to be a couple of quid cheaper.

Price-wise £20 to £25 is a good price in the UK for a 25kg sack collected.

[Lugsy]

Wow, that's not too bad at all. If I buy from a retailer I'd pay £30 for a sack of Fawcetts MO, the same retailer does Crisp MO for £23, yours works out at £37 or so at current exchange rates which is more than reasonable considering the journey it makes (and I have to pay an extra £7.50 per sack for delivery as the retailers is 200 miles away from me). As a comparison, the price increase for buying an imported continental European malt is about the same as the increase you are getting. What do you pay for a sack of domestic pale malt?

[seymour]

...What do you pay for a sack of domestic pale malt?

Even cheaper, which is why I'm so excited to discover this supplier. Don't hate me:

Rahr Malting Co, Minnesota, USA
Standard 2-row: $0.78/lb or $38.78/55 lb sack
Standard 6-row: $.75/lb or $37.43/55 lb sack
Pale ale: $.79/lb or $39.45/55 lb sack

Gambrinus, British Columbia, Canada
Pale Ale: $1.046/lb or $57.50/55 lb sack
even certified organic is $68/sack!

If you want to see the whole PDF, private message me your personal email address.

[Dennis King]

Like soupdragon I use Crisp's pale malt, ceaper and better than any others I've used.

[seymour]

Like soupdragon I use Crisp's pale malt, ceaper and better than any others I've used.

Thanks for the info. When you say "better than any others" are you saying the pale malt is even better than Maris Otter, or just better than other vague pale malts?

[crafty john]

Pale malt, maris otter? who gives a shit? I don't as long as it makes beer. I have used Fawcetts, Bairds, Crisps and god knows what and they all made good beer.

[seymour]

Pale malt, maris otter? who gives a shit? I don't as long as it makes beer. I have used Fawcetts, Bairds, Crisps and god knows what and they all made good beer.

Right. I get that. I can make "good beer" out of Corn Flakes or Shredded Wheat breakfast cereal from the grocery store. I can get lots of different inexpensive domestic pale malts that make excellent beer. That's not the point right now.

I'm just wanting to brew up some truly, truly English Ale, using actual Maris Otter barley malt grown in the UK. Will I be able to tell the difference in the finished beer? I don't know yet, but that's one self-imposed condition for my next series of batches. I'm just wondering if one UK maltster is noticeably better than another, that sort of thing.

[crafty john]

I have always gone with the best deal mate, I have never really noticed much difference to be honest, apart from Fawcetts giving me a slightly better efficiency but it is marginal and could be to do with me getting better at brewing over a period of time. Sorry I can't help you more. I suppose you won't know till you brew with them.

[seymour]

I have always gone with the best deal mate, I have never really noticed much difference to be honest, apart from Fawcetts giving me a slightly better efficiency but it is marginal and could be to do with me getting better at brewing over a period of time. Sorry I can't help you more. I suppose you won't know till you brew with them.

Sounds good, I'll just pick one and roll with it.

[Dennis King]

Like soupdragon I use Crisp's pale malt, ceaper and better than any others I've used.

Thanks for the info. When you say "better than any others" are you saying the pale malt is even better than Maris Otter, or just better than other vague pale malts?

As good if not better than any malt I've used in 30 odd years.

[Lugsy]

Pale malt, maris otter? who gives a shit? I don't as long as it makes beer. I have used Fawcetts, Bairds, Crisps and god knows what and they all made good beer.

Right. I get that. I can make "good beer" out of Corn Flakes or Shredded Wheat breakfast cereal from the grocery store. I can get lots of different inexpensive domestic pale malts that make excellent beer. That's not the point right now.

I'm just wanting to brew up some truly, truly English Ale, using actual Maris Otter barley malt grown in the UK. Will I be able to tell the difference in the finished beer? I don't know yet, but that's one self-imposed condition for my next series of batches. I'm just wondering if one UK maltster is noticeably better than another, that sort of thing.

That's a good question. I've used Fawcetts MO and Crisps "Flagon" pale malt and to be honest I've not really noticed the difference despite the change in price or variety. The only time I've seen a noticeable difference is when I've used Belgian pale malt for an "English" brew and then the results were remarkable. I'd like to get hold of some American 2-row or 6-row to see what differences you get there. To be honest I'd pick any of the choices you have available to you, the genetic differences between the varieties is probably a lot smaller than the differences dictated by the climatic differences between here and there.