Just bought Lager Malt by mistake

[Blackjack]

Hi folks, just cocked up in the home brew shop.
Accidentally picked up 3 bags of Crushed Lager Malt instead of 3 bags of Crushed Pale Maris Otter.
I am planning two brews of IPA at about 4.5%.
What difference will using lager malt make, will it be oK or do I need to drive back and swap it for the right stuff?

[raiderman]

You'll get a paler beer with less malt in the mouthfeel, if you want to brew something blonde you can add carapils or caramalt for added body and maltiness wheatmalt helps or half a dozen shredded wheat will add a nice touch of wheat. The addition of munich or vienna malt won't go amiss. If your after a darker brew the chechs do some very mild like dark lagers so I see no reason why you can't experiment with a darker ale. I reckon it all depends whether you like messing about with your brews

[coatesg]

Not much really - slightly different malt taste, lighter in colour - but it'll make beer in exactly the same way. I'd just chuck it in

[boingy]

It will be slightly different beer but beer nevertheless.
I'd brew with it but others would probably exchange it or brew a different recipe!

[crookedeyeboy]

I dont know why Lager malt is sold separatley now, Im assuming in 'the olden days' lager malt was so rubbish that it HAD to be used in a decoction mash whereas I think these days it is processed and treated differently providing a product that will always provide a good extract

[Blackjack]

It will be slightly different beer but beer nevertheless.
I'd brew with it but others would probably exchange it or brew a different recipe!

Thanks, that seems to be the quick consensus.
So I have a plan, leave out the Tate and Lyles golden slurp and use 4.5Kg instead of 4. And instead of brewing it pale I'll chuck in the Xtal malt I was hoping to leave out this time and use three handfuls of terrified wheat instead of one.

Or I could just go extra pale Hmmm

[WishboneBrewery]

Its not worth worrying about in my opinion, add some Munich malt to regain some maltiness.
I'm half considering only ever buying Lager Malt, though I'll probably get a sack of MO next time along with a Lager Malt/ Pilsner malt (Same Same)

[steve_flack]

I'm half considering only ever buying Lager Malt, though I'll probably get a sack of MO next time along with a Lager Malt/ Pilsner malt (Same Same)

I've been thinking the same thing....perhaps going half way and buying low colour MO.

[WishboneBrewery]

I'm half considering only ever buying Lager Malt, though I'll probably get a sack of MO next time along with a Lager Malt/ Pilsner malt (Same Same)

I've been thinking the same thing....perhaps going half way and buying low colour MO.

It just seems to make sense, buying one Malt that you can do either Pale or Dark with other additions.

[symptomlesscoma]

Just bought a sack of Lager Malt instead of my normal MO just to see what the difference is.
I've heard alot of micro breweries are using lager malt in their ales these days, especially summer ales.

[Blackjack]

It will be slightly different beer but beer nevertheless.
I'd brew with it but others would probably exchange it or brew a different recipe!

Thanks, that seems to be the quick consensus.
So I have a plan, leave out the Tate and Lyles golden slurp and use 4.5Kg instead of 4. And instead of brewing it pale I'll chuck in the Xtal malt I was hoping to leave out this time and use three handfuls of terrified wheat instead of one.

Or I could just go extra pale Hmmm

And if I do would I be "beyond the pale". HEY! that's a great name for a beer

[WishboneBrewery]

And if I do would I be "beyond the pale". HEY! that's a great name for a beer

or 'Past the Bucket'

[raiderman]

Its not worth worrying about in my opinion, add some Munich malt to regain some maltiness.
I'm half considering only ever buying Lager Malt, though I'll probably get a sack of MO next time along with a Lager Malt/ Pilsner malt (Same Same)

I had a similar thought. For summer I've bigged out on blonde ales, which will take a slight chill, it started out with a desire to make real straw coloured bitters not slightly brown ones - so having brewed 3 on the trott with various lager malts I made a bitter last time and was amazed at how much more flavour MO gives, so I'm now alternating between the two styles

[trucker5774]

Very small amounts of black malt will control colour without flavour change Some people taste with their eyes. Try dying rice blue and serve it to someone fussy and see their reaction

[Blackjack]

Update on the mistake.

So I brewed some beer with the lager malt, I had been aiming for a very pale ale, so I compounded the mistake by using very little Xtal malt. Mistake No. 3 was to use it all and make two batches, The next mistake ( No. 4) was my emergency need....I was running out of drinkable stuff so as soon as the ferment finished ie. 3 days...I racked it into two barrels, no time to let any DMS disperse.

Consequently it carried on fermentin' built oooge pressure and took ages to come anywhere clear. And what does it taste like...LAGER. all boiled cabbage hints even my pals don't like it.

Fortunately a trip out on Saturday will deliver one barrel to each of my two sons who I have consistently failed to turn away from "wife beater" onto the path of real beer.

In the meantime I have a nice bottle of whisky to keep me company while the production line gets back up to speed with some nice light brown bitter beer. about 5.8%