What do you use instead of American 2-Row?

[Qs]

I've just started AG and I'm wondering what most people use in place of US 2-Row (which a lot of recipes call for). So far I've been using Maris Otter and German Pilsner. Was wonder what long time brewers use?

[Covey]

2 row is Marris otter just what the English call it. Barley from the MCI plant is just the same except its Irish of course. the name 2 row comes from how the barley is on the stalk in rows of 2.

[armedcor]

The 2-row americans use is a bit lighter than Marris otter though.

[Qs]

Yes I know what 2-row is but American 2-row is its own thing.

[imark]

Yes. American 2row has a higher protein level as I understand it. Continental 2row is probably the closest you'll get. Having said that Irish and British barley is probably a better quality in terms of lower protein in any case. Mci Ale malt is a decent malt in my experience. Maris otter is a more malty malt.

[RichC]

Yes I know what 2-row is but American 2-row is its own thing.

Personally, I use whatever 2-row is on hand, usually MO or MCI

[biertourist]

Great question.  So there's two things going on here that can cause confusion.

First you have two SUPER BROAD categories of barley: 2 row vs. 6 row which only pertains to how many rows of kernels grow on the head of the grain.  There are MANY varieties that fall into each category and MUCH variation within these two categories.

The second issue that creates more variation and makes this question more difficult to answer is that the term "pale" implies certain processing / handling techniques by the maltsters.  You can start with the exact same US-grown Harrington variety of 2 row malting grade barley and send it off to the maltster and they may treat the "2-row" more like a continental pilsner- lowest temp, shortest malting time, least modification (but generally fully modified with higher protein that most continential pilsner malts) OR they may give it the "pale" malting treatment with slightly higher temps and longer drying times to product 2-3 L more color. (This is to say that the term "pale" isn't just talking about the particular variety or characteristics of the barley itself, but its' also implying a particular treatment by the maltster, while 2 row is a more ambiguous term and applies both to the physical characteristics and a broad category of the barley itself but ALSO often implies how the malt is treated by the maltster, which is very similar to a Pilsner malting profile. -All Pale malt (generally) is made from 2 row varieties of barley, but not all 2 row barley becomes pale malt.) -We have a similar issue with the term "Maris Otter" as it specifics a very specific variety of 2 row malt, but it also generally includes a "brand promise" that the malt has been treated by the maltster as a "pale ale malt".  Technically you could start with Maris Otter and only malt it on a Pilsner malt schedule but you'd really be creating a style-bending malt that would confuse people; you'd be taking a British traditional malt and using a German malting schedule on it so a lot of this whole discussion goes back to British brewing tradition starting from British ingredients and using British malting profiles and German brewing tradition using German barley varieties and techniques/malting profiles to make beers suited for German brewery hardware.  -The raw ingredients must be treated in a way appropriate to result in a malt that's appropriate for the downstream expected brewing process (single step infusion or more complicated multi step mashing).




As has already been pointed out MO tastes maltier and is more fully modified and has lower protein- Marris Otter kernels are much fatter and plumper -you can tell just by looking at them side-by-side this give them more starch because the starch is in the inside of the kernel (endosperm) and the proteins / enzymes get produced in the outer layers of the grain so obviously if you have a fatter kernel, it will have a higher percentage of starch and therefore less protein as a percentage.  Much of that protein IS enzymes -so the less plump grains also have higher enzymatic power (DP).  The enzymatic power inherent in the malt is decreased the hotter and longer the grain is kilned for so pale malts will generally have lower DP than ligher linked Pilsner and 2 Row malts (but again this statement is relative and talking about if you start with the exact same malt and treat it differently in the malt kiln; US malts DO generally inherently start with more protein/enzymes than their continental counterparts).

Growing region (weather and soil) and the actual weather for a given year (and soil amendments/ fertilizers) all create additional variations, too; variations that are normally blended out by maltsters who change their purchasing habits from season to season for this reason.


SOOO... Generally I'd agree that fully modified Pils/Pilsner malt is the best substitute for American 2-row. MO, not so much. BUT, and it's a huge but, you should be focused on the FLAVOR that you want from the beer.  If you don't like that background graininess that you get from German Pilsner malts / American 2 Row and you want a deeper malt flavor and don't mind an additional 1-2 SRM of color, go with a Pale / MO malt.

If you're used to using MO malts, German Pilsner malt is an EASY transition as I find that they both form a lot of dough balls for some reason; (if you're already used to dealing with the MO malt balls on dough-in then you know how to deal with it in German Pilsner malt) although German Pilsner malt and American 2 Row create a beer of the same color that to me tastes VERY similar, I find American 2 row doesn't tend to ball up with a single temp infusion like German Pilsner malt for some reason...


Adam

[Will_D]

Brilliant answer Adam!

#1 in malt geekdom.

You do know that there is a barley grower in Dundalk looking for a malster?

With this post on your CV you'd get the job!

I did hear a wee rumour that the 'auld Seattle mother company was downsizing by about 18k peeps!

[biertourist]

Speaking of malt and malt geekery: The Brewers Publications Malt book comes out soon; September 7th.  Pre-order for a discount!

http://www.amazon.com/Malt-Practical-Guide-Field-Brewhouse/dp/1938469127