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how much difference in taste if you substite grains
my question is how much difference in taste will there be if the recipe calls for pilsen malt and I use pale ale malt. I am doing a big barley wine and i bought a 55 lb sack of pale ale malt so i wouldn't have to go to the brew store which is 50 min each way. Also got a discount with the 55lb sack. I am brewing a big IPA which calls for 16 lbs pilsen. so how will this affect the taste because they are both belgian grains with .001 point gravity difference. has anyone experimented with grain substitutions before?
I don't think the difference between Pils and Pale is that much. I believe Pils is lighter in color and character..not much else different between them. I know someone here told me I could use Pale instead of Pils once, so I don't see an issue, especially if you got a deal....
My understanding, and this is from talking to a 15 year brewmaster, is that pilsner malt has the lightest Lovibond, then 2 row, then pale malt. I saw pale on the recipe and said "oh 2 row" and he said no, it's not the same, pale is a little darker.
I wouldn't think most people would be able to tell the difference.
yeah i think that if any difference it will be sublte and maybe better i'll probably put a extra 1/2-1 lb in to make up for the minimal gravity difference and call it good.
1/2 to 1 Lb to make up for the gravity difference is way too much....I would think you could leave it the same If you felt compelled to make it as equal as possible, I think you'd want closer to 1/4 lb or less. Both give up around 35-36 points, so the difference is more than likely unnoticeable....
wow shows how much I know I thought that 1/2-1 lb would be about right or a little low. I didn't know it was that great of a difference. Ok i'll prolly just throw 1/8-1/4 extra its a really big beer and I want to keep it that way lol but not out of control.
The difference is technically 1%. So if you were going to use 10 lbs Pils, you would use 10lbs 1/2 oz of Pale.....I think thats right. What is the full grain bill? I'm curious now...
depends on the beer your making. If you;re making something like a belgian triple, munich helles, pilsner, etc where the whole point of the beer is a pronounced pilsner malt character, the difference is huge. could you use pale malt? sure! it'd probably taste fine, even good. will it be true to style and taste what the beer "should" taste like. no. In something like a barley wine I highly doubt you'll notice the difference.
The point is pilsner malt has avery distinct taste, it's not simply the color. The flavor differences between pilsner malt, us pale malt, UK pale malt, and belgian pale malt are like comparing apple to oranges.
EDIT: this is in no way deminishing your beer or telling you not to do it. As I said it will probably taste great, just not what it "should" taste like. Besides, I've never really heard of a barley wine with pilsner malt, a pale malt would be more to style and probably taste better anyway.
BrewTown_Bill wrote:
Besides, I've never really heard of a barley wine with pilsner malt, a pale malt would be more to style and probably taste better anyway.
I immediately thought the same thing. I think a BW should be made w/ 2 row pale anyhow. I just tapped a keg that started at 1.106 and got down to 1.038. It is liquid candy. Gonna bottle up half the keg and cellar it. Can't wait til next year.
thirsty wrote:
BrewTown_Bill wrote:
Besides, I've never really heard of a barley wine with pilsner malt, a pale malt would be more to style and probably taste better anyway.
I immediately thought the same thing. I think a BW should be made w/ 2 row pale anyhow. I just tapped a keg that started at 1.106 and got down to 1.038. It is liquid candy. Gonna bottle up half the keg and cellar it. Can't wait til next year.
I bet you $1 it doesn't make it til next year.... 
I wouldn't be able to wait for liquid candy.
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