melanoidin malts

[Imakewort]

I understand that I can use melanoidin malts to mimic a decoction mash, has anybody used it for this purpose and what percent's can you use, and would you subtract that percent of melanoidin malt from your main malt ingredient.

[Chris Vejnovich]

Igor,

I have used some Belgian Aromatic malt in my mashes for lagers before. That malt is supposed to be much like Melanoidin malt. I can't say that the beer was completely different because I did not do a side by side taste test with another non-melanoidined beer of the same style and brewer and so forth. But I don't think that the malt hurt my beer in anyway. In fact one of the beers that I used about 4% Aromatic in has been entered in two comps where all the judges (4 total, 3 of the 4 were BJCP certified) said the beer was extremely malty. There are multiple reasons for there comments, but I have decided to continue to use Aromatic or Melanoidin in future lager beers.

If you want a true taste test you would need to do a blind triangle test like Jamil talked about in a recent style show.

I hope that helps.

Peace out

[SoCal Surfer]

I just brewed what was supposed to be a red but decided to throw a half pound in a five gallon batch. I don't know what it did because I don't make reds but that red is delicious and it is getting me shitty as we speak. So here's to melanoidin malts!