Malt: The Backbone of Beer

When we last sat down to discuss beer we talked about hops. Hops are great. They are one of the defining characteristics of what makes beer so awesome, but it’s not THE defining characteristic. For me that comes down to only one thing; malted barley. Barley is the bulk of the beer. It can be manipulated and roasted in ways that bring out a wide range of flavors and varies in style from your lightest Pilsner to your heaviest Russian Imperial Stout. Today we drink to malt!

The first style I wanted to touch on is one that I think is often over looked. The Cream Ale is highly underrated. The cream ale is a light bodied, low hop, “lager-style” ale. This was a style originally brewed to compete with the big name pale lagers we know so well. It has gone above and beyond. Let’s look at Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island’s Flagship Ale. A beer that is rich and smooth in body, while still having a light feel. Complimented by faint esters and a mild malt sweetness this is the perfect thirst-quencher. What you get is the perfect lawn-mower session beer.

To tip our scales to the other end of the spectrum, let’s look at the Porter. The porter was the original dark beer. Predating the stout, the porter came to us through England back in the 1700s. This is definitely a style that has had time to be perfected. The porter gets its color, and most of it’s flavor, through the process of roasting the malt. This gives it a much darker appearance while lending much richer flavors to the beer. To add to that we look at Foolproof Brewing’s Raincloud, a robust porter. Robust Porters give off a lightly burnt note while complimenting a chocolate and coffee note all coming from the malt. This is just one great way malt can be manipulated.

If Cream Ales are on the low end of the malt scale and Robust Porters on the higher end, Barleywines fit somewhere in between. Easily one of my favorite styles and great for this time of year, the Barleywine is a malt-focused strong ale. Originating in England, these beers have a rich and intense maltiness unmatched by other styles. Alesmith Brewing Co.’s Old Numbskull is a prime example of the American Barleywine. Full of toasty, caramel notes up front, followed by a medium dark fruit note, it’s amazing what can be achieved in these beers.

Overall, hops may be the current buzzword when it comes to beer, but it all comes down to malted barley, wheat, oats, rye, etc. This is the backbone of every beer you are drinking, whether it’s a malt-focused beer or a hop-focused. It’s just one more reason why I love drinking beer.

Cheers,

Jared Kent, C.B.S

Grapes & Grains Beer & Spirits Sales Manager