Using Munich (Light)

[Newb_Englander]

Hey all -

I am looking at doing an APA (New England IPA) and was not sure if I should use a little munich malt or not. Here's what I am thinking:

5gal batch -
11.33 lbs or Briess Organic 2-Row
1.5 lbs of Flaked Oats
4oz of Light Munich (8 Lovibond)
8oz Raw Cane Sugar

Hop Shedule

1.25oz 18%AA Warrior at 60
1.33 oz of 14% AA Simcoe at 10, 5 and FO (4oz total)
1.5oz hop stand at 15 min (14%AA Simcoe)
2 oz hop stand at 30 (14 %AA Simcoe)

Dry hop in primary
2 oz Cascade 6.8% at peak fermentation (4-5 days??)
2oz Cascade 6.8% at 10 days

Using US-05

My question is, what effect will the munich have, if any?

 

[JonM]

4 oz won't have much of an effect in a grain bill that size. A pound or maybe two would certainly add a malty punch.

 

[TheMadKing]

I agree with @JonM. This might sound crazy to some, but I would even go as high as 50% of the grist in an APA. Munich is a base malt. It adds malty bready characteristics, but doesn't contribute a ton of sweetness to the finished beer. It just depends on the outcome you want. With all that simcoe, you're going to need a malty backbone.

DISCLAIMER: My opinion is biased. I just made a Munich SMaSH beer, and it is very light/delicate in flavor and is absolutely not the malt-punch in the face I was expecting. I plan to start using a higher % of munich in almost all of my recipes.

 

[kh54s10]

My guess is that you would not even notice only 4 ounces of Light Munich. I would up it to a pound or four and decrease the 2 row accordingly.

 

[Sebastes]

I use 10% Munich II in my Pale/IPA with a little Belgian biscuit and oats. I am not sure if the biscuit is redundant, but this is my house IPA/"EPA". I have played with yeast and hops, but this is my go to grain bill. Don't be afraid to commit to more Munich.

 

[Weezy]

4oz if less than 2%. You might not notice Munich at that low of a percentage. +1 on going ~10%.

 

[JonM]

I really like Munich, but some don't. I've seen comments from some on HBT who completely hate it. (There are even some who don't like Vienna. *gasp!*)

Point is, I'd love a beer with a big malty punch from a lot of Munich. But I f you want to go more than a pound or two, you should make sure you're one of the folks who likes Munich.

 

[Newb_Englander]

Thanks all - I just did not want it to add too much color, I was just hoping for some slight breadiness and a little body.

 

[Bosh]

That's darker than the light Munich I use (Weyermann Light Munich is 5.1-7 Lovibond) but with my light Munich you can use it for a SMaSH beer and it tastes about as malty as a bog standard pale ale, to me at least...