Finest Pale Ale Maris Otter Malt | Premium Brewing Malt

Finest Pale Ale Maris Otter

Finest Pale Ale Maris Otter Malt is a renowned British heritage malt prized for its rich, biscuity depth and full-bodied character.

It provides a warm golden hue (typically 4-6 °EBC) and a distinctively malty backbone, making it the go-to choice for classic British Ales, Bitters, ESBs, Porters and traditional IPAs.

Its well-rounded sweetness and slightly toasty undertones give beers a robust yet balanced malt presence, perfect for styles where malt complexity is key.

Compared to Finest Pale Ale Golden Promise®, Finest Pale Ale Maris Otter is more biscuity and bready, with a fuller mouthfeel and a slightly drier finish, while it is richer and more malty than Best Pale Ale, with a more pronounced toasty depth.

Overall, Finest Pale Ale Maris Otter brings a traditional, hearty malt character that remains largely unmatched for authentic, malt-forward British styles.

	Min	Max
Moisture %		3.7
Extract lt°/kg (7Dry)	306
Colour ° EBC	4	6
Total Nitrogen %	1.3	1.55
Total Soluble Nitrogen %	0.5	0.65
Soluble Nitrogen Ratio	38	42
Friability %	90
Homogeneity %	98
Steely Corns %		2
Glucan in Wort (ppm)		120
Diastatic Power IOB "Dry"	40	65
Screenings % <2.2mm		2
NDMA (ppb)		5

	Min	Max
Moisture %		3.7
Extract % d.b	81
Colour ° Lovibond	2.1	2.8
Total Protein %	8.1	9.7
Total Soluble Nitrogen %	0.52	0.68
ST Ratio	40	44
Glucan in Wort (ppm)		120
Diastatic Power ° Lintner	47	74

	Min	Max
Moisture %		3.7
Extract % d.b	81
Colour ° EBC	4.4	6.6
Total Protein %	8.1	9.7
Total Soluble Nitrogen %	0.52	0.68
Kolbach Index	38	42
Glucan in Wort (ppm)		120
Diastatic Power DPWK	150	244

English Bitter, American Pale Ale, Session IPA, New England IPA, West Coast IPA, Double IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Porter, Blonde Ale, Amber Ale, Red Ale, Brown Ale, Mild, Barleywine, Scotch Ale

Rich Malty

Whole, Milled (Fine), Milled (Coarse)

“For me, it’s the most characterful traditional brewing malt there is. The entire character of our beers has been built around it and it continues to shape the evolution of our brewing. Asking why we use it is like asking who I would be if I were someone else.”

Evin O’Riordain, Founder, The Kernel Brewery

“We’ve been using Maris Otter pretty much since it became available and we’re still using it today. It gives a rich, reliable base across all our beers, from 3.4% bitters to stronger brews and performs beautifully in our traditional brewhouse.”

James Clarke, Managing Director, Hook Norton Brewery

“Maris Otter has always been the apex base grain for me because it’s dependable, complex and consistent. It brings a richness and balance to every beer that you simply can’t replicate with any other malt. We’ve never operated without Maris Otter and I don’t intend to start anytime soon.”

Chad Henderson, Co-owner & Head Brewer, NoDa Brewing Co.

“Maris Otter gives you that extra touch, more mouthfeel, body and a biscuity sweetness. It adds depth and complexity that helps our beers stand out. Once you’ve brewed with it, you don’t want to lose it from your toolbox.”

Joe McIntyre, Brewmaster, Scofflaw Brewing Co.

About Maris Otter

Maris Otter was first bred in Cambridge in 1965 by Dr G.D.H. Bell, who crossed the Proctor and Pioneer varieties with the single purpose of producing a barley variety that would give a consistently high-quality malt for the traditional cask ale market.

Renowned for its distinct sweet, biscuity character and dependable performance, Maris Otter quickly became the foundation of Britain’s finest beers.

Although the variety was removed from the official Recommended List in the early 1990s, two agricultural merchants – including our Maris Otter supplier Robin Appel Ltd – approached original owner PBI with the purpose of rejuvenating the variety to satisfy demand and continue its legacy.

That certainly happened. Maris Otter celebrated its 60th birthday in 2025 and the exclusively English-grown heritage variety continues to offer a unique combination of low nitrogen with high extract potential.

It remains the base malt of choice for a range of breweries – from multi-generational family businesses to modern craft operations – who value the depth of flavour and brewhouse consistency that has earned it global recognition.