[denny]

Over at Briess's blog:

Cold Extraction of Malt Components and Their Use in Brewing Applications (Feb 2020)
https://www.brewingwithbriess.com/blog/cold-extraction-of-malt-components-and-their-use-in-brewing-applications

IIRC, there were also a couple of articles published in the 2016 time frame but those may only be available in the "internet archives".

Have you tried it?

Yes. 

Periodically, I brew 'experimentally' and this technique in the the rotation of things that I try.

I tried a couple of low ABV ('dark milds') using BIAB techniques.  Initially, the beers came out OK, perhaps a little grainy.  Adding a sparge step made a difference.

There are a couple of pale ale / red ale recipes that use these techniques.  I tried one and enjoyed the result.  I didn't do a side-by-side (or blind triangle) and I won't speculate as to whether or not the result was 'malter' than a conventional recipe.

Did you find any benefits from it? Kinda sounds like you were like me and wanted to try it experimentally.  Beyond verifying that it could work, I really couldn't find a reason to do it.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Over at Briess's blog:

Cold Extraction of Malt Components and Their Use in Brewing Applications (Feb 2020)
https://www.brewingwithbriess.com/blog/cold-extraction-of-malt-components-and-their-use-in-brewing-applications

IIRC, there were also a couple of articles published in the 2016 time frame but those may only be available in the "internet archives".

Have you tried it?

Yes. 

Periodically, I brew 'experimentally' and this technique in the the rotation of things that I try.

I tried a couple of low ABV ('dark milds') using BIAB techniques.  Initially, the beers came out OK, perhaps a little grainy.  Adding a sparge step made a difference.

There are a couple of pale ale / red ale recipes that use these techniques.  I tried one and enjoyed the result.  I didn't do a side-by-side (or blind triangle) and I won't speculate as to whether or not the result was 'malter' than a conventional recipe.

Did you find any benefits from it? Kinda sounds like you were like me and wanted to try it experimentally.  Beyond verifying that it could work, I really couldn't find a reason to do it.

For me, there are simpler / easier approaches for making lower ABV beer. 

On the idea of maltier normal strength ales, I'm still curious.  My previous batches were with RO / distilled water + normal additions - so not a lot of sodium (Na) in the additions.  Maybe there is a combination of cold extraction + higher NA water + simple reduced oxygen techniques that delivers results that malts alone can't.

To answer your question (and OP question) how to get more malt flavor from low gravity beer is to blend a base malt.

Let say 50/50 2 row and Pale Ale Malt
Maris Otter and Pale Ale malt
Pilsner malt and Vienna malt.

You can blend it in desired proportion. More L kilned malts are going to have more flavor.

Specialty malts will help you but they also give you more color.

Let say 2 row from Briess, Raht, Proximate are going to have a different flavor.

And just my personal opinion. Focus on brewing and understand the ingredients learn how single yeast strain behave under different conditions. Understand a different hops. Understand what Cryo hops can do and when you waist your money. Become Master in what you are doing and skip the someone else holy grail nonsense.

[denny]

No pursuits of "holy grail"s here - just a hobby with spare time, curiosity, and a willingness to share what I've experienced and what I've read. 

Denny : thanks for the insights.

You're very welcome. Thanks back to you. And to get back to the OP, my experience is to choose your base malts carefully. Dont settle, dont buy the cheapest thing you can find. I went through 7 versions of my American mild that were thin and watery. I switched to Mecca Grade malt and got exactly what I wanted. All malt is not equal.

[majorvices]

I love that Mecca Grade malt. I felt like it took my dark german and english style brews to a different level.

[MDL]

I can attest that keeping oxygen out of your entire mashing process (LODO) does make a difference in enhancing malt flavor.  It's difficult to do with many brewing systems, but its worth it if you can get there.

THIS!

[fredthecat]

To answer your question (and OP question) how to get more malt flavor from low gravity beer is to blend a base malt.

Let say 50/50 2 row and Pale Ale Malt
Maris Otter and Pale Ale malt

Let say 2 row from Briess, Rahr, Proximate are going to have a different flavor.

yes, i've wanted to do a 50/50 vienna and golden promise for a while but for some reason kept passing on it. i usually add in vienna or munich to 2row/pilsner lager type grists as does everyone i think. 2lbs of vienna with 8lbs pilsner did not stand out. 2lbs of munich II with 8lbs of rahr 2row changed the colour significantly and ended up with a nice malty touch after 6 weeks+. i just checked my brewlog and yes, i didn't do any significant blend of base malt besides the above described for a long time. i guess its because i dont want to "inconvenience" the OHBS lol. any favourite blends?

i'm currently getting rahr 2row as my default very cheap 2row source for adding PPG. its really bland, as in i noticed when i started using it how distinctly bland it is even compared to using whatever other north american 2row i was getting before or compared to weyermann pilsner malt. i don't feel great about it, but its really really cheap lol. i've got 12lbs of it for a strong and oaked type thing im doing soon.

You're very welcome. Thanks back to you. And to get back to the OP, my experience is to choose your base malts carefully. Dont settle, dont buy the cheapest thing you can find. I went through 7 versions of my American mild that were thin and watery. I switched to Mecca Grade malt and got exactly what I wanted. All malt is not equal.

i'm going to try to find a source for some of the US artisanal malts. in fact i think i have access to one called "la quebecoise" by canada malting co. that may fit the bill.

not to get into a tangent but i've gotten really picky with meat as i've gotten older. there is pork/pig meat that is bland and there is some that is flavourful with no off-tastes. just fyi the "stinky" pork meat is likely a male, and killed when it was in mating season or whatever its called. its a defect and shouldnt be there.

so yes, i can believe that the source/conditions of the barley definitely influence the quality of the malt, along with the roasting of course.

For me, there are simpler / easier approaches for making lower ABV beer. 

On the idea of maltier normal strength ales, I'm still curious.  My previous batches were with RO / distilled water + normal additions - so not a lot of sodium (Na) in the additions.  Maybe there is a combination of cold extraction + higher NA water + simple reduced oxygen techniques that delivers results that malts alone can't.

I like making lower ABV beer because it just feels like i can hit my expected efficiency much easier, less grain to dump, less initial strike water to heat up, so faster boil time. just all feels a bit easier, so i find it easier to do all-grain low ABV.

i try to reduce oxygen simply by slow gentle pours and stirring, minimize splashing. i judge my beer for how to improve the next brew, and oxidation/perceived oxygen faults are just not up there. i know the low-o2 brewing isnt exactly about oxidation, but yeah, i just dont see their claims affecting what i do.

[erockrph]

Just to qualify a bit, "the most flavor" doesn't always equal "the best flavor". For example, a small addition of Melanoiden/Aromatic malt will give you a bit of a malty boost, but beyond a certain point the flavor isn't so great IME. A good dark Munich as a large portion of your base is probably how I'd go for maximizing malt flavor in a lighter beer, with the rest being made up of Vienna and maybe a splash of a light Cara malt.

I'm not convinced that LODO makes a huge difference in flavor with higher-kilned malts, but in this scenario you're using a specific SRM as your limit, LODO will lead to a more lightly colored beer, thus allowing more of your darker malts in the grist compared to a non-LODO version.

[fredthecat]

Just to qualify a bit, "the most flavor" doesn't always equal "the best flavor". For example, a small addition of Melanoiden/Aromatic malt will give you a bit of a malty boost, but beyond a certain point the flavor isn't so great IME. A good dark Munich as a large portion of your base is probably how I'd go for maximizing malt flavor in a lighter beer, with the rest being made up of Vienna and maybe a splash of a light Cara malt.

I'm not convinced that LODO makes a huge difference in flavor with higher-kilned malts, but in this scenario you're using a specific SRM as your limit, LODO will lead to a more lightly colored beer, thus allowing more of your darker malts in the grist compared to a non-LODO version.

i tried i believe a full pound of melanoidin malt early in my brewing history in a strong ale. yeah, never again. it put me off using it permanently.

really good point, i normally don't brew beers under 7SRM. i tend to go darker, often by adding small amounts of heavily roasted malts for the rumoured anti-oxidant effect, since I do want to minimize oxygen/oxidation, but don't want to change my method.