Specialty Grains

There are three different types of malted grains in our selection of specialty grains: kilned, caramelized, and roasted. All these grains affect aroma, colour, and malt flavour.

Kilned varieties contain starches which should be “mashed”, or converted to sugars. They have some enzymatic power but not much. When mashed by themselves, they have all the enzyme power they need, but if non-enzymatic adjuncts are added to the mash there may not be enough power to convert everything. In this latter case they would really need some basic pale malt to help them make the conversions.
Caramel or Crystal malts have essentially been mashed already, then heated. The heat caramelizes the sugars, and deepens the malt in colour as the temperature rises (the higher the temperature the darker the malt). In both cases the endosperm is nearly completely converted, but trace amounts of starch appear to be present in both (but not in amounts worth bothering about, even if you don’t mash)

There are subtle differences between caramel and crystal malts, but the malts are handled in the same way, and many people treat them as identical malts. Crystal malts offer cleaner, crisper sweetness, while Caramel malts offer less sweetness and slide toward roasted or raisin notes as the colour deepens.

The best way to use the crystal and caramel malts for extract brewing is to add the grains to water heated to the 150F, or 65C range; hold the temperature there for 30 minutes, pull out the grains, and continue heating the water to a boil for the extracts.

Roasted malts are made from green malts (or plain non-malted barley). These malted grains are simply heated at high temperatures, i.e., roasted. This roasting generates a very dark colour and various degrees of toasted or burnt flavours. Amber is the lightest of the roasted malts, then chocolate and black. Just steep these grains in the water and don’t worry about partial mashing.

One special roasted grain to note is the German Carafa De-Husked class. These grains have the husk carefully removed in order to greatly reduce the harsh or astringent notes which are typically developed through roasting the malt. These malts offer very intense colour with very small flavour impact.

Kilned Malts

  • Aromatic: A very dark Munich (20-25 SRM) which contributes a strong malty aroma, especially desired in Dark Munich Lagers. Use only for 10% of mash. Enzymatic power low (DP 30).
  • Munich I: Standard light Munich malt (6 SRM) is more aromatic than regular pale malt, and also gives some colour and richer flavour. Moderate enzymatic power (DP 50).
  • Munich II – dark Munich (8 – 10 SRM). more intense malt flavours
  • Melanoidin (30 SRM) to increase fullness (and colour of red hues) by adding intensified malt notes.

Caramel or Crystal malts (up to 15% of mash)

  • Carafoam (1-2SRM) the German Carapils which offers no flavour or colour, but adds mouth feel.
  • CaraHell: (8-10 SRM) a very light malt with no flavour and little colour; it adds mouth feel
  • CaraRed or Cara Amber (20- 25 SRM) light caramel malt with some aroma and sweetness
  • Caramunich: (60-70 SRM) a typical caramel malt for colour and flavour changes
  • Light British Crystal (35-50 SRM) for moderate colour and sweetness
  • Medium British Crystal (55-65 SRM) more colour and fullness
  • Dark British Crystal (65-90 SRM) rich colours and improves shelf-life with reductones.
  • Special B: (100-150 SRM) a very dark caramel malt with powerful flavour and aroma
  • Caramel Wheat (65-90 SRM) enhances typical wheat aromatics and gives greater fullness. Used in Dunkelweizen and Hefeweizen. (G.Fix suggests some for Koelsch too)

Roasted Malts (usually less than 5% of mash, although extremely dark beers can go to 10%)

  • Amber SRM (17-23 ) adds rich golden colour and light toasted notes
  • Biscuit: SRM (20-25) toasted flavours with little of the toasted colour ( up to 15% of mash)
  • Pale Chocolate (200 SRM) for subtle notes of coffee and chocolate
  • Chocolate: (400-450 SRM) nutty adds a smooth flavour, colour from red to black
  • Chocolate Wheat (400 SRM) intensifies typical German aroma for Altbiers, and Weizenbocks
  • Chocolate Rye (400 SRM) for colour additions and subtle rye notes in German ales
  • Black: (500-600 SRM) intense dark colour, and some burnt flavours
  • Roasted non-malted Barley: (450-600 SRM) adds deep colour, dry roasted flavour
  • Carafa I, II, III De Husked (300, 400, 500 SRM) classic German colour malts, i.e., malts for adding colour. The strong flavours of typical roasted malts would be out of place in most German dark beers

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