Malt

Base Malts

Barley Malts

Any grain can be malted, but barley is the preferred grain for brewing beer. Malted barley contains a high percentage of starches, enzymes to convert the starches into sugars, and a husk the prevents the grains from compacting into a big sticky mess during mashing. The resulting sweet liquid from the mashing process is called wort. Base malts must be mashed. They can include:

2-Row Malt

Most commonly used base malt for all beer styles.

6-Row Malt

Base malt with a higher diastic power than 2-row malt.

Pale Ale Malt

Pilsner Malt

Base malt used specifically for pilsners.

Munich Malt

Has a malty sweet flavor characteristic and adds a reddish amber color to the beer. Has enough diastic power to convert itself, but needs help from another malt, such as 2-row, to convert other grains.

Vienna Malt

Kiln dried malt darker than Pale Malt, but not as dark as Munich Malt. Imparts a golden to orange color to the beer.

Mild Malt

Also called "English Mild" - a light specialty malt used in Brown Ales.

Brown Malt

Imparts a dry, biscuit flavor.

Smoked Malt

Malt that has been smoked over an open fire. to create a distinctive "smoked" flavor and aroma.

Other Grains

Just because barley is the first choice in brewing, doesn't mean that other grain doesn't end up in your beer. Other grains have been used in beer for several reasons. Cost, availability, war, and politics have all played a part in what grains were used for brewing. Today these grains are added by choice and can include:

• Wheat Malt
• Rye Malt
• Rice Malt
• Spelt
• Millet
• Sorghum
• Quinoa

Character Malts

Character malts add colors and flavors to the beer that the base malts can't provide. They are often roasted to varying degrees to give a range of flavors. Character malts can add a little sweetness, caramel flavors, nutty or bready notes, chocolate flavors and aromas, coffee hints and even burnt flavors. These malts can often be steeped in hot water to get these flavors and colors from the grains without needing to be mashed.

Acid or Acidulated

Used to adjust PH levels by German brewers, this malt also enhances head retention.

Aromatic

This belgian malt gives a strong malt flavor and aroma to beer.

Biscuit

Another belgian malt, this gives a biscuit like flavor and aroma.

Black Patent

The darkest roasted malt, this is normally used sparingly to add color to beers, and flavor to stouts and other dark ales. Large quantities can create an ashy flavor, so use with care.

Carafa

Used to intensify aroma and color in dark Munich beers and stouts.

Cara- Malts

• CaraFoam: Significantly increases foam, head retention, and body of beer.

• CaraPils: Another malt used to increase foam, head retention, and body.

• CaraVienne: A light Belgian crystal malt used in Trappist and Abbey style Belgian ales.

• CaraMunich: A caramel, copper colored malt used in Belgian ales and German bocks.

Chocolate Malt

A dark malt that gives a rich red or brown color and a nutty flavor, used in brown ales, porters, and some stouts.

Crystal Malts

Crystal malts are used to increase body and head retention, and also add varying levels of color. The Lovibond ratings for Crystal malts are:

• 10L
• 20L
• 30L
• 40L
• 60L
• 80L
• 120L

Honey Malt

This canadian malt imparts a honey-like flavor. It also also sometimes called Brumalt.

Melanoidin

Another aromatic malt from Germany, which provides a deep red color and malty flavor.

Peat Smoked Malt

A robust smoky malt used in scottish and wee heavy ales.

Roasted Barley

A very dark malt roasted at a high temperature to create a burnt, grainy, coffee-like flavor. This is generally considered the malt that makes a stout a stout, due to its distinctive roasty flavor.

Toasted Malt

A malt that adds reddish orange color and body without adding sweetness.

Special B

A distinctive Belgian malt that adds a unique caramel flavor. Used in Belgian Abbey and Trappist ales, as well as some porters.

Victory

Another toasted malt that adds a biscuity flavor and aroma.

Extracts

Extracts are the result of a wort that has already been produced and concentrated. The manufacturer mashes base malts and often their own blend of character malts to produce a wort that is ready to be fermented into beer. This wort is condenced through heat and evaporation to remove some or nearly all the water leaving a product that is readily fermentable, easy to use and does not require the time, expense, or use of mashing equipment. Extract is added to water to dilute to the strength, or gravity, that the brewer wants and then fermented.

Liquid Malt Extract

Liquid Malt Extract, or LME is the resut of removing some, but not all of the water from the wort. It is a syrup and is available in hopped and unhopped forms. One pound of base malt is equivelant to approximately 0.75 pounds of LME. It can be packaged in cans, plastic containers, or sealed bags. Colors vary from Extra Light to Dark depending on what style of beer is to be made.

Dried Malt Extract

Dried Malt Extract, or DME is the result of removing nearly all of the water from the wort, producing a powdery extract that is easily reconstituted. It is produced by spraying the wort in a fine mist in a heated room with negative air pressure. The water in each droplet almost instantly evaporates, leaving a fine powder that is collected. DME is often refered to "Spray Malt" for this reason. One pound of base malt is equivelant to approximately 0.6 pounds of DME. Colors are usually only seen in the Extra Light, Light, or Pale varities.

Adjuncts

Adjunct Grains

• Corn Grits
• Flaked Grains
  • Flaked Barley
  • Flaked Corn
  • Flaked Oats
  • Flaked Rice
  • Flaked Rye
  • Flaked Wheat
• Rice Hulls
• Torrified Wheat
• Wheat Berries

Other Fermentables

• Candi Sugar
• Corn Sugar
• Honey
• Invert Sugar
• Molasses
• Table Sugar
• Treacle
• Turbinado Sugar