The Bigger Jugs Malt Guide For All-Grain Brewers

Paul Henderson
May 09, 2019
Guides
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Crushed malt is cereal grain such as wheat or barley that has been germinated, dried in a process known as "malting"and then crushed or milled.

Grain is made to germinate by being left to soak in water and then stopped from germinating further by drying with hot air. Malting grain develops the enzymes required for modifying the grain's starches into various types of sugar, such as maltodextrin. The point at which the malting process is stopped affects the starch to enzyme ratio and partly converted starch becomes fermentable sugars.

Malt also contains small amounts of other sugars, such as sucrose and fructose, which are not products of starch modification but which are already in the grain. Further conversion to fermentable sugars is achieved during the mashing process.

Malt	Characteristics	Usage	Uses
Amber	Lightly roasted giving less harsh notes when compared to higher roasted products. Dry baked biscuity flavour	3 to 5%	Red and Light Brown Ales
Black	Astringent, smoky, harsh with burnt coffee/burnt toast notes. Less acrid than roasted barley	3 to 5%	Porters and Stout
Caramalt	Sweeter, giving more caramel notes than crystal but giving no roasted/nutty flavours. Greatly increases head retention/body	5 to 10%	Colour and Flavour Enhancer For Lagers and Light Ales
Chocolate	Strong coffee notes with mild burnt toast notes. Similar to black malt but less harsh and bitter	3 to 5%	Dark Beers and Stouts
Crystal	Adds burnt toffee notes and a deep golden/ruby red colour. Improves head retention and beer stability.	Up to 10%	Colour and Flavour Enhancer For Bitters and Dark Beers
Flaked Barley	Pre-cooked/non-malted cereal, can be added directly to a mash. Gives grainy notes and improves head retention	Up to 10%	Enhancer
Flaked Maize	Pre-cooked/non-malted cereal, can be added directly to a mash. Neutral flavour in ales, gives subtle corn notes in lighter styles	Up to 10%	Enhancer
Maris Otter	A flavoursome, reliable malt. Easily processed and very consistent. Highly popular with craft brewers	Up to 100%	English Ale
Munich	Less fermentable than Pale Ale malt. Sweet/nutty notes with a golden/copper colour	20 to 10%	Dark Lagers
Roasted Barley	Sharp, astringent and burnt. Gives paler head than black or chocolate malt.	Up to 10%	Stout
Torrified Wheat	Pre-cooked/non-malted cereal, can be added directly to a mash. Adds toasted/biscuity notes, Improves head retention	Up to 10%	Enhancer
Wheat	*Improves head retention and mouth feel at lower levels Provides the flavor and mouthfeel of wheat beers**	3 to 50% * 50 to 80% For Wheat Beers	Ales * Wheat Beer / Weissbiers

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