Malts and Adjuncts used in brewing

Malts are partly germinated grains that have been dried. The malting process stimulates enzymes in the grain, converting starches into sugars that yeast may consume during fermentation. The resultant malted grains have a diverse taste character and offer essential sugars for fermentation.

Brewers typically employ two types of malt: malted grains and malt extracts. Malted grains are whole or crushed grains that are used to produce mash, which is a grain and hot water combination. During the mash process, enzymes in the grains transform the starches in the grains into fermentable sugars. Brewers often utilize a variety of malted grains to obtain a certain flavor and color character in their beer.

In contrast, malt extracts are concentrated versions of malted grains that have been treated to remove the fermentable sugars. Malt extract is classified into two types: liquid and dry. A thick syrup created by evaporating water from the mash is called liquid malt extract. Dry malt extract is created by spraying liquid malt extract over a heated surface and allowing the water to evaporate.

Malt extracts are a popular choice for new brewers since they are simple to use and need less equipment than whole-grain brewing. Many skilled brewers, on the other hand, prefer to use whole grains since they give them greater control over the brewing process and can generate more nuanced tastes in the beer.

Overall, malted grains and malt extracts are important elements in the brewing process, and each has benefits and drawbacks. Whether to use whole grains or extracts is a matter of personal preference and the intended outcome for the beer being brewed.

Malts and Adjuncts

Below is a list of the most common malts and adjuncts used in brewing. Let me know if something should be added or updated.

Grain	Description	Usage	Lovibond	Beer Styles	Commercial Examples
Pilsner Malt	Light in color, provides a crisp, clean flavor	Base malt	1.5-2.5	Pilsner, Lager, Kolsch, Blonde Ale	Pilsner Urquell, Bitburger
Pale Ale Malt	Toasty, biscuity flavor	Base malt	2.5-4.0	Pale Ale, Amber Ale, IPA, Brown Ale	Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Fat Tire Amber Ale
Munich Malt	Rich, malty flavor	Base malt	8.0-10.0	Oktoberfest, Bock, Amber Ale	Samuel Adams Oktoberfest, Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Vienna Malt	Malty flavor with a slightly toasty character	Base malt	3.5-4.5	Vienna Lager, Oktoberfest, Amber Ale	Negra Modelo, Great Lakes Eliot Ness
Wheat Malt	Creamy mouthfeel, subtle wheat flavor	Base malt	2.0-3.0	Wheat Beer, Weissbier, Witbier	Schneider Weisse, Allagash White
Rye Malt	Spicy, peppery flavor with a dry character	Specialty malt	3.0-5.0	Rye Beer, Roggenbier	Founders Red's Rye IPA, Two Roads Rye 95
Crystal Malt	Sweetness and body	Specialty malt	10.0-120.0	Amber Ale, Brown Ale, IPA, Stout	Bell's Amber Ale, Goose Island IPA
Chocolate Malt	Chocolate and roasted flavor	Specialty malt	350-500	Stout, Porter, Brown Ale	Founders Breakfast Stout, Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter
Black Patent Malt	Strong roasted flavor, black color	Specialty malt	500-600	Stout, Porter, Black IPA	Guinness, Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA
Acidulated malt	Adds a tart flavor and lowers mash pH	Specialty malt	2.0-3.0	Berliner Weisse, Gose, Pilsner	Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner
Aromatic malt	Adds a strong malt aroma and flavor	Specialty malt	20.0-25.0	Amber Ale, Belgian Dubbel, Scottish Ale	Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Duvel Belgian Golden Ale
Biscuit malt	Adds a toasty, biscuity flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	22.0-28.0	Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Tripel, Brown Ale	Fuller's London Pride, Chimay Red
Brown malt	Darkens beer and adds a nutty, toasty flavor	Base malt	50.0-60.0	Brown Ale, Porter, Stout	Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, Guinness Draught
Cara Munich	Adds a malty, caramel flavor and reddish color	Specialty malt	35.0-45.0	Amber Ale, Bock, Oktoberfest	Märzën, Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier
Cara Vienna	Adds a sweet, malty flavor and light red color	Specialty malt	20.0-25.0	Vienna Lager, Oktoberfest	Märzën, Great Lakes Eliot Ness
Caramel Wheat	Adds a sweet, caramel flavor and creamy texture	Specialty malt	45.0-60.0	Wheat Beer, Dunkelweizen, Belgian Witbier	Ayinger Bräu Weisse, Allagash White
Chocolate rye malt	Adds a chocolatey, spicy flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	250.0-300.0	Rye Beer, Brown Ale, Stout	Bell's Porter, Founders Red's Rye IPA
Chocolate wheat malt	Adds a chocolatey, roasted flavor and creamy texture	Specialty malt	400.0-500.0	Porter, Stout, Dunkelweizen	Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Coffee malt	Adds a coffee-like, roasted flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	500.0-600.0	Stout, Porter, Belgian Dubbel	Founders Breakfast Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Carapils malt	Adds body, foam retention, and a slight sweetness	Specialty malt	1.0-2.5	Pilsner, Belgian Tripel, American Pale Ale	Monchshof Kellerbier, Chimay Cinq Cents
Flaked barley	Adds a creamy texture and head retention	Adjunct	1.5-2.5	Irish Stout, English Bitter, Brown Ale	Guinness Draught, Fuller's ESB
Flaked maize	Adds a light, clean flavor and pale color	Adjunct	0.5-1.0	American Lager, Cream Ale, Light Beer	Budweiser, Coors Light
Flaked oats	Adds a creamy texture and mouthfeel	Adjunct	1.0-2.5	Oatmeal Stout, Belgian Witbier, American IPA	Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Ommegang Hennepin
Flaked rye	Adds a spicy flavor and silky texture	Adjunct	2.0-3.0	Rye Beer, Saison, Roggenbier	Bell's Rye
Grain	Description	Usage	Lovibond	Beer Styles	Commercial Examples
Flaked wheat	Adds a crisp texture and head retention	Adjunct	1.5-2.5	Witbier, Belgian Tripel, American Wheat Beer	Hoegaarden Witbier, Allagash White
Golden promise malt	Adds a sweet, biscuity flavor and light color	Base malt	2.5-3.0	Scottish Ale, English Bitter, American Pale Ale	Edinburgh Castle, Theakston's Old Peculier
Honey malt	Adds a honey-like sweetness and malty flavor	Specialty malt	20.0-25.0	Scottish Ale, Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Tripel	Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, Unibroue Maudite
Marris otter malt	Adds a rich, nutty flavor and golden color	Base malt	2.5-4.0	English Bitter, English Pale Ale, Belgian Blonde	Boddingtons Pub Ale, Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale
Mild ale malt	Adds a malty flavor and light color	Base malt	3.0-4.0	Mild Ale, Scottish Ale, English Bitter	Fuller's London Pride, Theakston's Mild
Pale 2-row malt	Adds a clean, neutral flavor and light color	Base malt	1.5-2.0	Pilsner, American Pale Ale, Blonde Ale	Budweiser, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Pale 6-row malt	Adds a grainy, slightly nutty flavor and light color	Base malt	1.5-2.0	American Lager, Cream Ale, Light Beer	Genese Cream Ale, Schell's Light
Peated malt	Adds a smoky, peaty flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	2.5-3.0	Scotch Ale, Smoked Porter, Rauchbier	Laphroaig, Schlenkerla Rauchbier
Roasted barley	Adds a dry, roasted flavor and dark color	Base malt	300.0-500.0	Stout, Porter, Irish Red Ale	Guinness Draught, Murphy's Irish Stout
Smoked malt	Adds a smoky flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	2.0-9.0	Rauchbier, Smoked Porter, Scottish Ale	Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier, Alaskan Smoked Porter
Special B malt	Adds a raisin-like sweetness and dark color	Specialty malt	140.0-155.0	Belgian Dubbel, Belgian Tripel, Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Rochefort Trappistes 8, St. Bernardus Abt 12
Toasted malt	Adds a toasty, nutty flavor and aroma	Specialty malt	25.0-30.0	Amber Ale, Brown Ale, Scottish Ale	Anchor Steam Beer, Samuel Adams Boston Ale

Maltsters

There are several firms that manufacture malts for brewing beer, each with its own distinct range of malts. Below are some of the most well-known malt makers, as well as some of their most popular malts.:

1. Weyermann (Germany): Weyermann is a German maltster that produces a wide range of malts, including specialty malts like CaraMunich and Carafa. Some of their well-known malts include:

• Pilsner Malt
• Munich Malt
• Vienna Malt
• Carafa Malt
• CaraMunich Malt

2. Crisp (United Kingdom): Crisp is a British maltster that has been producing malt for over 150 years. They produce a range of base malts, including pale malt and Maris Otter malt. Some of their popular malts include:

• Pale Malt
• Maris Otter Malt
• Extra Pale Malt
• Crystal Malt

3. Simpsons (United Kingdom): Simpsons is a British maltster that specializes in high-quality specialty malts. Some of their popular malts include:

• Golden Promise Malt
• Chocolate Malt
• Roasted Barley
• Crystal Malt

4. Muntons (United Kingdom): Muntons is a British maltster that produces a range of malts for brewing, including base malts, crystal malts, and roasted malts. Some of their popular malts include:

• Maris Otter Malt
• Pale Malt
• Crystal Malt
• Black Malt

5. Briess (United States): Briess is an American maltster that produces a range of malts, including base malts, specialty malts, and organic malts. Some of their popular malts include:

• 2-Row Brewers Malt
• Vienna Malt
• Carapils Malt
• Chocolate Malt

6. Rahr (United States): Rahr is an American maltster that produces a range of malts, including base malts and specialty malts. Some of their popular malts include:

• Pale Malt
• Pilsner Malt
• Munich Malt
• Crystal Malt

7. Castle (Belgium): Castle is a Belgian maltster that produces a range of malts, including base malts and specialty malts. Some of their popular malts include:

• Pilsner Malt
• Vienna Malt
• Aromatic Malt
• Special B Malt

Each of these maltsters has a distinct assortment of malts and the malts that brewers choose to depend on the kind of beer they are brewing and the taste profile they are attempting to produce.

Finally, malts are an important element in beer production since they influence the flavor, color, and aroma of the beer. There are many distinct varieties of malts, such as base malts, specialty malts, and roasted malts, each with its own flavor character. Brewers can utilize a wide range of malts in their recipes, sometimes mixing several varieties to produce the desired flavor and color. While many brewers prefer beer to utilize conventional malted grains, malt extracts are now available for those seeking a more convenient brewing method. Maltsters from all around the world offer high-quality malts for brewers to pick from, each having its own distinct malt selection. Finally, the choice of malt is up to the brewer and is determined by the sort of beer being brewed and the flavor profile desired. The process of brewing your own delicious beer is well worth the effort. So grab a brew kettle, and some malted barley, and start brewing!

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