Today we look at a method for malt extract brewers that can improve the quality and color of your extract beer. Both liquid and dried malt extract beers suffer from an effect called carmelization when brewing. Carmelization occurs when liquid extract or excess sugars settle to the bottom of the brew pot during the boil and the sugars carmelize (harden) in the bottom of the pot.

This typically darkens the beer, and in extreme cases can also affect the taste of the beer. Obviously this is a problem for brewers of light colored beers. The effect is also common in high gravity beers in small brew pots because of the higher proportion of extract to water when boiling.

To avoid the ill effects of carmelization, malt extract brewers should delay the addition of the majority of their extracts until late in the boiling process. The extract must be added late enough in the boil to avoid carmelization, but early enough to assure that the extract is sterilized. Boiling the extract for about 15 minutes is a good balance.

I recommend adding a small amount of malt extract (perhaps 15-25%) early in the boil if using separate hops. The sugars and enzymes in the extract aid in extracting alpha acids (bitterness) from the hops. Boiling hops with a small amount of extract will result in smoother hop flavors and appropriate bitterness that you cant achieve with plain water alone.

Late extract additions do present one challenge for the brewer. Late extract additions increase the bitterness of the beer. Predicting the International Bitterness Units (IBUs) of late extract additions to match your target style is mathematically complex. Most brewing software and spreadsheets are simply not designed to handle multiple hop and late malt extract additions in the boil. The gravity and bitterness of the boil will vary with each ingredient added.

To do the calculation by hand you would need to calculate the gravity of the boil at each stage, bitterness contribution from each hop addition taking this gravity into account and then combine these into one overall IBU number for the brew. To compensate, some brewers use a rule of thumb such as reduce hops by 20% when using late extract brews. Another method is to calculate the hops addition without the late extract and then add 5-10% more hops to compensate for lower utilization during the last 15 minutes of the boil.

Popularity: 73% [?]

I am starting up a new category around brewing ingredients. When I search for information about particular grains or hops, I find that many sites provide the same details about the particular ingredient I am researching. What I thought I could do is start creating posts about ingredients that provide comprehensive information collected from multiple sources. The first ingredient to be showcased is 120L Caramel Malt.

Look at the colors! Light brown to brick red!

Flavor: It provides a complex malt profile to your beer. Some of the things I read included

• Pronounced sharp caramel taste and sweetness
• Toffee
• Burnt Sugar
• Raisin
• Prunes

Color: It will provide a deep red color. I found this distinction interestingnot brown, but deep red.

Body: Since it contributes plenty of non-fermentables, it will increase body and mouthfeel and aid foam retention and beer stability.

Use: Adding 120L Caramel Malt to recipe (up to 15 percent of your total grain bill) will add bittersweet caramel flavor and aroma to beers. Adding more would be well suited for strong beers such as Barley Wines and Old Ales.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Continuing our examination of malts and hops, heres our profile of Special B malt. It is a Belgian malt that is roasted to 150L color. Here are some of the particulars that we pulled together from different sources:

Flavor: Imparts a heavy caramel taste.

• Raisin-like flavors in Belgian Abbey Ales
• Plum-like flavors in Dubbels
• Roasty/Toast flavor
• Hint of nut flavor

Color: Produces a dark black-brown color.

Body: Fuller body is noted due to the non-fermentables.

Use: Suggested use is 2 to 10% of the grain bill. Makes sense to use in in Belgian ales such as a dubbel since it is a Belgian malt, but looks like it can be used in moderation in Brown Ales, Porters, and Doppelbocks as character builders in those beers.

Popularity: 38% [?]

Popularity: 31% [?]

Popularity: 31% [?]

Popularity: 31% [?]

Popularity: 30% [?]

The focus of this malt profile post is on Chocolate malt. This dark malt variety is named more for its chocolate-like color than a chocolate taste. Chocolate malt is one of my favorite specialty malts and it is my pleasure to present this post.

Flavor: Most sources state this malt imparts rich roasted and nutty flavors to a beer. Many said no chocolate flavors are present although one stated that a bitter chocolate flavor could be detected.

Color: 300 to 450 SRM. UK versions are darker than US versions. Dark ruby/brown colors are seen in the finished beer.

Body: Adds body to beer through the unfermentable sugars present in the malt.

Use: This malt is a key to making great porters and stouts. This malt would work in brown ales too.

Chocolate malt is not to be confused with chocolate malt milkshakesalthough those are good too.

Popularity: 28% [?]

To continue our malt profile investigations, I thought we could start with some of the base malts. The first base malt that I chose is Munich Malt. Its a little darker than the base malts I am used to, but it does have enough diastatic power to convert its starches. The dark color comes from the higher kiln temperatures; higher than lighter colored base malts.

Flavor: Produces a malty, some even say slightly grainy taste.

Color: I saw ranges of 8.0 – 12.0 Lovibond. Most sources said 9 L. Imparts a golden to amber or orange hue to a beer.

Body: Does not contribute to increasing the body of the beer.

Use: I have been toying around with the idea of brewing a bockmore than likely a doppelbockas you can see, sometimes these malt profiles are self-serving. From what I have gathered, Munich Malt is the choiceforbase malt in bock beers.Ihave seen it paired with Vienna a lotwondering if that is to add more diastatic power to the mix?It can be used in smaller amounts in otheramber beers.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Victory malt has always intrigued me. Maybe its the name. I guess I feel like I would be winning if I used this malt in my brews. I did a little research and thought I would combine all the information into some kind comprehensive overview.

This malts creation is American in origin. I believe that refers to the process to make Victory malt was developed here in the USA.

The processing is different than the processing a maltster would use to create, for example, a caramel malt. Its this special processing that gives the malt its flavor.

Flavor: Imparts a toasty character to beers.

• Nutty taste
• Biscuity
• Baking Bread

Color: 25 – 28 Lovibond. Colors described from sources I discovered ranged from slight red to amber to orange highlights. I guess it depends on how much you use.

Body: Improves body and head retention.

Use: The malt has no diastatic power so you can use it as a steeping grain. Because of the flavor it imparts, Nut brown ales are a good candidate for this malt. I think it would be a good addition to dark beers, especially a porter. If you wanted to make an American Brown Ale and stay on theme, Victory Malt would be a good addition. Probably no more than 20% of your grain bill.

Popularity: 33% [?]