Appendix D: Malt Types and Uses

In this Appendix are different common malts, their Lovibond numbers, and their common uses in beers. This is not a complete list because different breweries can produce their own special malts. The good news is that because you are growing your own grains at home, you can experiment and come up with specialty grains of your own.

Mashed Malts

Lager/Pilsner malt 2 degrees Lovibond. This is the base malt for just about every beer made. It can stand alone in a pale ale or be used a fermentable malt for about any other kind of beer. Usually, if there is the label pilsner malt, it is created from two-row barley.

Caramelized (crystal) malts

Name of crystal malt	Type of malt	Use
Carapils	Dextrin malt	The dextrin in this malt affects the mouth feel, body, and full taste of the beer. It also lends to foam stability. This malt must be mashed with pale malt because it lacks the necessary enzymes to break down the starch in them.
10 L crystal	Caramel malt	This is a lot like carpils, but has a lighter caramel sweetness.
40 L crystal	Caramel malt	This pale crystal malt will lend a balance of medium caramel color, flavor, and body.
60 L crystal	Caramel malt	This has a well-balanced color, caramel flavor, and sweet taste.
80 L crystal	Caramel malt	This has a more distinct flavor, color, and sweetness of caramel.
120 L crystal	Caramel malt	This dark crystal malt offers a sharper and more complex caramel flavor and aroma. This is used as a specialty grain and in small amounts in most beers, but does well in larger amounts in heavier, stouter beers.
German	Caramel malt	It is used in pilsner beers, as it adds body and balance to a beer.
Light crystal	20 L caramel	This type of German caramel malt adds a little more body to pilsners.
German medium crystal	50 L caramel	Another type of German caramel malt. This is used with lager-type beers to add body and sweetness.
German dark crystal	90-110 L caramel	This type of German caramel adds a strong body and caramel color. It is used in dark, lager-style beers.
English crystal	17 L caramel malt	This malt is also known as light CaraStan. This malt has a toffee-like, sweet flavor that is light in color.
English crystal	37 L caramel malt	This is also called CaraStan. This is used for pale ales and bitters and has a fuller toffee flavor.
English crystal	55 L caramel malt	This is used for dark ales.
English crystal	80 L caramel malt	The color this imparts is amber and has a stronger toffee flavor.
English crystal	140 L caramel malt	The color this imparts is a deep-red color. Has a caramelized and roasted flavor.
Scottish crystal	90 L caramel malt	The color of this malt is deep red to amber. It has a toasted-caramel flavor.
Belgian caravienne	22 L caramel	The aroma is sweet caramel and has a full flavor. This is a good overall caramel malt.
Belgian Caramünich	60 L caramel	This has a rich malt aroma and deep color.
Belgian special B	150-220 L caramel	This is one of the darkest crystal malts. Its caramelization is high, which imparts a nice, nutty flavor to the beer.

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