Common Malt Types

In this page you will find some of the most common malt types commercially available to home brewers. Malts are sold bulk - out of a plastic bin or bag - or already packed and weighed for you. As you learn more about malts you will feel more comfortable substituting ingredients in your recipe. Not all types of malt are available everywhere and knowing what grain to use to achieve similar results is the sign of a good homebrewer.


Crystal Malts
Crystal malts can be used in just about any recipe. It is used to improve body and aid head retention, while creating a malty sweet background. Crystal malts with a higher Lovibond (L) rating have darker color and a richer caramel taste. The flavors can be extracted with a simple water steep, especially effective with extract batches of beer. Crystal malt can also add quite a bit of protein. Excess amounts of protein can lead to chill haze.

Crystal (also called Caramel) malt can range in color from 10-120 degrees L. The mashing and drying process used for this malt does not convert all of the starches, leaving this malt composed mostly of unfermentable sugars, which are further caramelized by the kilning. The use of this malt sweetens the beer with a caramel flavor, adds color to the wort, and can aid head retention.

Crystal Malt, 10 L: Will impart minimal color and a slight caramel flavor.

Crystal Malt, 20 L: Slightly more color and caramel flavor than crystal 10.

Crystal Malt, 60 L: Will add an amber color and increased caramel flavor.

Crystal Malt, 120 L: Will add a deep reddish color and a rich, highly caramelized flavor.

Dextrin (Carapils) malt 7 L.
Use of this malt adds smoothness, sweetness, and body, without affecting the color of the wort. It aids in head retention and body. Most commonly used as 3 - 15% of a mash for light ales and lagers.


Chocolate malt 350 L
This malt has been kilned at a fairly high temperature, producing a rich flavor and considerable darkness. This malt has a smooth, roasted, dark chocolate flavor. It is widely used in dark ales, such as mild ales, stouts, porters, as well as some dark lagers, such as Oktoberfests and bocks. It is suitable for adding malt complexity to many styles when used sparingly. Chocolate malt does not contribute much fermentable sugar. The flavor and color are easily extracted by steeping, leading to the basis of some easy-to-make porter recipes.


Black (also Black Patent) malt 500- 530 L
Roasted to a darker color than chocolate malt, the sharper, burnt acidic flavor is often inappropriate for dark lagers, but can be used in some dark ales. This flavor is often the reason to use black malt instead of chocolate malt. The taste becomes acrid if you use too much.


2-Row Pale Malt
This is the grain that typically makes up the largest fraction of an all-grain recipe. Pale malt contains starch, and is also high in diastatic enzyme. Mashing is required to allow the enzymes to convert the starch to soluble, fermentable sugars. Pale malt is light in color and contributes a crisp malt flavor. Extract recipes don't use pale malt, but it is a requirement for the intermediate technique of partial mashing


Pilsner Malt
This is the base for most of the light German styles. This malt has the lightest color and flavor. Pilsner malt usually needs a protein rest during mashing. This means that the mash temperature is first brought up to 115-120 degree F and held there for a period of time. It is then increased to normal mashing temperatures. Some varieties have low enzyme levels which require careful mashing.


Munich and Vienna Malt
These European malts are kilned at a slightly higher temperature than pale malt. Hence, they have a darker, richer flavor. This makes them ideal for malty beers such as Bock and Oktoberfest. Both require mashing. They contain diastatic enzymes, but at a lower level than pale malt.

Vienna 3 - 7 degrees L
This malt produces a full bodied, amber color brew with a noticeable malt aroma. The malt itself has only medium enzymatic power, and is commonly used in Dortmunders and pale bocks.

Light Munich 10 L and Dark  Munich 20 L
Munich malt is as aromatic as Vienna malt, but yields a darker reddish-orange colored brew with a slightly sweet caramel flavor. This
malt often comes in two different grades, with the lighter grade being more like Vienna malt. Use 5 - 20% dark Munich in golden and amber lagers, and 25 - 50% malt in Munich dark and some bocks.


Malted Wheat
Not all malts are made from barley. Malted wheat is a key ingredient in weizen beers, and contributes a glutiny mouthfeel. The color is very light, and is high in fermentable starch. It has diastatic enzyme and must be mashed, just like pale malt.

Flaked Oats, Rice and Corn
These are unmalted grains called adjuncts. Oats contribute a rich mouthfeel. Corn is lightly flavored, while rice is almost flavor neutral. These latter two lead to very light, low-body beers. Corn and rice are very high in convertible starches, but they have no enzymes of their own. Hence in order to use them they must be mashed with malt that is high in diastatic enzyme.

6-Row Malted Barley
This malt is similar to 2-row, but it has higher enzyme levels. This makes it ideal for use with the adjunct grains. The protein content is higher too. This helps compensate for the lower levels found in rice or corn.