Understanding grains

[DoctorMick]

are there any good resources, either online or books, which explain what each different grain brings to a brew? The number of different grains available is huge but I have no idea what each of them are for.

 

[Dads_Ale]

The Home Brew Shop does give a description with most of the malts on their website. For example:

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/acatalog/Carapils_Malt_3kg_Crushed.html#.VTILg3x0yM8

 

[stevej]

The Greq Hughes Home Brew Beer Book has a section in explaining grains and hops £3.00 on amazon also has quite a few recipes in good book.
Regards Steve

 

[DoctorMick]

I've got that book, even had a quick look before posting and completely missed the table which is pretty much what I was looking for. :lol:

Wouldn't mind something a bit more detailed if such a resource exists tho. Will have a look at the home brew shop, looks very detailed although it's blocked from work which could be an issue.

 

[ManseMasher]

http://www.onebeer.net/grainchart.html

Might be of use?

 

[DoctorMick]

http://www.onebeer.net/grainchart.html

Might be of use?

Cheers, that in combination with the book should give me enough to get a reasonable understanding.

 

[clibit]

From my Bookmarks:

http://www.brupaks.com/BRUPAKS GRAIN GUIDE WEB.htm

http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-1.html

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/User/My%20Documents/Downloads/Overview%20of%20Malt%20Types.pdf

https://byo.com/resources/grains

http://www.onebeer.net/grainchart.html

 

[clibit]

Grains can pretty much be grouped into types, with variations on each type by degree of colour, and by country of origin.

Base malts: From Pilsner/lager through to dark Munich. Vienna and Munich can also be used like specialty grains, to add maltiness to other base malts.

Caramel/Crystal malts: From Carapils/Dextrine malt and Caramalt through to extra dark crystal

Roast malts - From Amber, Brown through to dark grains - Chocolate, Black, Roast barley

I think a good idea is to get your head around the English malts. I have actually returned to using mainly English malts. But German and Belgian malts are pretty much different versions of the English malts, so if you grasp what English malts do, which isn't hard if you've drunk English beer, and there are few enough to try those you aren'#t sure about, and then look at trying German/Belgian versions in their place. For example, Caramunich is German crystal. Special B is Belgian dark crystal. This chart matches up similar grains from different sources:

http://www.brew.is/files/malt.html

Then there are wheat and rye malts, and each of these is available in base malt form, crystal, and roast/chocolate form just like the barley malts.

And then there are adjuncts - unmalted grains. Flaked barley, flaked maize, flaked rye, flaked oats, rice etc.

 

[MyQul]

I like the brupaks link clibit posted and use it as my go to link when I need an overview of a certain grain. Then I just do I bit of googling on that particular grain if I need anymore info

 

[Fil]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1938469127/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

in the same series as the Yeast, Hops, and Water books.
Yeast is a great book
Hops is informative but not as captivating and easy to read as Yeast,
Water, - blinded me with science, and i am struggling with it
Malt, only recently purchased, and im on the 2nd chapter, interesting and a good read,

 

[Hops_and_Dreams]

The Greq Hughes Home Brew Beer Book has a section in explaining grains and hops £3.00 on amazon also has quite a few recipes in good book.
Regards Steve

Just ordered a copy. Cheers for the info.

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

try looking at this too

http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12.html