Would a crystal malt only recipe work?

[luke_tucker]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to all this, but I'd rather go for things that are a bit different and was wondering what people thought of doing a crystal only brew - or a majority crystal brew, substituting it for the usual pale.

Would it just be too sweet? Don't have a recipe in mind yet, so if anyone did that'd be even better.

Cheers, Luke

 

[graysalchemy]

Crystal malt is not Diastic so it woun't covert to suagrs you need the pale malt in the mash. Also high proportions of crystal can be over powering, ususally 10% is used. :thumb:

 

[Dave1970]

Hi Luke - try this grain guide, it's basic & some of the more knowledgeable members on here can tell you a lot more than this but I've found it a useful overview - the max %'s are worth a look

 

[DirtyCaner]

Ive heard that Caramalt is diastic and could be used for the majority of a grain bill, anyone know if this is true?

 

[Aleman]

While crystal malts have been 'mashed' while being kilned the ratio of unfermentable to fermentable sugars are much too high, consequently it won't ferment out, and will be cloyingly sweet.

In short NO IT WON'T WORK!!

 

[Aleman]

Ive heard that Caramalt is diastic and could be used for the majority of a grain bill, anyone know if this is true?

Yes . . . It's wrong!!

 

[luke_tucker]

Hi Luke - try this grain guide, it's basic & some of the more knowledgeable members on here can tell you a lot more than this but I've found it a useful overview - the max %'s are worth a look

Cheers Dave.

That's really helpful thanks. And thanks to everyone. That's my curiosity satisfied.

 

[DirtyCaner]

Cheers Aleman, that clears that up!

 

[TRXnMe]

I made this mistake with my first go at AG brewing for the back to basics 2 challenge

The cooled wort tasted ruddy gorgeous, but had stopped fermenting after about 12 hours, so I added some dextrose to it just to see what it finally tasted like. It's 'full bodied' and quite sweet, fortunately for me I'd hopped it quite heavily, so that took the worst of the sweetness off it.

As yet I've not tried a bottle, it needs a few more weeks in the cool before I do that, but the mouthful out the syphon tube did taste OK.., I work on the theory of waste not want not and wont chuck beer unless it is awful

I'd not do it again though, I'd hoped to get a darkish coloured ale that was really hoppy, sadly the crystal malt and the hops appear to have cancelled themselves out