Briess Black Barley 50 lb

Briess Black Barley 50 lb is a highly roasted specialty grain produced from barley and designed to deliver intense color and robust roasted flavor to dark beer styles. Carefully roasted to a deep black color, it contributes bold notes of espresso, dark chocolate, burnt toast, and roasted coffee while creating the rich dark appearance associated with stouts, porters, and other specialty dark beers. Its powerful flavor profile makes it an essential ingredient for brewers seeking traditional roasted character and complexity.

In the brewing process, Black Barley is used primarily for color and flavor contribution rather than fermentable extract. It imparts deep brown to jet black color while adding dry roasted notes that can enhance balance and complexity in malt forward beers. The grain's distinctive roast character helps define classic Irish stouts, robust porters, foreign extra stouts, and numerous modern dark beer styles.

What makes Briess Black Barley unique compared to Briess Black Malt is its more assertive roast profile and drier finish. While Black Malt tends to contribute smoother notes of dark chocolate and roasted grain, Black Barley develops a sharper espresso-like character with a firmer roast edge. Compared to Blackprinz Malt, which is dehusked to reduce bitterness and astringency, Black Barley provides a more traditional roasted character that many brewers prefer in classic stout and porter recipes. It delivers the bold roast intensity and dryness often associated with traditional British and Irish dark beers.

Because Black Barley is used for color and flavor rather than enzymatic contribution, it is typically paired with base malts that provide starch conversion and fermentable sugars.

Usage Rate: Typically 1 - 8% of the grist

• 1 - 2%: Color adjustment with subtle roast character
• 2 - 5%: Noticeable coffee and dark chocolate notes
• 5 - 8%: Pronounced roast, espresso, and dry stout-like character

Color (Lovibond): 550°L

Diastatic Power: 0° Lintner

Flavor Notes: Espresso, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, burnt toast, dry roast, subtle char

Briess Black Barley is an excellent choice for brewers seeking deep color and authentic roasted flavor. Its bold espresso and coffee-like character make it particularly valuable in stouts, porters, and other dark beer styles where traditional roast complexity and a dry finish are essential components of the finished beer.