Caramel / Crystal Malts

Caramel and Crystal malts are specialty grains that add sweetness, color, and body to your beer. Unlike base malts, they have already undergone a conversion process during malting, so their sugars are caramelized and not dependent on mash enzymes. This means they contribute flavor and mouthfeel more than fermentable power. They are used to build complexity, ranging from light honey and toffee notes to deep caramel and dark fruit character. They also enhance body and improve head retention. Within this category, you will find a range of color levels from light to dark, each offering a different balance of sweetness, color, and intensity.

Because the malting process caramelizes and preserves many unfermentable sugars and dextrins, Caramel/Crystal malts leave sweet-tasting sugars and thicker mouthfeel in the finished beer.