Light Crystal Malt - Crisp Malting Group
Crisp Light Crystal 150 offers rich, deep caramel flavours with a subtle touch of smoky spice. Made through higher-temperature roasting, it provides a reddish hue perfect for bitters, ruby ales, and milds. Its crystallised sugars contribute an intense caramel flavour and add body to the beer. Light Crystal’s colour level, 150 EBC, is ideal for enhancing both the flavour and visual appeal of classic British beer styles.
- Wort Colour: 159-181 EBC
- Usage: Up to 10% of the grain bill
- Beer Styles: Best bitters, ruby ales, milds, amber ales
Description
Crisp Light Crystal 150 malt is crafted to bring a robust caramel sweetness with an alluring, reddish tint to beers. Developed through a precise roasting process, this crystal malt imparts warm caramel notes and a complex flavour profile, ideal for enhancing the depth of bitters, ruby ales, and milds. With an EBC range of 145-165, it delivers a vivid amber hue without overpowering sweetness, making it suitable for use in a variety of beer styles. The sugars are partially caramelised within the grain, creating a rich mouthfeel and enhancing body. Light Crystal 150 brings sophistication to beers, lending itself particularly well to British styles, though it also adds character to modern brews like Pale Ales and IPAs.
How to Use Light Crystal 150 Malt
In recipes, Light Crystal 150 can be used up to 10% of the total grist to enrich colour and flavour. It integrates especially well in traditional bitters and ruby beers, adding layers of caramel complexity and a pleasant residual sweetness without cloying heaviness.
Flavour Profile
- Primary Notes: Deep caramel, lightly toasted, with a smooth, lasting sweetness.
- Secondary Accents: Subtle spice and mild roasted tones that add warmth and richness.
- Colour Contribution: Adds reddish-amber hues, intensifying based on usage percentage.
Enzymatic Activity
Since this is a roasted malt, Light Crystal 150 has low enzymatic activity and is best used alongside base malts for conversion efficiency during mashing.
Mashing
This malt should be mashed with enzymatically active base malts. Its natural sugars and caramelised starches integrate smoothly, making it suitable for infusions that aim to maximise flavour extraction without additional complexity in mashing.
Combining with Other Malts
Light Crystal 150 combines well with pale and amber base malts, as well as darker specialty malts, to create well-rounded, multi-layered brews. Its caramel tones balance and enhance the profiles of base and roasted malts, perfect for styles requiring complexity without excessive bitterness.
Benefits of Light Crystal 150 Malt
- Provides a balanced, caramelised sweetness without overly sugary undertones.
- Enhances body and mouthfeel, particularly in traditional and sessionable beer styles.
- Contributes a rich, amber-red colour that visually complements its flavour.
History
Crystal malts, including Light Crystal 150, were introduced in English brewing in the late 19th century to add character to bitters and milds. They became popular after World War I, helping brewers create beers with fuller body and sweetness, a signature of British ales.
Key Features:
- Moisture Content: 5.0% max
- Extract (Dry Basis): 71.8%
- Wort Colour: 159-181 EBC
- Roasting Temperature: High
- Usage: Up to 10% of the grain bill
- Flavour Profile: Rich caramel, subtle toasted notes, slight spiciness Applications: Bitters, milds, best bitters, pale ales, IPAs
- Beer Styles: Best bitters, ruby ales, milds, amber ales
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