Multiple Crystal Malts in recipes

[garyhead.design]

Hey Brewers

I have spotted a trend in a bunch of recipes I have been looking at lately. They have several crystal malts, such as carapils, then a pale crystal and a dark crystal in similar quantities.

This one has 2
http://www.beersmith.com/Recipes2/recipe_183.htm

Is because they want the sweetness but they are chasing a particular colour or is there a flavour achieved that only multiple crystal malts can achieve?

I'm a kind of keep it simple brewer, less is more, you know the story. So why should I use 3 small amounts of 3 different crystal malts rather than 1 large addition of the median colour crystal?

Cheers
Gaz

 

[timmi9191]

My guess would be seeking a desired colour, OG and fg.. I have previously combined dark and light crystal so get the right colour while keeping to a desired % of crystal in the grain bill.

 

[slash22000]

I can't speak for any particular recipe, but it's not about colour. Well, it might be, but colour is not the only thing that changes. For example Crystal 120 adds significantly different flavour than Crystal 20. Like if you added enough Crystal 20 to make up the colour of a certain amount of Crystal 120, the beer would not taste the same, at all.

e.g. Take a look at the Briess descriptions

Caramel 20L: Candylike sweetness, mild caramel

Caramel 60L: Sweet, pronounced caramel

Caramel 120L: Pronounced caramel, slight burnt sugar, raisiny, prunes

 

[itmechanic]

I use multiple crystal malts for the flavours that each individual crystal malt brings to the beer. Using more than one type of crystal adds layers and complexity to the beer that a single crystal cant.

 

[garyhead.design]

Great answers guys.

You have me convinced, I won't be subbing any longer.

Might have to stock upon on my various crystals

 

[timmi9191]

Not disagreeing, but I would have thought that adding enough of each crystal variant for its particular flavour to be detectable and layer with the others would end up with a grain bill with too high of a % of crystal; producing an overly sweet beer with a very high fg. thats fine if that's what you are aiming for..

 

[manticle]

No. You can taste equal amounts of light, med and dark made up to the same total.

I do it mostly because my favourite crystal (heritage) is not currently available and a blend gives me the closest result.

 

[slash22000]

Might have to stock upon on my various crystals

Welcome to the world of waiting for the plastic containers at Woolworths to go on sale so you can pick up another dozen containers to fit more grain in the cupboard. I have an entire shelf dedicated to specialty malt containers. :unsure:

 

[Arghonaut]

I do it mostly because my favourite crystal (heritage) is not currently available.

Love this crystal, use it and special b in my house amber, any idea when it will be available again? Finished the last of my stash in my last batch.

 

[1974Alby]

Welcome to the world of waiting for the plastic containers at Woolworths to go on sale so you can pick up another dozen containers to fit more grain in the cupboard. I have an entire shelf dedicated to specialty malt containers. :unsure:

sorry to op forgoing off topic ...but which ones do you find best for the job?

 

[slash22000]

I've found 1 litre usually holds about 600g of grain. So I usually buy 2L sized containers for malts I won't be using a lot of (dark roasted malts, Special B, etc) because I only keep maybe 1KG total at a time. Other grains like Munich, Vienna, wheat, etc that I might be using kilograms of in a recipe I buy big flat boxy type containers that hold 10L or more.

 

[Rod]

getting a way from the OP

how long does the grain last in the plastic container

I hope there is no flavour from the plastic

what brand of plastic - Decor maybe