![]() ![]() Is it possible, for example, to achieve Maris Otter character using a blend of Pale and Munich malts? I look forward to finding out! Overall, this xBmt motivated me to play around with different grain combinations, not just Crystal malts, but base and specialty as well. The fact is, I preferred the beer made with the Crystal blend a little more than the one made with C60 alone, which I didn’t expect to be the case. ![]() While I’ve been known to regurgitate the merits of simple grain bills, the results of this xBmt served to remind that layering various grains can help some achieve a desired goal. The second reason I could think of that a brewing would blend Crystal malts is to increase the complexity of a beer, something often cited by experienced brewers as a pitfall of entry level brewers. Basically, I’d have little issue using a Crystal blend in place of a single Crystal malt, or vice versa, if it meant I didn’t have to place an order or drive to my local shop. While tasters in this xBmt were indeed capable of distinguishing a beer made with C60 from the same beer made with a C100/C20 blend to achieve the same color, I believe the differences were subtle enough that such a substitution actually works quite well. They were both good, neither got dumped, just a little too Crystal-y for my tastes.Īs I considered the practicality and applicability of this xBmt, I could only come up with two main reasons a brewer would opt for a blend of Crystal malts over a single Crystal malt, the first one being to substitute for a an unavailable ingredient. That said, for the purposes of this xBmt, I used way more Crystal malt in these beers than I normally would and likely wouldn’t do so again in a beer I brewed for enjoyment’s sake. To me, the crystal blend beer possessed more of a dark fruit flavor while the C60 beer wasn’t as deep, which left me with a slight preference for the crystal blend sample. My Impressions: I was able to consistently identify the unique sample over numerous triangle test attempts. Of the 15 correct tasters, 5 chose the C60 beer as their most preferred, 6 liked the Crystal blend beer more, 1 person reported having no preference despite perceiving a difference, and 3 tasters felt there was no difference between the beers. The participants who correctly selected the unique sample in the triangle test were instructed to complete a brief set of additional questions comparing only the two different beers, still blind to the nature of the xBmt. In the end, 15 people (p=0.003) correctly identified the odd-beer-out, indicating participants were able to reliably distinguish an English Bitter made with Crystal 60 form one made with the same amount of a blend of C100 and C20. ![]() Given the sample size, 13 tasters (p<0.05) would have had to select the unique sample to reach statistical significance. Each participant was served 2 samples of the C60 beer and 1 sample of the beer made using a blend of C100 and C20 then asked to identify the sample that was unique. Left: C60 | Right: C100/C20 blend | RESULTS |Ī total of 24 people of varying levels of experience participated in this xBmt. With the hope of amplifying any potential impact of the variable, I went with a recipe for this xBmt that was inspired by my house Bitter with a much higher percentage of Crystal malt. To evaluate the differences between two beers brewed to the same SRM where one was made with Crystal 60 while the other was made with a blend of Crystal 100 and Crystal 20. There are times, however, when a particular Crystal malt like C60 isn’t available, which got me wondering if blending Crystal malts of other roast levels to achieve the same color would have an impact on flavor. It’s quite nice, as is the color C60 imparts, a gorgeous amber with orange-red highlights. I’ve been on a mission to craft the perfect ESB and have often relied on Crystal 60 (C60) malt, which in the amounts I use comes across to me as a toasty sweet flavor with a touch of dark fruit. With various options in regards to roast level, a brewer can rather easily select a single Crystal malt that will impart both the sweet characteristics and color they so desire in their beer. I don’t tend to use much Crystal (aka Caramel) malt when brewing, though certain styles demand a decent portion. Mosaic Of Change IPA by House Of Pendragon. ![]()
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