Building flavour through malt- Rimini recap inspired by Dingemans Malt
Giovanni Christis is in a great position to talk about building flavour through malt as he not only works for one of the world’s best maltsters (who in turn work with some of the world’s best brewers!). He also is a brewer and business owner, creating tasty and innovative beers with Galea Craft Beers.
The last in the recap series, inspired by his presentation at BBtech Expo we will cover:
- What is malt forward beer and why brew them
- The role of different malts in creating these beers
- How other ingredients play a part
- Malt forward recipe development
- Practical examples from Galea
Malt forward beer is, as the name suggests, beer where malt leads the flavour story of the beer with hop and yeast elements playing a supporting role. Hops have been the headline act for craft beer brands in the last few decades but many breweries throughout history have built brands and businesses with malt forward beers.
Malt forward & many styles:
- Helles, Märzen, Festbier & Bock
- Stout and porter styles
- Milds and many English style ales
- Dubbel & Quads
- Barley wines
- Many No and Low alcohol beers
Ideas from Malt forward beer recipes are also valuable in brewing using the EASI protocol described in Transforming No and Low alcohol beers
Professor Charlie Bamforth describes malt as “the soul of beer”; if soul music is an honest expression of life, then perhaps malt forward beers are a truly honest expression of beer.
These beers can be deceptively simple in terms of the recipe but powerful when brewed well.
Base Malts- The structural backbone (Typically 70-100% of the grist)
Pilsen MD- A highly versatile base malt with light colour, low protein, well modified and high in enzyme activity. A mildly malty flavour with some soft bread and grain notes.
Pale Ale 9 MD (A Vienna style specification)- Fully modified European 2 row barley malt, longer kilning produces the honey, malty, and light biscuit flavours. Sufficient enzyme activity means that it can still be used at up to 100%. Great for adding, fullness, body and complexity.
Munich 15 MD- Malt richness and breadcrust. This Munich malt is great for adding full malt flavour in malt forward beers & adding a lovely amber orange colour. Up to 80% of the grist as enzymatic activity is lower than the other base malts. 10-60% can add lovely, layered malt complexity in recipes.
Malted wheat, malted oats and malted rye although not classically “malt forward” may be useful in recipes to add distinctive characteristics such as silkiness, creamy-smoothness and spiciness to compliment malt flavours.
Speciality Malts-Use with clear intention!
These Aromatic specialities add serious intensity to malt forward beers.
- Amber-Aromatic MD- Positive foam contribution and rich malt aroma and flavour plus red colours. Up to 30% of grist. 50 EBC Colour
- Aroma 150MD- Intense malty aroma and flavour up to 20% of grist. Flavour stability contributions.150 EBC Colour
Cara, Crystal and caramel malts add sweetness & caramel.
| Malt | Usage % Grist | Colour & Notes |
| Cara MD Pilsen | 5-20% | 6 EBC. Low colour but caramel flavour, body and foam contributions. |
| Cara 20 MD | Up to 30% | 20 EBC. Unique light caramel flavour and sweetness |
| Cara 50 MD | Up to 25% | 50EBC. Strong caramel + sweet honey |
| Cara 120 MD | Up to 25% | 120EBC. Strong caramel and sweetness |
| Cara 200 MD | Up to 15% | 200 EBC. Dark Caramel |
| Special B MD | Up to 15% | 300EBC.Intense caramel and raisin |
| KarreWheat 77 MD | Up to 25% | 77 EBC, Wheat, warm bread cookies toffee. |
Roasted Malts for cookie, chocolate and coffee flavours
Highlights:
Biscuit Malt MD- 50EBC, up to 30% of grist. Warm bread, biscuit and cookies!
Mroost 900MD– 900EBC, up to 5% of grist. Chocolate, cocoa nibs and coffee. Dingemans tight controls mean their roast malts are less astringent.
Hops and Yeast in malt forward beers-Key tips
Hops playing a supportive second in the malt story E.g. low to moderate & balanced bitterness & aroma that complement the key malt characters.
Yeast to highlight and not re-write this story. E.g. clean and subtle strains, mashing profile and attenuation matching up with malt body and ABV% choices.
Key recipe stages and Galea examples
- The core beer idea: What type of malt forward beer? Format, style, signature flavours, drinkability, etc.
- Base malts baseline: a critical foundation to malt forward styles. Carefully considered with the core idea in mind.
- Speciality malt layering: intentional layering of highly kilned, caramel and roast malts to compliment the base selection.
- Supporting ingredients: Supportive hop and yeast selection and usage that aren’t going to steal the show.
- Water profile & mash protocol: thoughtful selection with how tailoring water profile and mash protocol will affect the body, mouthfeel and drinkability.
- Validate and adjust: Refinement is reliable in recipe development; perfection may never be achieved but progress should!
| Example | Goals | Malts | Other Notes |
| Malt-Forward Lager | 4.7% ABV- Lager Malt forwardHigh drinkabilityClassic & elegantLight citrus twist | 80% Pilsen MD 15% Pale Ale MD 5% Cara 20 MD | 22IBU Saaz and a touch of Citra W34-70 Yeast Malty lager with subtle sweetness & high drinkability |
| Malty Belgium Triple | 8.0% ABV-Triple Malt sweetness & flavourFresh and fruitySpicy notes | 70% Pilsen MD 15% Pale Ale MD 5% Wheat Malt MD 5% Oat Malt MD 5% Cara 20 MD | 25IBU East Kent Goldings Fermentis T-58 Body & malt but surprising drinkability |
| Speciale Belge | 5.5% Speciale Belge Prominent malt and nutty notesGolden amberBalance and drinkability | 74% Pale Ale MD 12% Munich MD 4% Biscuit MD 4% Cara 20 MD 6% Amber-Aromatic MD | 25 IBU Challenger Fermentis S-04 Lovely amber gold colour. Malt forward yet balanced and not overly sweet. |
| Alcohol free Red Ale | <0.5% ABV Irish Red Ale Balanced Irish RedNo worty off flavoursMalt complexity & some body | 35% Munich MD 15% Dextrin MD 15% Cara 50 MD 15% Biscuit 50 MD 10% Melanoidin MD 5% Aroma 150 MD 4.5% Special B MD 0.5% Mroost 1400 MD | Fermentis LA-01, Mr. Malt No Low Zyme (5g/kg) & the expertise of the contract brewer was critical to the production of <0.5% ABV. No De-alcoholising technology used but pasteurised. |
Why Dingemans for Malt Forward?
- Flavour! Something not on your COAs
- Wide functional portfolio
- Built for precision & predictable performance
Critical aspects when malt is the lead ingredient!
For anyone who also got to taste Galea-Midnight Masquerade (Mini-Imperial) stout at the event they will see the creativity and flair for flavour that Giovanni and Galea Craft beer produce.
Let us know about your malt flavour building projects!
