After reading that article, I’m not sure I understand.
Crystal malt is roasted malt that has a glassy appearance all of the way through the kernel.
Caramel malt is kilned malt where a certain percentage of the kernel has a glassy appearance, but the rest of the kernel and even some full kernels are kilned similar to Vienna or Munich, simply because the process isn’t as complete as the crystal roasting process.
Am I understanding this correctly?
What they say there is:
“The basic information you need to know to differentiate these two malts is this: Caramel malt is applied to both kiln and roaster produced caramel malts, but the term crystal malt is normally reserved for caramel malts produced in a roaster. Logically, the term crystal malt should be reserved to describe malts that are truly crystal in that they exhibit even and consistent crystal like, glassy kernels which is possible only by roasting. If we accept this terminology as being appropriate, then it should be realized that all crystal malts are caramel (type) malts, but not all caramel malts are crystal malts.”
So, kilned-produced malts are always caramel malts but roaster-produced malts are either Crystal malts or caramel malts, depending on the extent of even and consistent glassiness (which only comes from roasting). Now the hard part - pick out the difference in taste!
if you get some british caramel malt and some crystal malt and split a grain open. the crystal malt will be brittle and glassy while the caramel malt will be softer and a little gummy or toffee like.
crystal/caramel malts are next in line after munich in my home malting experiments.
There was an article in BYO recently that covered the differences, IIRC.
And I’m waiting with great interest to hear the details of said home malting experiments.
Early reports will begin rolling in shortly ;D
As there is in Experimental Homebrewing.
Am I going to buy that one?
Of course!
Thanks! I think you’ll enjoy it!
Lot of meta-discussion but from the one or two posts which address the question, I believe I understand correctly. Someone mentioned a gummy or soft interior which makes sense when talking about caramel.
That is not quite what the article is saying, but instead what the difference is between a kilned caramel malt and a roasted caramel malt. Read ynotbrewsomes quotes again. Here is another quote form the article which should also help. This is in the BYO form November 2013
“They are not different, of course, for with certain exceptions caramel malts are crystal malts, and the terms are often used interchangeably in the malting trade. Many producers especially English and Belgian, (such as Muntons, Simpsons, Hugh Baird, Crisp, Thomas Fawcett, Castle) refer to them as crystal malts, though some (Briess, Weyermann) call them caramel malt. Though there are unique house flavors particular to every specialty maltster and varietal (and quality differences of course), the truth is most caramel malts produced by the same method have very similar flavor at the equivalent Lovibond color. This is because the flavors produced are mainly a function of the process.”