Brewing beer is a scientific process where raw materials are converted through microbial activities and enzymatic reactions for forming the brew. Conventionally, beer is made with four primary ingredients – malted cereals, water, hop, and yeast. All such elements contribute to the taste and aroma of the beer.
Since malt is the main ingredient needed for producing beer, you need to choose the best one when brewing your own. Usually, Belgian malts are of the finest quality. These malts are ideal for activating enzymes in grains for hydrolyzing other compounds and starch available in kernels for mashing.
Here are Some Essential Things you Need to Know About Different Belgian Malts:
Château Special Belgium Malt:
The finest Château Special Belgium Malt is essential for producing deep red coloured or dark brown-black beverages. This beer malt brings distinct flavours and aromas that make it a powerhouse speciality malt. Moreover, it is useful in offering an intense raisin-like taste with malty, rich flavour with a hint of nut and plum. You can even substitute it with Chocolate and Black malt.
Pale Ale Malt:
Whether in the UK, North America or Belgium, beer lovers are choosy about their malt usage. The Pale Ale Malt is often produced with all these things in mind. This low-nitrogen, low-protein malt is developed to offer minimal SMM levels. Its modification degree is further observed by chewing its soft kernels, such as marshmallows.
Château Arôme Malt:
The Château Arôme Malt is unique Belgian aromatic and organic malt. It has a high germination temperature that usually kilns 115 °C, which provides a rich aroma and malty flavour to amber and dark lager beers. This malt with diastatic power imparts smooth bitterness than the traditional coloured malts.
Wheat Malt:
Wheat malt has been a well-known malt in North America, Belgium and Central Europe for many decades. Both amateur and professional brewers produce this specific malt in North America. There are many popular beers made from Wheat Malt. It has led to a new beer style, which is called “wheat ales.” One main reason for wheat beers’ popularity is that they are known to brew premium quality domestic wheat beers. Moreover, the perfect wheat malt is usually imported from UK and Germany. The varieties from Belgium are also suggested for creating some of the fine-quality brews.
Château Abbey Malt:
The popular Château Abbey Malt is a toasted form of pale malt. It is ideal for offering a strong taste of nuts, cooked fruit, and bread. It has a bitter taste that usually depends on the ageing of the malt. Hence, it has quite an intense flavor. This particular malt is unique and is often used in a small proportion for beer production. However, you need to store this malt in a clean, pest-free environment. If all these conditions are observed, it is recommended to mill its products in three months. You can use the whole kernel products 24 months from their manufacturing date.
Conclusion
The special Belgian malts offer quality brew, which varies greatly from its North American and British counterparts. This is the reason why most brewers prefer distinct Castle Malting malt coming from Belgium.