There is an extremely wide variety of grain available to the homebrewer. Different malting and kilning procedures provide a tremendous variety of different flavours available to the homebrewer. The wonderful thing about some of these grains is that they can be used by straight kit brewers, recipe extract brewers, and all-grain brewers alike.

What to Add

For kit brewers who want to spice up their brews a bit, deciding which grains to add to which type of beer is extremely easy. In general, the addition of 250g to 500g (1/2lb to 1lb) Crystal Malt to just about any extract-based kit or recipe will greatly improve the head of the final beer, as well as the flavour profile in general. Use a very light crystal malt for very light beers, or perhaps instead use a newer product known as Carafoam - 50g-250g in a 20 litre / 5 US gallon batch. For darker beers like UK-style Brown Ales and Stouts, or German Bocks and their derivatives, the addition of 75g to 125g (1/8lb to 1/4lb) of Chocolate Malt will work wonders in a similar fashion. For these darker beers, you can even use an additional 250g of Crystal Malt.

For intermediate brewers who are using the simple steep method of using grains in their beer, the choices are very similar to those of a kit brewer. Chocolate and roast malts will be used in various combinations for darker beers, and crystal and caramel malts will be used in many other types of beer for added flavour and colour.

For those extract brewers who decide to use the pseudo mash method of using grains in their beer, the world opens up to using the same wide range of grains used by all grain brewers, and so the decision on which grains to use becomes more a matter of experience and personal taste. Obviously certain beer styles will use specific ingredients, but even here there is a fair bit of leeway which will leave a lot up to the brewer to decide. The best way to know which grains to use is simply to experiment from one batch to the next, and keep good notes.

For more details on what you can add to a specific type of beer, check out our Beer Styles Chart.

How to Use Your Grains

Well, if you are planning on doing all-grain brewing, then you want to check out our section on mashing. If you want to use grains in extract brewing, we've actually got the details over on this page, so go have a peek there. This is the best part of the whole thing ... it's so easy to do! And many of the grains can be used by extract brewers and all-grainers alike.

The Various Grains

The first thing you have to know about using grains is that they get divided up into the categories of Malted vs Unmalted. Unmalted grains are just the normal stuff that most of us see in the store everyday. Rolled Oats, Wheat Flakes, Cream of Wheat Cereal, Corn Grits, that sort of thing. To malt a grain, you take the unaltered kernel (or seed) and soak it in warm water for a couple of days, which causes the seed to germinate. You then allow this germination to proceed to a certain degree, which develops natural enzymes within the grain itself. The germination is then halted by means of kilning (drying) the grain. In most cases the kiln temperature is not high enough to denature (kill) the enzymes, and indeed brewers rely on this because part of our procedure is to reactive the enzymes in order to convert all the starches into sugars. Starch bad. Sugar good. Those are two short but very meaningful sentences in brewing.

You should feel free to use both malted and unmalted grains, but you really should understand the rules in doing so. Unmalted grains can only be used in conjunction with malted grains. Otherwise the starches in the unmalted grain do not get converted to sugar, and so the starches end up in your beer. Starch in beer provides for a feeding frenzy for beer spoiling bacteria, thus dramatically increasing your chances of infection. As I mentioned : starch bad, sugar good.

The category of malted grains is further divided into those grains which have enzyme-power, and those which don't. Along with this, we also have some malted grains which - for varying reasons - no longer contain any starch, while most malted grains still do. Grains with starches absolutely must be mashed - that is they must be soaked in hot water at 149F to 160F for about 45 minutes in order to convert the starch to sugar. Only grains with enzyme power have the capability to do this conversion, and generally speaking you have to use at least twice as much enzymatic grain as you do unmalted grain.

Grains that do not have starches are the only ones which can be used by kit and extract brewers who do not wish to use a pseudo mash.

Unmalted

The following is a partial list of unmalted grains which are typically used by homebrewers. With the exception of Roasted Barley these grains must absolutely be mashed with enzymatic grains in order to convert their starches to sugars. Do not under any circumstances use these without doing so. In addition to this, depending upon what form your grain comes in, you may first have to cook it very well before using it in order to gelatinize the starches, thus making them available to the enzymes. For example, flaked wheat does not have to be pre-cooked, but raw wheat berries do. Cook the grains in water, and just boil the heck out of them. Do not drain of the water, as it has valuable starches in it which we want to convert to sugar.

Unmalted Grains

Name	C	M	Pts	Comment
corn grits/meal	Y	Y	40	similar to flaked corn
corn starch	Y	Y	42	far more neutral than other forms of corn
cream of wheat	N	Y	38	similar to flaked wheat
flaked barley	N	Y	32	positive effect on head, often described as giving a "crisp" flavour to beer. Popular for Northern-German style Pilsners (though it does not adhere to Reinheitsgebot), as well as Stouts. In small amounts has positive effect on most beers.
flaked corn	N	Y	40	not quite as neutral as rice. Adds a pleasant sweetness. Used in Cream Ale and pre-prohibition beers
flaked oats	N	Y	33	Gives a slightly nutty flavour to beer. Very sticky when mashing, and often leads to a stuck runoff and hazy beer if used in excess. Popular in stouts and other darker beers. 1 to 3 percent of grist improves head on any beer without risk of haze or stuck mashes.
flaked wheat	N	Y	34	used for head retention, but can cause haziness which is actually desired in some styles like Belgian Wit
hard wheat berries	Y	Y	38	similar to flaked wheat
potato	Y	Y	10	very neutral, similar to rice. Not common, but makes good beer. Not a grain, but worth mention in this context.
puffed rice	N	Y	35	similar to plain rice. Simply add directly to the mash
pumpkin	Y	Y	20	obviously this isn't a grain, but it is popular in Halloween and Christmas beers, and otherwise falls into this category since it must absolutely be mashed
rice	Y	Y	35	very neutral in almost all regards, used to raise alcohol content and thin beer
roasted barley	N	N	28	Similar to black patent malt but has not been malted. Used in most stouts. High kiln temperatures have destroyed the starches, so can be used without mashing.
soft wheat berries	N	Y	40	similar to flaked wheat

• C needs to be cooked to gelatinize starches
• M needs to be mashed
• Pts points per pound per gallon

Malted

There are several useful terms which are generally applied to malted grains. A malted grain is considered a "base grain" if it has enough enzymatic power to convert all of it's starches into sugars. If this is the case, the grain can be used as most or even all of the grain in a given recipe. It is also useful to know whether or not a particular grain still has unconverted starches in it. Though most do, there are some which - for varying reasons - have no more starches in them. It is only the grains without starches which can be used without the need to mash. This point cannot be overemphasized.

Malted Grains

Name	M	B	Pts	Comment
2 Row	Y	Y	36	Although just about any type of malt can be made out of '2 Row', the term most often refers to a domestic 2 Row Lager Malt. Can range in colour and character between Pilsener Malt and Pale Ale Malt, so check the malt analysis. Though usually is closer to Pilsener. Can convert as much as 20% extra starches in addition to it's own weight. Very light colour.
6 Row	Y	Y	35	Most common base malt in the USA. Even higher enzyme power than 2 Row to convert even more starches, and also more husk material to help when mashing oats, pumpkin or other stickier grains. Very light colour. Grainier, somewhat less-refined flavour than similarly-malted 2 Row. Essential for some historic styles like Cream Ale.
Acid Malt	Y	N	37	a.k.a. Acidulated Malt or common by the German name Sauermalz or Sauermalt. pH-lowering bacteria are encouraged to grow on this malt to give German brewers a means to lower the mash pH while still adhering to the Reinheitsgebot. The amount required can vary considerable by the maltster so be sure to check the manufacturer's recommendations.
Biscuit	N	N	34	A toasted malt that is most often described as lending fresh-baked biscuit and bread flavours to beer. Common in Belgian beers but can be used in just about anything from 5% to 15% of the grain bill.
Black Patent	N	N	28	Extremely dark malt, can be harsh even in moderate amounts (1/2 lb). Again, high kiln temperatures burn off the starch.
Carafa I	N	N	30	Although there are husked and dehusked Carafa malts, use of the term 'Carafa' in North America normally refers to the dehusked variety - when in doubt, check! Removing the husk takes away a tremendous amount of astringency leaving a very smooth chocolatey/coffee flavour behind. Use in any recipe in place of chocolate malt for a smoother beer.
Carafa II	N	N	30	Like Carafa I only darker due to higher kiln temps.
Carafa III	N	N	30	Like Carafa II only darker due to higher kiln temps. More akin to a dehusked Black Patent than Chocolate.
Carafoam	N	N	33	Used in small amounts to increase the head on a lighter beer like Pilsener or Koelschy. Improves mouthfeel adding a smoothness. We've seen it said that Carafoam can put an inch of head onto an apple cider, which is no small feat.
Carapils	Y	N	28	Most brands of Carapils do not actually need to be mashed, but Briess says that theirs does. So we've listed it here as 'need to be mashed' to err on the safe side.
Carastan	Y	N	28	Similar flavour characteristics to Crystal Malt.
Chocolate	N	N	30	Used in most dark colour beers. Dark, but much smoother than black patent, but not as smooth as Carafa. High kiln temperatures burn off all the starches
Crystal	N	N	24	Crystal malt is one of the most widely used grains. Especially in kit and extract brewing, the addition of a small amount (1/4 lb) can greatly improve the flavour of the beer. There is no starch in CM because the malting process is allowed to proceed much further than with most other grains, and the starches are converted to sugars right there and then. Kilning crystallizes the sugars, giving name to the malt.
Harrington	Y	Y	35	Harrington is a malting barley cultivar that has largely replaced the Klages cultivar in making various domestic malts. The cultivar does not say anything about the type of malt produced from it, though recipes that (somewhat misguidedly) specify "Harrington" are really asking for a domestic North American 2 Row Lager malt.
Honey Malt	Y	Y	30	Cutting off oxygen during the malting process produces a malt with very distinct honey flavours. Although this has enough enzymes to convert all of its own starches, it is usually recommended to use at most 25% of your grain bill.
Klages	Y	Y	35	Klages is a malting barley cultivar that was used widely in 80's and 90's but has been largely replaced with Harrington Malt. The cultivar does not say anything about the type of malt produced from it, though recipes that (somewhat misguidedly) specify "Klages" are really asking for a domestic North American 2 Row Lager malt.
Lager Malt	Y	Y	36	Usually made from 2 Row malting barley. Extremely light coloured and flavoured malt is used for a variety of beer styles including Pilsener, Koelsch, and many domestic North American beers.
Marris Otter	Y	Y	38	Marris Otter is a 2 Row barley cultivar used by numerous maltsters to make a Pale Ale Malt. Generally low in protein, moderate diastatic power, higher in extract and light coloured. But all of these characteristics can depend on the maltster so be sure to check their malt analysis sheet.
Munich	Y	Y	36	Most often thought of as a Specialty Malt and most often used in smaller quantities, but makes terrific beer as a base malt. Similar to Vienna but slightly darker. Able to convert an extra 10% of its weight in other starches.
Oat Malt	Y	Y	35	Malted oats add similar flavours as unmalted oats like rolled oats : subtle nutty flavours and improved head retention. Oat haze may be reduced with malted oats vs unmalted, though we've never had problems using unmalted. Enough diastatic enzyme power to be used as a base malt but flavour-wise even 20% in the grain bill can be extreme. We use oats of some form or another in just about everything for better head.
Pale Ale	Y	Y	36	Best choice for UK or Belgian Ales. Similar enzyme power to 2 Row, though slightly less. Slightly darker in colour as well
Pilsener Malt	Y	Y	36	See Lager Malt
Smoked Malt	Y	Y	37	Also commonly referred to by the German name Rauchmalz. The level of smokiness can vary by manufacturer, as can the enzymatic power. Most Rauchmalz on the market is used at 10% to 20% of the grist. Start low in your first batch and adjust from there.
Special B	N	N	30	A darker crystal malt often associated with Belgian beers. A smooth roasty flavour often described as 'raisiny'. Almost a cross between dark crystal and very light huskless carafa, but not quite. Use up to 4oz / 110g in a regular 5 US gallon / 20 litre batch.
Vienna	Y	Y	36	Most often thought of as a Specialty Malt and most often used in smaller quantities, but makes terrific beer as a base malt. Similar to Munich but slightly lighter. Slightly darker than 2 Row and able to convert an extra 10% of its weight in other starches.
Wheat	Y	Y	38	Since it does not have husk material, cannot be used as a base malt without the use of rice hulls or some other means to provide a proper runoff. Positive head retention, though can cause haziness.

• M needs to be mashed
• B base malt
• Pts points per pound per gallon