Intentional Caramelization does what?

mtbfan101 · 02-07-2012, 05:58 PM

Hey everybody,

I have briefly read some material on intentional caramelization, and I would like to know what exactly it accomplishes. Does this make the sugars less fermentable, giving the beer more body, or does this simply impart a caramel flavor in the beer?

One last question, what style of beer would you recommend using this technique for? I'm pretty interested in this, and I might do some experimenting with it.

Thanks a lot,

Pat

**weirdboy** · 02-07-2012, 06:03 PM

You get more caramel/melanoiden flavor for sure. I am not sure about fermentability...the beers I have done with lots of kettle caramelization have been relatively higher FG by design anyway, so it is hard for me to say. My intuition says that they probably don't ferment as well, but I have never done a side-by-side experiment or anything.

For appropriate styles, try any of the Scottish ales (category 9 in BJCP).

**Reno_eNVy** · 02-07-2012, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbfan101

Does this make the sugars less fermentable, giving the beer more body, or does this simply impart a caramel flavor in the beer?

It does both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtbfan101

One last question, what style of beer would you recommend using this technique for? I'm pretty interested in this, and I might do some experimenting with it.

English beers tend to have this, and Scottish ales definitely.

**TopherM** · 02-07-2012, 06:09 PM

Just be careful with it. Tryng to intentionally carmelize sugars can easily turn into BURNING sugar with an associated burnt taste.

**Paul07293** · 02-07-2012, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TopherM

Just be careful with it. Tryng to intentionally carmelizesugars can easily turn into BURNING sugar with an associated burnt taste.

^ This +1. Kettle caramelization can also create butterscotch flavors that some will invariably think is diacetyl, although they are very appropriate flavors for scottish ales

**GilaMinumBeer** · 02-07-2012, 06:23 PM

One of the best applications for this intentional scorching is done for a Scottish Ale.

And the best approach to this I have seen to date involved heating the kettle to near red hot while holding runnings in a separate bucket. Once the dry kettle came to temp the wort was quickly dumped into the kettle. The result was a flash carmelization and nothing stuck to the bottom of the kettle.

Personally, I'd worry how much of this kind of temperature shock the kettle could take but, the beer was lovely.

mtbfan101 · 02-07-2012, 07:58 PM

Wow, thanks guys! I couldn't find too much on this topic in the search portal, so hopefully this will help satisfy future researches like it has me!