dpaulbarrett

Recipes 

This may sound like (and may be) a stupid question, but what actually makes a beer more or less malty, when malted grain makes up the vast majority of beer? If I wanted to brew a beer that was "less malty," how would I do so? "Adding hops" doesn't really answer it, because you're not decreasing the maltiness, just masking it. Would adding sugar do it, in that this would ferment down and dry the beer out? Again, maybe a dumb question, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

hoppyhoppyhippo

Recipes 

Are you brewing grain or extract? If you're brewing grain, Mashing at lower temps creates a light body beer which makes for more fermentable sugars and a "dryer" beer.

If you're doing extract I'm not 100% sure. You could try adding corn sugar or table sugar. They're almost 100% fermentable so they create a dryer tasting beer.

scubasteve03

Recipes 

there are a lot of variables you could change depending on the way you brew (AG or extract) and the recipes themselves. Lower mash temps or even grain bills for AG. Extract would be just like hoppyhoppyhippo said. Adding corn or cane sugar would create a higher abv and dryer beer.

chri5

Recipes 

Mash at a lower temperature.

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mthompson

Recipes 

On the other side, to increase maltiness mouth feel I usually add some carapils/dextrine to my mash.

I've often found my lighter beers to be thin tasting, added a bit of carapils to the next batch and they are better.

What are you trying to brew?

MT

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hercher

Recipes 

Maltiness is created by using more malt, and using malts that add unfermentable sugars. Crystal or caramel malts, Munich, Vienna, Biscuit all add varying degrees of maltiness.

Adding more hops does not mask the maltiness, it merely offsets, or balances it. If you wish to enhance the malt profile, you want to brew a style that features fewer hops.

Adding sugar will not enhance this quality, as they serve only to boost alcohol.

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mthompson

Recipes 

Maltiness is mouthfeel derived from a number of compounds in the wort; mostly longer chain polysaccharides like dextrines, but also many other compounds.

Here's a discussion on the topic that is more in depth.


MT

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MT
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Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. - Psalm 69:1

dpaulbarrett

Recipes 

Thanks, all. This is mostly just a hypothetical question for all future brewings, tastings, and discussions.

gmcapone

Recipes 

Using brewing salts can increase maltiness as well. Sulfate increases hop flavor and chloride increases malt flavor. Having a good ratio can really improve your beer and give you another level of control.
http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-1.html

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HopHoarder

Recipes 

You could also use a higher attenuating yeast like Nottingham to reduce the maltiness

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