How to regulate maltiness of a beer

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dpaulbarrett

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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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?

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
 
Thanks, all. This is mostly just a hypothetical question for all future brewings, tastings, and discussions.
 
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.
You can also mash a bit of 2/6 row with your malt extract to break down some of the longer chain sugars in the extract.
 
Budweiser makes their beer less malty by using rice.
As mentioned before, some malts are more malty- aromatic, Munich, melanoidin come to mind.
Increased chloride makes beer more malty.
Some yeasts favor malty flavor, others reduce it and highlight hops.
 
Don't forget to take a look at your specialty grains as well. Perceived mouthfeel and malt presence are as important as mashing temperature, yeast strain, and simple sugars.
 
Adjust your OG by using less malt.
Adjust your FG by yeast strain, mash temp, use of sugar, specialty grain usage (lower crystal, etc.).
Adjust malt character by the types of malts used (base malt and specialty).
Balance with hop bitterness/flavor.
 

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