CaraAmber from Weyermann

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straylight77

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Does anyone have any experience using this malt? I've found so much conflicting info on it. Can I steep it (i.e. is it a "Crystal/Carmamel" malt) or does it need a mash? For now I'm stuck doing extract brewing.

I wanted to try something new for a Pale Ale / Amber recipe. Any comments on flavours, colour, amount to use, etc?
 
Yeah, that's what I thought too. Then I see other comments like this:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/weyerman-caraamber-biscuit-question-rant-84154/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/cara-munich-160260/index2.html

There's more than just those two, those are what I found with a quick search. Then just as many saying it's fine for steeping. I'll admit, I'm still a noob but still ... not sure why there's so much confusion on this.

Because Crystal malt is a trademark (I think), Weyerman chose to call their caramel malt, "cara amber". As far as I know it's the same or nearly so.
 
Yeah, I think Weyerman just likes to trademark names. Their whole line of CaraXXX are supposed to their product names for their crystal malts. I have treated all the ones I've used that way with expected results. I don't have time to read all those threads, but the first scan it seems there is confusion by OP between Biscuit (or Amber malt - mash req) and Caraamber which is crystal/caramel amber (or biscuit) malt, which can be steeped.

Originally there was one ring er... Crystal, which was similar to Crystal 40L used a lot in UK. Caramel malts were originally coined for a softer grain (Crystal has those crystals yaknow?) and often had rye or wheat with a pronounced caramel flavor and less sweet, but that was then, now they are practically used interchangeably. Both are converted so can be steeped, but the terms are not regulated or anything. When the few companies providing these special malts started they used trade names or local colloquialisms. As things have progressed things have become (a little) more standardized. So I assume cara=crystal=caramel unless the maltster says different.

So basically two original, similar grains Crystal and Caramel grew into the tons we have today and have merged.
 
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