What is Acid Malt?

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tbone

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I am looking at a few recipes for Guinness and some call for Acid Malt. I looked on Northern Brewer and didn't find that term. What is it? And does it go by a different name? thanks
 
Not sure but this is on AHS's site:
Acid Malt (Sour) [00634]

Acid Malt (Sour)


The lactic acids on the outside of the grain gives the malt a slightly sour taste. It is often used in pilsners, wheat beers, and other light beers. Acid malt may be used to lower the mash pH. Reduction of wort pH leads to a better working mash, intensified fermentation, lighter color, improved flavor stability, and a "well-rounded" beer flavor.
1.7-3.2 L
 
It's sometimes called "sauer(sp) malt" as well.

The recipe calls for it to give the beer that characteristic Guinness "tang". (Guinness does this by added a small amount of stale/spoiled Guinness to the batch)
 
Acid malt is often seen as an ingredient in Guinness style stout recipes to add that mysterious "tang". Acid malt is German pilsner malt that has been sprayed with lactic acid for use to balance the pH of a mash. I can only believe that any "tang" it supplies to homebrewed Guinness clones is via the placebo effect.
 
I can only believe that any "tang" it supplies to homebrewed Guinness clones is via the placebo effect.

I dunno. I added 4oz to a 5gallon batch I did recently. I don't know if it was the farmhouse yeast or the acid malt, but there is a subtle but definite (and very enjoyable) tang to it. I had totally forgotten the acid malt was in it when I tasted it, so don't think it was a placebo effect.

It was so good that today's batch is going to be a repeat.
 
Acid malt is the opposite of Base malt.:D

Seriously, though, I think the intention of acid malt is to lower the pH of the mash in higher pH water. It's a way German brewers can do it without breaking the Reinheitsgebot. As for adding flavor, I doubt it, but don't know for sure.

Here's a definition I found on some university website:
A malt high in the phytase enzyme, which breaks down phytin into phytic acid, thus lowering the mash pH. Typically only used in Germany, where the Reinheitsgebot prevents brewers from using food-grade acids to do the same thing.
 
Recently I experimented with the acid malt in one of my stout recipes and purposely used a little extra to find out what it would change. It is clear that the finished product has a "twang" or acidic taste to it by adding only a couple extra ounces to an 11 gallon batch.
 
Actually it's real name is sauermalz. The bags from Weyermann sometimes say Acid Malt when they include the English.
 
Acid malt is often seen as an ingredient in Guinness style stout recipes to add that mysterious "tang". Acid malt is German pilsner malt that has been sprayed with lactic acid for use to balance the pH of a mash. I can only believe that any "tang" it supplies to homebrewed Guinness clones is via the placebo effect.

:rockin: That's right. It's used by German brewers to adjust malt PH without chemicals.
 
Acid malt is often seen as an ingredient in Guinness style stout recipes to add that mysterious "tang". Acid malt is German pilsner malt that has been sprayed with lactic acid for use to balance the pH of a mash. I can only believe that any "tang" it supplies to homebrewed Guinness clones is via the placebo effect.
Question: Per Reinheitsgebot they can't add lactic acid to the mash but it's OK to add lactic acid to the malt, then mash it? Or do they somehow let the lacto bacteria make the lactic acid during malting?

EDIT: my question arises from an apparent conflict: 1) I've read acid malt is/was used to adjust mash pH while still complying with Reinheitsgebot and 2) seems adding lactic acid to the malt before mashing is about the same as adding it later, i.e. not Reinheitsgebot. But if the lacto do it it's all good.
 
Question: Per Reinheitsgebot they can't add lactic acid to the mash but it's OK to add lactic acid to the malt, then mash it? Or do they somehow let the lacto bacteria make the lactic acid during malting?

EDIT: my question arises from an apparent conflict: 1) I've read acid malt is/was used to adjust mash pH while still complying with Reinheitsgebot and 2) seems adding lactic acid to the malt before mashing is about the same as adding it later, i.e. not Reinheitsgebot. But if the lacto do it it's all good.

I believe the lactic acid is produced naturally during the malting process from the existing lactobacillus on the barley, so I guess that meets the Reinheitsgebot. Here's an excerpt from an answer on Weyermann's website FAQs:

Weyermann Acidulated Malt is produced by using lactic acid, which is generated by on grain natural occurring lactic bacteria.

So, that seems similar to force-carbing a beer under the Reinheitsgebot... technically it's OK if it's done with CO2 produced from fermentation.
 
I have seen some ppl use soured beer in place of this, I need to go re-find the recipe that looked like it would produce a real close version of guinness. One of those I'll get around to brewing it at some point beers, but if you google "Guinness clone soured beer" you can see how if you are interested.
 
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