Crushed Crystal Malt?

1.)What is its purpose?
2.)When I steep it for 20 minutes the wort turns to an amber. Can I steep it for 10 to produce a lighter color?
3.)Do I really need the crushed crystal malt?

I started my 2nd batch today. Brewers Best "American Micro Pale Ale." My Oktoberfest is progressing along nicely. I was just curious about the use of the crystal malt.

Thanks for the help,
Skippy

1) Crystal malt is steeped for color, flavor, body, and mouthfeel; almost all recipes call for some of it.

2) No, you still need to steep for 20 minutes but crystal comes in many different colors, just pick a lighter variety (although the amber color is more pronounced in the kettle than it will be in the glass).

3) Most styles call for some crystal; in my opinion, I wouldn't brew without it.

Those kits are designed to give you a specific color and flavor, so I'd go ahead and just use them as is. I also use crystal in alot of my own recipes and it makes a big difference! Crystal/caramel malt comes in degrees lovibond from 10L to 120L and gives different colors and flavors depending on the one you choose. Here's some interesting reading on them: http://byo.com/referenceguide/grains/

Learning about and using specialty malts is one of easiest ways to improve your beer!

Crystal malts add color and a slight sweetness to the finished beer. You should follow your kit's instructions for steeping time. In the future, if you want a lighter color choose a crystal malt with a lower lovibond rating. Crystal ranges from 10L to 120L, which simply indicate the amount of kilning the grain has undergone and the amount of color you can expect to get out of it, with 10L being the lightest. And, as with any grain, you need to crush it to maximize the extraction of color and expose the starches of the kernel for efficient mashing. Good luck with your beer!