Best crystal malts for English Bitter

[Ingo]

What are the most common brands of crystal malts for English Bitter. My homebrew store only sells caramunich and I mostly brew enghlish bitters. Caramunich makes good beer but it's not exactly what I'm used to from english pubs.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I only use UK Crystal malts in British beer. I use Crisp Extra Light, Medium and Dark Crystal at a maximum of 5%. I use Special B in Belgian beers.

 

[Miraculix]

I agree with the above. Crisp makes great crystal. So does Simpsons and Thomas Fawcett. Each of them having their unique taste so you probably have to get each and decide for yourself which one you like best.

Imo, English crystal has it's unique taste which I haven't experienced from crystal from non-Uk maltsters.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I know a lot of UK home brewers dislike crystal malt but to me it is the quintessential ingredient for British non golden bitters but at only about 5%. Beers like TT Landlord do not use it as they are pale ales and get a bit of colour from black malt.

 

[Miraculix]

I agree on that as well.

Only the very low abv and/or very low fg UK ales can sometimes benefit from higher crystal percentages than 5%. But I also mainly stay with 5%. That plus some simple sugar/invert in the 5-10% range.

 

[user 246304]

What are the most common brands of crystal malts for English Bitter. My homebrew store only sells caramunich and I mostly brew enghlish bitters. Caramunich makes good beer but it's not exactly what I'm used to from english pubs.

Not really brewing or drinking beer any longer (diagnosed with a genetic disorder which explains a lot, and alcohol doesn't help. On a "we'll see for the future" basis), but I use only British crystal malts in my UK ales. Depending on what I'm looking for, like others, I highly recommend Crisp, Fawcett or Simpson.

 

[user 246304]

I agree on that as well.

Only the very low abv and/or very low fg UK ales can sometimes benefit from higher crystal percentages than 5%. But I also mainly stay with 5%. That plus some simple sugar/invert in the 5-10% range.

I'm in line you guys here as well, incl. the use of invert in most of my bitters (many of which have less than 5% crystal). I like Fuller's ESB, but am not always in the mood for what I have to think is it's higher use of crystal, 7% or so if I remember correctly. And if it's even that that lends that richer caramel quality (which I'm guessing may not be, at least not entirely - its yeast also comes into play?).

 

[AlexKay]

By and large, maltsters elsewhere haven’t figured out how to or don’t want to do what UK maltsters can do. No substitute for UK crystal.

And don’t forget Crystal wheat and rye. They are yum.

 

[Ingo]

Any of you know where I could order some of these brands and get delivered to Iceland?

 

[user 246304]

Any of you know where I could order some of these brands and get delivered to Iceland?

Can you order from the UK? If so, I've always enjoyed working with The Malt Miller.

edit: just confirmed, he is set up to ship to Iceland.

 

[Miraculix]

Can you order from the UK? If so, I've always enjoyed working with The Malt Miller.

edit: just confirmed, he is set up to ship to Iceland.

Best online Shop that I've ordered from so far.

 

[MaxStout]

I can't speak for UK or EU vendors (never dealt with any), but there are some in the US that will ship internationally.

MoreBeer carries Bairds, and does int'l shipping.

Farmhouse carries Crisp, and ships internationally.

Brew Hardware has Crisp UK crystal, but their international shipping is limited to a few countries, and no idea if Iceland is one of them. The company is owned by @Bobby_M, a HBT sponsor, so maybe you could send him a PM and ask if it's feasible.

No matter what, the shipping will be a killer, but being in Iceland, you've probably found that the case for many things. Check a few brew stores in various locations and see how the total price compares.

 

[user 246304]

Best online Shop that I've ordered from so far.

Yep, he's great. And that's even getting supplies shipped to me here in the States. Highly recommend him!

 

[Boilerbrew]

My not that local but I get there a couple times a year homebrew shop carries Simpsons Double Roasted Crystal (DRC), which I love. https://www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk/our-malts/simpsons-drc/

Maris Otter and 6% DRC is my best bitter recipe's malt bill. I love simple recipes.

 

[Ingo]

My not that local but I get there a couple times a year homebrew shop carries Simpsons Double Roasted Crystal (DRC), which I love. https://www.simpsonsmalt.co.uk/our-malts/simpsons-drc/

Maris Otter and 6% DRC is my best bitter recipe's malt bill. I love simple recipes.

You making ordinary bitter with that or stronger or maybe both?

 

[Boilerbrew]

You making ordinary bitter with that or stronger or maybe both?

A Best Bitter usually 1.048 OG

 

[AmarikinBrew]

A Best Bitter usually 1.048 OG

Mash temp/time and yeast attenuation percentage, and a report on any residual sweetness left by the DRC at that particular 6% percentage of grain bill plz! TIA

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Any of you know where I could order some of these brands and get delivered to Iceland?

Seems pointless getting them from the US, when you can just go to source and save paying for a trip across the Atlantic.

The Malt Miller are great, and more geared to international orders than most. They also have fun stuff like Brewlab yeast, although supplies can be a bit variable. They do tend to be on the expensive side, but that supports better service than others.

Otherwise, since Iceland is in EFTA, it may work better to buy from one of the bits of the EU that are close to the UK - the obvious one is Geterbrewed who straddle the UK/Irish border so are great at getting UK stuff into the EU and vice versa. Among other things they stock French & Jupps, who are a specialist crystal/roast maltster that many overseas may not have heard of.

Brouwland in Belgium is the usual starting place for recommendations in the EU, but as it happens they don't have a great selection - only Paul's from the UK which wouldn't be my first choice.

@Erik the Anglophile may have some more Scandinavian ideas??

 

[Boilerbrew]

Mash temp/time and yeast attenuation percentage, and a report on any residual sweetness left by the DRC at that particular 6% percentage of grain bill plz! TIA

OK since you asked, but with the obvious caveat that your mileage may vary.

This is essentially my attempt to reproduce the taste of a cask Fuller's London Pride type beer, without exactly being a clone, and since I'm kegging it as well. So a balance of mouthfeel, maltiness, and bitterness. Also as a reminder I'm keeping this simple so not a complex grain bill or hop additions.

Malts:
Maris Otter - 94%
Simpsons DRC - 6%

For water I use RO and Brewfather's Special Bitter style target profile.

I mash at 156 for 60 minutes because I'm targeting a higher FG. I use an Anvil Foundry and I started mashing this recipe at 148 but the beer finished too low and so I've landed here which I think gives it a wonderful softer mouthfeel for the style.

Hops:
Target at 60 minutes - 30 IBUs
East Kent Goldings at 5 minutes - 4 IBUs

Yeast:
WLP002 or WY1968 or Imperial Pub - fermented at 68 degrees F

OG - 1.048
FG - 1.013
Apparent Attenuation - 74%

Notes from my own experience and when I've entered this beer is that the malt is secondary to the bitterness but there in the background supporting. I

 

[HM-2]

My personal favourites:

Warminster Caramalt
Crisp Extra Light Crystal
Simpsons T50
Simpsons DRC

I'd use DRC in small quantities in an old ale or strong bitter but probably not in an ordinary or best. 5-7% Crystal T50 is my default for best bitters, but I do like a touch of Caramalt in them too.

Crisp Extra Light and T50 are somewhat interchangable but I get more toffee from T50 versus bit of stone fruit from Extra Light.

 

[G_robertus]

I agree Brouwland is not the best spot for English products, but they do ship to many places. Hopsishop carries Simpson's and ships internationally. So does Baltic Brew Supplies I think. Brewlution carries Crisp, but I don't think they ship to Iceland. You could always ask though as they're in Denmark. Amihopfen is another option perhaps, but also has expensive shipping. I'd look for European shops that carry English malts and see whether they ship to you and if you're willing to pay whatever they charge.

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

The ones I can think of are humle.se maltmagnus.se and olbryggning.se
All based in Sweden but I suppose shipping all the way to Iceland will add considerably to the total cost wherever you order from...

 

[Shenanigans]

If EU is less complicated (ie less customs fees and shipping costs) than the UK then you can try The Homebrew Company in Ireland.
They have a decent selection of UK crystal malts. I do know they have Fawcett, Simpson, Muntons and Crisp malts but they don't always say on their website from which UK malster each crystal is from; they just state the color. However, you can drop them an email to ask and they usually answer the same day.
There's also crystal from Minch, an Irish malster, but I'm not sure how that compares to the the others.
As far as I can see they are somehow linked to Paul's so maybe something similar to theirs.

https://www.thehomebrewcompany.ie/whole-caramel-malts-c-69_232_234.html

Amihopfen in Germany has Crisp and Fawcett malts but it's more expensive than The Homebew Company.
From Warminster they only have Crystal Rye but it's also expensive.

https://amihopfen.com/?lang=eng

Edit: I actually don't see Iceland listed on the delivery countries for either of those two suppliers so you would have to ask them if they deliver to you.