Blackprinz vs Chocolate Malt vs Carafa I/II/III vs Roasted Barley

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Upthewazzu

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Recently, I've been getting into darker beers and I'm having a hard time figuring out what each of these black malts do. From what I've brewed so far, I think Chocolate malt and Carafa I & II are more or less the same thing. Carafa III and Roasted barley seem to be similar. I haven't used Blackprinz yet. Is this roughly correct? In an upcoming recipe, I want a darker SRM without the chocolate/toffee flavor. Which malt should I be using?
 
It's all roasted. The degrees Lovibond (ºL) will tell you how much its roasted. It will vary depending on the manufacturer. Just chocolate can have a 200ºL difference.
Blackprinz = debittered black malt. Used for color without adding the burnt bitterness flavor.
 
They are all roasted grains, but there are differences. Dark roasted grains can be roughly broken down into four categories: chocolate malt, black malt, "debittered" roast malt, and roasted barley. The degrees lovibond will tell you the approximate color of the malt.

- Chocolate Malts are pretty much what the name implies: generally they provide dark chocolate flavors with some supporting roast characters. Weyermann's Carafa (not carafa special) is simply their brand name for their chocolate malts and the I, II, III designation is their color. There are some minor difference between the three.

- Black Malt is more highly roasted than chocolate malt. Generally it is said to provide more coffee, roast, and some ashy flavors. It is generally used in smaller doses for color adjustment but can be used in larger percentages for stouts.

- Roasted barley is often roasted to a similar lovibond as black malt and provides many of the same flavors (some say it is slightly less ashy), the difference is that it is made out of unmalted barley. Roast barley is generally used in large amounts in stouts.

- "Debittered" roast malt is actually a separate category. These malts can span the color range from chocolate to black malt and have been processed in a way that removes a large amount of their roast character. The result is a malt that provides a lot of color with a relatively mild flavor. Weyermann's Carafa Special line and Blackprinz are debittered.

So, for color with less flavor, get a debittered (Blackprinz or Carafa Special malt).
 
I've been using a lot of Carafa Special II & III lately, I definitely get a chocolate/toffee flavor from them. It's quite strong, IMO. I'll give Blackprinz a shot next to see if it is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!
 
I've been using a lot of Carafa Special II & III lately, I definitely get a chocolate/toffee flavor from them. It's quite strong, IMO. I'll give Blackprinz a shot next to see if it is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!


I have switched over to blackprinz in my stouts and porters that use black patent . . . seems smoother (my tastebuds and others, fwiw) and the same black void color. Great stuff.
 
I have switched over to blackprinz in my stouts and porters that use black patent . . . seems smoother (my tastebuds and others, fwiw) and the same black void color. Great stuff.

I've always thought Blackprinz was essentially the same as Carafa Special. I haven't used Blackprinz, but have used the dehusked Carafa a few times. Have you noticed a difference switching to Blackprinz?
 
I've been using a lot of Carafa Special II & III lately, I definitely get a chocolate/toffee flavor from them. It's quite strong, IMO. I'll give Blackprinz a shot next to see if it is what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

Briess has some outstanding product information via .PDF file. You can find data on practically every product they market on their website - recommended usage amounts, sensory perception charts, Lovibond ratings .... Check it out, compare to the German Carafa, and decide.
 
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