Mixing crystal malts

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JawnnyO

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I have about a kilo each of crystal 20 and crystal 160. Could I do a mix of both to get say crystal 40 or 60? Thanks
 
It doesn't really quite work that way. I've tried it and just get the flavors of the individual malts.

Dumb comparison but say you combine a piece of burnt toast and a piece of untoasted bread. When you put it together, it doesn't taste like a lightly toasted slice.

Depending on what you are making, a mix of those might be interesting to try. But if it's an important ingredient you might want to get the right one to start with.
 
I would agree. They are too far apart. if they were closer together it would be a way to make a somewhat "reasonable" substitute.
 
Dumb comparison but say you combine a piece of burnt toast and a piece of untoasted bread. When you put it together, it doesn't taste like a lightly toasted slice.



but if you were making bread pudding, you could use just a touch of the burnt bread for flavor! and the color of the pudding would be right?
 
Roughly speaking, flavor profiles from Briess' website...

Lighter crystal malts (20L)- "Candy-like sweetness, mild caramel"
Light-medium crystal malts produce (40L) - "Sweet, caramel, toffee"
Medium crystal malts (60L) - "Sweet, pronounced caramel"
Dark-medium crystal malts (80L) - "Pronounced caramel, slight burnt sugar, raisiny"
Dark crystal malts (120L) - "Pronounced caramel, burnt sugar, raisiny, prunes"

As mentioned, while the blending of crystal malts may lead to the same beer color, the flavors within the crystals malts will still come through. Using 160L crystal which is very dark, so your numbers may be EBC, will impart raisiny, burnt sugar, flavors in your beer despite blending it with 20L.
 
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