pym99
Active Member
I was looking for best bitter recipes that used darker crystal malts as part of the grain bill to better understand their flavor impact. I came across a recipe by Jamil Z. In BYO that was based on Sambrook’s Wandle, a London brewery’s best bitter that called for 5% of the malt bill to be English Extra Dark Crystal, the rest English Pale Ale: https://byo.com/recipe/a-stroll-by-the-wandle/
I was planning to brew this grain bill as written, but I recently picked up Simpson’s DRC (Double Roasted Crystal), which comes in at a lower Lovibond (100-120 L) compared with Simpson’s Extra Dark Crystal (150-160 L). Here is what Simpson’s has to say about DRC:
“This malt is at the darker end of our Caramel malt spectrum, however imparts a colour and an intense sweet malty aroma second to none which must be experienced to be believed. This new malt has the classic Simpsons Malt house feel and instantly breaks down in the palate once chewed. It has a distinctive aroma and flavour that is very complex and imparts a heavy, dark caramel taste with more subtle notes of burnt sugar, raisin, and dark dried fruits such as cherries and plums. It can also deliver some of the softer roasty notes of a chocolate or black malt but without the astringency or bitterness. Simpsons DRC™ will produce a deep brown colour with ruddy highlights and add body and foam stability like all caramel malts. Use it to brew traditional Belgian Abbey and Trappist Ales, Dubbels and Dark Strong Ales, but also try it in UK Brown Ales, Stouts, Porters and or any other dark beers, to add an extra layer of complexity. Colour: 280 - 320˚ EBC, 100 – 120˚ Lovibond.”
I’ve repeatedly tasted the Extra Dark and DRC over the last few days, and I am curious about how it would be in the Sambrook’s Wandle clone recipe, substituted for the Extra Dark Crystal at 5% of the grist.
Does anyone have experience using DRC in bitters or non-dark beers? I am a bit thrown by Simpson’s recommendation that it be used specifically in darker styles. Wouldn’t it be less harsh/Roasty/astringent than using a darker crystal malt?
I was planning to brew this grain bill as written, but I recently picked up Simpson’s DRC (Double Roasted Crystal), which comes in at a lower Lovibond (100-120 L) compared with Simpson’s Extra Dark Crystal (150-160 L). Here is what Simpson’s has to say about DRC:
“This malt is at the darker end of our Caramel malt spectrum, however imparts a colour and an intense sweet malty aroma second to none which must be experienced to be believed. This new malt has the classic Simpsons Malt house feel and instantly breaks down in the palate once chewed. It has a distinctive aroma and flavour that is very complex and imparts a heavy, dark caramel taste with more subtle notes of burnt sugar, raisin, and dark dried fruits such as cherries and plums. It can also deliver some of the softer roasty notes of a chocolate or black malt but without the astringency or bitterness. Simpsons DRC™ will produce a deep brown colour with ruddy highlights and add body and foam stability like all caramel malts. Use it to brew traditional Belgian Abbey and Trappist Ales, Dubbels and Dark Strong Ales, but also try it in UK Brown Ales, Stouts, Porters and or any other dark beers, to add an extra layer of complexity. Colour: 280 - 320˚ EBC, 100 – 120˚ Lovibond.”
I’ve repeatedly tasted the Extra Dark and DRC over the last few days, and I am curious about how it would be in the Sambrook’s Wandle clone recipe, substituted for the Extra Dark Crystal at 5% of the grist.
Does anyone have experience using DRC in bitters or non-dark beers? I am a bit thrown by Simpson’s recommendation that it be used specifically in darker styles. Wouldn’t it be less harsh/Roasty/astringent than using a darker crystal malt?
