Crushed Brown Malt

Brown malt is a roasted speciality malt. It has a strong, dark-toasted grain flavour, which is slightly nutty with a hint of bitter chocolate. Brown malt imparts dark amber to light brown colouring. It is used in traditional English ale styles and is an essential ingredient for traditional porters.

Brown malt was so-called because it was relatively browner than the other malts and produced a brownish beer. The original brown malt had enough enzymatic activity to convert itself and was used for centuries as the base of many beer styles.

During the mid-Nineteenth Century, brown malt was still widely used but was being specifically employed for its character (e.g. as a speciality grain) rather than its fermentable product. Pale malt became more popular due to its efficiency and cost but Brown malt is making a come back.