Crystal / Caramel Malt
crystal vs caramel
With certain exceptions caramel malts are crystal malts, and the terms are often used interchangeably in the malting trade. Many producers especially English and Belgian, (such as Muntons, Simpsons, Hugh Baird, Crisp, Thomas Fawcett, Castle) refer to them as crystal malts, though some (Briess, Weyermann) call them caramel malt. Though there are unique house flavors particular to every specialty maltster and varietal (and quality differences of course), the truth is most caramel malts produced by the same method ……
There are, however, two distinct processes for producing caramel-type malts, namely kilning and roasting …..
Caramel malt is applied to both kiln and roaster produced caramel malts, but the term crystal malt is normally reserved for caramel malts produced in a roaster. …
all crystal malts are caramel (type) malts, but not all caramel malts are crystal malts…..
the caramelization stage of the process is quite rapid and takes place only during the last 15-20 minutes of the procedure. The green malt used for crystal/caramel production has not been kilned and can germinate further, depending upon how long it stands before roasting, adding yet further possible variations. ….
On the other hand, the term “caramel malt” can also refer to malts dried in a kiln, rather than being roasted. These malts have been treated at much lower temperatures than that of crystal malts as well as more variable temperatures due to a larger surface area. …. Therefore, unlike true roasted caramel malts, kilned caramel malt is not homogeneous, and a significant proportion of the kernels from it will not have the same glassy appearance as the roasted caramels. The kiln-dried versions will have some candy-like caramel flavor but will also be “adulterated” with the intense, malty flavor of high temperature kilned malt. …
Depending upon the degree of roasting, roasted caramels will have candy, nutty, or even raisin-like flavors; kiln-dried caramels may show some of these flavors, but to a lesser extent, and they will be masked by the grainy malty notes from the grains, which have not been caramelized …
Caramelization is a term used to describe interactions between sugars under the influence of heat. This is really pyrolysis of sugars, and does not involve nitrogen compounds, as occurs with the so-called Maillard reactions, which more commonly occur in kilning of malt. Thus true caramelization is responsible for much of the color and flavor associated with crystal malt. These flavors are “pure” candy-like caramel flavors since they are subjected to a shorter and more complete conversion time as well as a controlled and rapid increase to high temperatures during the roasting process. Crystal malts have been through a truer caramelization process than a kilned caramel has, and therefore will have flavor attributes similar to candy such as caramel and toffee. …. These clean, sweet candy like flavors present themselves unadulterated by biscuity, bready or other baked flavors more associated with the Maillard reaction and kilned caramel malts.
https://www.brewingwithbriess.com/blog/is-it-crystal-or-caramel-malt/
TLDR...
Crystals have more of a candy sweetness. Caras tend to be more biscuity tasting and less sweet.