Caramel & Crystal + 40L & 60L What's the difference?

[salnajjar]

I'm making notes of recipes I want to try and some are listing one of the grains as Caramel/Crystal, also some ask for 40L and others for 60L.

So, am I right in assuming that generic crystal malt is interchangable with caramalt? This seems odd as one has an EBC of around 110 and the other around 20.

Also, what does the L mean? one recipe asks for 40L and other for 60L, does it make much of a difference?

Thanks for any help.

Seri

[MightyMouth]

L means Lovabond and is a very old method of comparing the colour using tinted glass. SRM is a newer method which is approximately the same as Lovabond but uses a bit of technology to measure the colour rather than comparing the colour to tinted glass. EBC is measured the same way as SRM but using slightly different equipment.

EBC is approximately 2xSRM and Lovabond so if your recipe calls for 60L you want 120EBC.

[salnajjar]

So then one that's asking for 40L would want 80EBC (roughly)? In which case I'm guessing I can fudge it with using the 120EBC for both?

I'm also guessing this answers my question about Caramal/Crystal as I would use the one with the closest EBC...

Thanks again

Seri

[MightyMouth]

You could do that, the beer will turn out a little darker than expected.

[salnajjar]

So, should I mix 120EBC Crystal and 20EBC Caramel to bring it down to the right range? I figure a 2:1 ratio of 20EBC to 120EBC would bring it out at 80EBC total (40L).

Would this work?

Thanks

Seri

[MightyMouth]

It would probably work for the colour aspect but I think there is a flavour aspect also, to be honest I generally use 120ebc for everything regardless of what the recipe calls for, I basically want the beer to be close to the target and taste good, I am not into making an exact copy so I don't bother will all that stuff much.

[salnajjar]

Which kind of brings me round to my other question, are Caramel and Crystal pretty interchangeable for flavour? I'm thinking if the flavours work then I might as well try and get the right colour as well....

[MightyMouth]

Don't quote me on this but I am sure they are the same thing just different names.

[salnajjar]

Nah, I'll give it a shot and if it turns out superb then it's down to my genius and skill and if it's crap I'll say it's all your fault.

[mysterio]

40L is usually sold here as light crystal malt, and 60L as medium crystal malt. Caramalt is a very pale crystal malt. They are not strictly interchangeable as they have noticeably different flavours and contribute different colours. As mentioned we usually use EBC, so you'll tend to get 60 - 70 EBC crystal, 120 EBC crystal, and above.

It's pretty difficult to describe the flavour differences between them but it's fair to say they add sweetness, and a range of caramel/toffee flavours becoming 'darker' tasting as you go up the range. The darker crystal malts (240 EBC) start to taste almost raisiny.