Carapils / Dextrin Malt a.k.a. Carafoam
The body-and-foam booster.
What it tastes like
Carapils is the malt brewers add to make beer 'feel fuller' without adding flavor or color. Used at 1-10%, it boosts mouthfeel, head retention, and creamy body without changing the beer's core character. You'll never taste it directly, but you'll notice its absence — beers without enough Carapils can feel thin and have weak foam.
Best in these styles
For brewers — technical profile
Color (Lovibond)
1.5–2.5 °L
Color (EBC)
3–5
Max Use
10% of grain bill
Diastatic Power
None
Where to source
Maltsters that produce or distribute this grain:
History
A modern specialty malt developed for industrial brewing in the mid-20th century. The Weyermann 'Carapils' name became genericized; many maltsters now produce equivalent products under different names.
Other specialty & smoked malts
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Built-in pH adjustment.
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Beechwood-smoked malt, the soul of Bamberg Rauchbier.
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Cherrywood Smoked Malt
American sweet-smoke alternative to Bamberg's Rauchmalz.
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