Roasted Barley
Unmalted, roasted, and the soul of dry stout.
What it tastes like
Roasted barley is unmalted barley kilned to deep dark brown — and it's what makes Guinness taste like Guinness. Distinct from chocolate malt, it brings sharper coffee bitterness, drier finish, and that classic 'dry stout' character. Used at 5-15% in stouts and porters.
Best in these styles
Tasting Tip
Guinness Draught is roasted barley plus pale malt and very little else. The bitter coffee finish is roasted barley.For brewers — technical profile
Color (Lovibond)
300–500 °L
Color (EBC)
600–1000
Max Use
10% of grain bill
Diastatic Power
None
Where to source
Maltsters that produce or distribute this grain:
History
Unmalted roasted barley was originally a cost-cutting alternative to malted dark grains. Guinness adopted it in the 1930s and the dry stout style became defined by it.