S.2 E.6 - Dextrin Malt, What's up with that Chit?

Dextrin malts are specially made to boost your beer’s body, taste and mouthfeel. To dive into the secrets of brewing with these malts, we’re joined by Mike Heinrich, Sales Manager at Great Western Malting, local expert Bob Hansen of Briess Malt & Ingredients Co, along with Dirk Schneider and Tom Lembrick of BESTMALZ in Germany. We open our conversation with Mike, talking about Great Western Maltings Dextra Pils malt and then get right into the scientific details of what makes dextrin malts special. We follow that up with Bob, chatting about his brewing history. He then unpacks what dextrin malts are before sharing what Briess’s Carapils malt adds to the brewing process. While reflecting on why their malt is so unique, Bob untangles the differences between malt types. After talking about the history of two and six-row barley growing in the US, Bob opens up about the beers he’s drinking and why brewers should explore making lower-alcohol beers. From Briess, we jump to BESTMALZ in the Rheinhessen, Germany’s wine and beer heartland. As BESTMALZ’s quality assurance experts, Dirk and Tom reveal how brewers use their dextrin malts. They discuss the features of their Caramel Pils, why it’s distinct from crystal malts, and why they only use two-row barley. They also share their insights on how Germany regulates beer, which brews dominate the German market, and how brewers should approach chit malt. Tune in to hear more insider information on brewing with dextrin malts.