Now that Blackprinz® Malt is available year round, you may be wondering what styles of beer it’s best suited for. Once you understand its flavor profile, that’ll be easy…and fun because there are so many beer styles it can go in.
Blackprinz® Malt is a bitterless black malt that has no bitter, astringent, dry flavors or aftertaste. It has a very delicate, clean flavor, is subtle and smooth and contributes mild roasted malty flavor. At 500º Lovibond, Blackprinz® Malt delivers a lot of color in the dark brown to black tones.
If it sounds like a replacement for debittered black malt, you’re spot on. But it’s what Blackprinz® Malt doesn’t have that distinguishes it as a true “bitterless” black malt rather than a “debittered” black malt.
Blackprinz® Malt is made from hulless barley. Debittered black malt, on the other hand, is made by removing a great deal of the husk (but not all of it) from malting barley. Since it’s the husk that develops bitter notes during roasting, debittered black malts will contribute a certain amount of bitter, astringent or dry flavors or aftertaste to beer.
Blackprinz® Malt never had a husk to begin with, so it won’t pick up bitter flavors during roasting. That’s why it has such a delicate, clean flavor. And that makes it a perfect substitute for debittered black malt. Once you brew with it, you’ll probably come up with all kinds of beers to try it in. I recommend starting with a Schwarz Bier so you really get to know this malt, then try it in whatever else you want…Porters, Stouts, Dark Lagers, etc. Happy brewing!