What is Dextrin Malt and Why Should I Use It?

By Living A Stout Life

 

The Malteurop (MMC) team is constantly working to develop exciting new products to meet the needs of brewers and distillers. Dextrin Malt is one of MMC’s creations that provides a solution to significant issues for many brewers, head retention and mouthfeel.

 

What is Dextrin Malt?

MMC Dextrin Malt is a highly crystallized specialty malt that is used to introduce dextrin sugars into beer. Dextrin sugars are not fermentable. Without much perceptible color or flavor, the dextrin sugars add viscosity to the body of the beer, giving it more substance.

 

Dextrin Malt also improves head retention, an important visual queue for the drinker and a factor that influences a beer’s aroma.

 

It is an invaluable tool to have in your brewer toolbox.

 

What is the primary use of Dextrin Malt?

The primary use of MMC Dextrin Malt is to improve body and mouthfeel, as well as enhancing head retention and head stability.

 

As mentioned, the unfermentable dextrin sugars from the malt increases a beer’s body. The result is a fuller mouthfeel for the drinker.

 

This is particularly useful in lighter beers, such as session beers or Pilsners, which can come across as a bit thin in the mouthfeel. Dextrin Malt, however, can be used in any number of beer styles that could be improved by a fuller, creamier mouthfeel or improved head retention.

 

Jackson Borgardt at Eagle Park Brewing in Milwaukee, Wisc., uses MMC Dextrin Malt in nearly all of his IPAs, whether they are a sessionable, hazy, or even a big, boozy Triple IPA, but he doesn’t stop there.

 

“The Dextrin is that last little punch to give the beer that really full mouthfeel and it also helps with head retention quite a bit. So we use Dextrin in a lot of our Pilsners and Stouts as well,” said Jackson, who aided MMC in developing our Dextrin Malt.

 

Head retention and stability are other key factors that make Dextrin Malt such a useful tool. If a beer has no head or the head fades too quickly, the sense is that it is probably flat. Maintaining frothy foam in the glass also allows important aroma notes to enhance the drinker’s sense of smell, which greatly influences the flavors they perceive.

 

The effectiveness of dextrin malts in general to improve head retention is something that is debated in brewing circles. At Malteurop, it is not a debate; it is science.

 

When should I use Dextrin Malt?

Like any other barley malt, Dextrin Malt is used as part of the grist. It simply has unique properties that fulfill other functions aside from adding fermentables to the brew. Those, as we have discussed, are primarily providing unfermentable dextrin sugars that add body for improved mouthfeel, as well as foam enhancing protein compounds that aid head retention and stability.

 

What amount of Dextrin Malt should I use?

We recommend using MMC Dextrin Malt as a percentage of your overall grist. Most lighter or hop forward beers will benefit greatly from percentages as low as 3 to 5 percent of the grain bill. It can be used in up to 10 percent of the grist, particularly in darker and sweeter beers.

 

How does Dextrin Malt affect the color and flavor of my beer?

MMC Dextrin Malt does not add any unwanted color or flavor to the beer.

 

“A lot of the Dextrin out there was a little dark, and at the levels I use Dextrin at, it can add a lot of color; especially our Hazy IPAs, we’re looking for a really, really pale color,” said Eagle Park’s Jackson.

 

“When you’re adding up to 10 percent Dextrin Malt, at like 3 Lovibond it tends to give it a yellow-orange color, which wasn’t what we were looking for at all. MMC was actually able to hit our goal, which was just under 2 Lovibond.”

 

This allows for the final beer to look and taste exactly how you’d like it to, while still benefiting from a fuller, creamier mouthfeel and improved head retention.

 

What makes Malteurop Dextrin Malt stand out?

What really makes MMC’s highly crystallized Dextrin Malt stand out in the market is that it consistently comes in at 1.7 to 2.0 Lovibond (1.5 to 2.0 SRM), which at 10 percent or less of the grain bill doesn’t impart unwanted color. The flavor profile is also clean and neutral, so that there is no unwanted change in flavor. It does, however, still add body to the beer and improve head retention.

 

MMC Dextrin Malt is also low in beta-glucans, which helps to avoid lautering issues in the brewhouse.

 

When should I use Dextrin Malt instead of Crystal Wheat 3L?

MMC Dextrin Malt shares some characteristics with our unique, low color Crystal Wheat 3L. The major factor both malts influence is enhancing head retention and stability.

 

While both malts also improve mouthfeel, Dextrin is more of a bodybuilder than Crystal Wheat 3L. It also does so without imparting any unwanted color or flavor characteristics. Crystal Wheat 3L imparts a clean, light honey-like sweetness that enhances and helps maintain a beer’s flavors.

 

It is also slightly darker than Dextrin Malt. Crystal Wheat 3L, as its name signifies, measures between 2.63 and 3.37 Lovibond (2.8 to 3.8 SRM). Used in a high enough quantity, Crystal Wheat 3L will have a slight effect on beer color.

 

While Dextrin Malt is recommended in amounts up to 10 percent of the grist, Crystal Wheat 3L can be used in higher amounts. MMC recommends Crystal Wheat 3L usage between 5 and 15 percent, though some brewers have taken it even higher than that with outstanding results.

 

Benefits Comparison of Dextrin Malt and Crystal Wheat 3L

 

Dextrin Malt

• Improves body and mouthfeel
• Enhances head retention and stability
• Low beta-glucans avoids lautering issues
• Clean, neutral flavor profile
• Straw, light golden color (1.5 to 2.0 SRM)
• Usage: Up to 10% of grist

 

Crystal Wheat 3L

• Enhances head retention
• Helps maintain flavor
• Improves colloidal stability
• Light sweetness, light honey and fruity, clean
• Light golden color (2.8 to 3.8 SRM)
• Usage: 5 to 15% of grist