| Author |
Message |
    
Vance Barnes (69.15.38.210)
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 10:19 pm: | 
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I have a recipe I want to brew that calls for Carastan malt by Great Western. I can't get Great Western products locally and want to try to substitute for this malt if I could find out anything about it. Searched the BYO, Grains 101, and the only thing I even found on GW was in BT's Brewers Market Guide but it didn't list Carastan. Any ideas? I'm guessing it's a type of crystal malt? Does GW have a web site? |
Bill Pierce (24.141.63.119)
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 10:56 pm: |
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I suspect you are referring to Hugh Baird Carastan malt from the UK. Both Hugh Baird and Great Western are owned by Canada Malting, itself a division of ConAgra; I believe HB malts are distributed by GW in the US.
Carastan is available in both a light (13-17L) and dark (30-37 L) version. I would call the light version equivalent to light crystal/caramel malt from other maltsters and the "dark" is really a medium caramel/crystal malt. |
Paul Edwards (64.109.56.27)
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 11:27 pm: |
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Carastan is advertised as having more of a toffee flavor than other crystal malts.
I just picked up some of the dark carastan from my LHBS, and used some in an ESB. That brew is still in primary, so I can't give you my impressions (yet). I did chew a few kernels of the grain, and it does have a nice toffee flavor.
Baird's web site is: http://www.scotgrain.co.uk/
many mail order places sell carastan in both light & dark versions |
Vance Barnes (69.15.38.210)
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 05, 2003 - 04:33 pm: |
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Not sure if my LHBS carries Hugh Baird or not. Recipe specificaly said Great Western but it looks like Baird has Carastan trademarked. Looking at their site it apears that the Carastan is the darker version. They also list a Light Carastan. Thinking of using Crystal 40 and toasting it for 30 min. or so first to get a more toffee flavor. Maybe throw in a little torrified wheat too?
Guess it's not too critical as the recipe is for (gasp) the dreaded Chili Beer ;>) I usually brew my recipe of Chili Beer for a friends yearly Chili/cornbread cookoff on the winter solstice. 5 gal doesn't last long so this year I'm going to do my usual recipe and one from Zymergy a couple of months back.
Thanks for the info on carastan! |
Brews and Views Archive 2003