Simpsons Black Malt is a highly roasted specialty malt made from Pearl barley, designed to impart intense roasted flavours, deep colour, and dry bitterness to beers.
It is ideal for dark beer styles, providing coffee, burnt toast, and smoky notes without excessive astringency. The milled format ensures optimal extraction and mash efficiency.
Key Characteristics:
Base Grain: Pearl Barley
Colour (EBC/Lovibond): 1300–1500 EBC (490–570°L) – Produces an opaque black colour.
Flavour Profile: Bold roasted character, coffee, dry bitterness, subtle smoky undertones.
Diastatic Power: None – Non-enzymatic malt, used for colour and flavour.
Extract Yield: ~65–75% – Minimal contribution to fermentable sugars.
Brewing Applications:
Essential for stouts, porters, black IPAs, and dark lagers.
Used at 1–5% for colour adjustment and roasted character without excessive bitterness.
Adds dryness and complexity, balancing sweetness from caramel and crystal malts.
Can be steeped for extract brewing or added late in the mash to reduce harshness.