Chocolate Malt

Simpsons Chocolate Malt imparts, you guessed it, CHOCOLATE! But not from candy, from roasting the malt until its black. It also throws dark roast coffee and roasted nuts. Is that...chocolate-covered coffee beans?

Use carefully to get those chocolate coffee beans. This can quickly drift into "roast" which is also another delicate balance. It is easy to drift too far into roast territory, which can throw undesirable bitterness, begin to impart astringency, and end up dominating flavor but particularly aroma. Precise usage is the game of very dark malts.

Light usage might turn a beer dark brown, but quickly darkens to black. Nearing the top of the roasted malt ladder, Chocolate starts appealing to brewers looking for just a pinch to color adjust lighter styles.

3–6% of the grist is usually plenty for most dark beers. No pun intended but there is likely a specific sweet spot range of usage depending on what you're brewing. Simpsons suggests up to 10%, which feels very generous. I'm led to believe that 10% chocolate malt would be quite roasty and muting the stars of chocolate, coffee, and nuts.

Why we love it:

• Demands thoughtful and intentional usage
• Can yield flavors like chocolate covered coffee beans
• Just a pinch can color adjust lighter styles

Malt details:

Simpsons Chocolate Malt specs

Simpsons is total barmy about barley! The majority of grains are sourced from Scotland and northern England. The primary malthouse in Berwick-upon-Tweed, which in old Anglo-Saxon means Barley Town, mostly supplies Scottish whiskey distilleries. Brewing malts are focused at the Tivetshall malthouse in Norfolk county, England.