Dark roasted grains provide dark brown to black color and roasty coffee, cocoa, burnt and bitter flavors to the beer. They are cooked at higher temperatures than crystal malts and for a longer period of time. Like crystal malts, the intensity of the roast is measured in Lovibond, but these grains range from 350L for a chocolate malt to 500L for a black malt or roasted barley. Roasted grains give stouts and porters their characteristic dark color and rich flavor. The cooking strips all enzymes from roasted malts, but they can be used equally effectively in partial-mash and all-grain recipes as well as in extract recipes.
