Chocolate and a mild coffee note, without the harsh edge. BEST Chocolate takes a pale grist deep brown to black in porters, stouts and Schwarzbier.
800–1,000 EBC · 300–380 °L · Up to 10 % of grist · Gently roasted · Barley · Sold per 100 g
What it does in your beer
BESTMALZ roasts this barley malt gently, which keeps bitter flavours out and pyrazine levels extremely low. What reaches the glass is chocolate and a mild roasted or coffee note — plus a lot of colour, so a little goes a long way.
It suits Schwarzbier, bocks, Altbier, brown ales, porters, stouts and any dark-to-black beer that wants a soft roast rather than a sharp one. BESTMALZ pitches it as the easy way into brewing with roasted malts and recommends up to 10 % of the grain bill; the rest is your base malt.
At a glance
| Maltster | BESTMALZ |
| Malt type | Roasted malt (chocolate) |
| Grain | Barley |
| Colour | 800–1,000 EBC · 300–380 °L (±10 %) |
| Extract (dry basis) | min. 75 % |
| Moisture | max. 4.5 % |
| Max share of grist | up to 10 % |
| Origin | Germany |
| Sold per | 100 g |
| Milling | Whole grain or Crushed (Milling option) |
How much for a 20 L batch
Up to 10 % of the grist, which on a typical 5 kg grist for 20 L caps chocolate malt at 500 g (5 × 100 g).
100 g in 20 L adds ≈ 18 EBC of colour on its own; 500 g adds ≈ 54.5 EBC and ≈ +5.2 gravity points (≈ +1.3 °P) at 75 % efficiency (approx., Morey / extract-based; mid 900 EBC, extract 75 %, moisture 4.5 %).
Quantity counts 100 g units, so enter 3 for 300 g of chocolate malt.
How to use
- Mash it together with your base malt — at up to 10 % it is a supporting malt, not the foundation.
- Colour builds fast: the first 100 g already adds about 18 EBC in 20 L (approx.), so fine-tune in 100 g steps.
- Order in 100 g steps: 200 g = 2, 500 g = 5.
- No mill? Order it Crushed and it arrives ready for the mash tun; brew within about 5 days.
Pairs well with
Brewing a porter or stout? Build it on Crisp Finest Maris Otter® and ferment with SafAle S-04.
Brewing a Schwarzbier? Pair it with BESTMALZ BEST Vienna and SafLager W34/70.
Storage & shelf life
- BESTMALZ quotes a shelf life of at least 24 months when stored cool (max. 20 °C) and dry (max. 35 % relative humidity).
- After opening, reseal it airtight so it doesn't pick up moisture.
- Ordered it crushed? Get it into the mash within about 5 days of delivery.
Food information
- Name: Roasted malt (BEST Chocolate)
- Ingredients: malted barley (barley, water)
- Allergens: contains barley (cereal containing gluten)
- Net quantity: 100 g per unit ordered
- Country of origin: Germany
- Storage: dry (max. 35 % RH), max. 20 °C
Good to know
- Sold by the 100 g, so the quantity is the number of 100 g units: 3 = 300 g.
- Pick Whole grain or Crushed in the Milling option. Crushed malt is milled just before dispatch; brew it within about 5 days.
- Ingredients travel from our partner warehouse in the Czech Republic in their own parcel, separate from any equipment.
- No chocolate inside — the name describes colour and flavour. It is made from barley, which contains gluten.
- BESTMALZ allows a ±10 % tolerance on the colour figure.
FAQ
Will it make my stout harsh?
BESTMALZ roasts it gently to keep bitter flavours out, so expect chocolate and a mild roasted or coffee note. For the dark, bitter-coffee roast of a dry stout, look at Crisp Roasted Barley instead.
Does chocolate malt contain chocolate?
No. It is roasted barley malt; the ingredients are barley and water.
How much do I need for 20 L?
No more than 10 % of the grist: up to 500 g (5 × 100 g) on a 5 kg grist. Even 100 g adds about 18 EBC of colour (approx.).
Can you crush it for me?
Yes — choose Crushed in the Milling option. It is milled before dispatch and best brewed within about 5 days; Whole grain ships unmilled.