A head that sticks around and body that doesn't feel thin — with almost no colour. CARAPILS® is the pale malt you add when a pilsner, an IPA or an alcohol-free beer needs better foam and more mouthfeel.
2.5–6.5 EBC · 1.4–2.9 °L · 5–10 % of grist · Foam & body · Low enzyme activity · Sold per 100 g
What it does in your beer
Weyermann's special malting process leaves this malt rich in dextrins and high-molecular-weight proteins. That's what improves foam and foam stability and adds body. It tastes malty-sweet with light caramel notes, and because the colour is so pale it works in anything from the lightest to the darkest beer.
Weyermann recommends 5–10 % of the grist, and up to 40 % in special formulations such as alcohol-free beer. Enzyme activity is low, so it needs a base malt alongside.
At a glance
| Maltster | Weyermann® (Bamberg, Germany) |
| Malt type | Caramel malt (pale, dextrin-rich) |
| Grain | Malting-quality barley |
| Colour | 2.5–6.5 EBC (1.4–2.9 °L) |
| Extract (dry basis) | min. 82 % |
| Moisture | max. 5.5 % |
| Enzyme activity | Low |
| Share of grist | 5–10 % (up to 40 % in special recipes such as alcohol-free beer) |
| Flavour | Malty-sweet, light caramel |
| Origin | Germany |
| Sold per | 100 g |
| Milling | Whole grain or Crushed (choose a variant) |
How much for a 20 L batch
5–10 % of the grist. On a typical 5 kg grist for 20 L that's 250–500 g, i.e. about 3–5 × 100 g.
As a guide, 500 g in 20 L adds only ≈ 1.7 EBC of colour on its own and ≈ +5.6 gravity points (≈ +1.40 °P) at 75 % efficiency (approx., Morey colour / extract-based gravity, mid 4.5 EBC, 82 % extract).
Quantity = number of 100 g units: 4 = 400 g.
How to use
- Mash it with your base malt — its enzyme activity is low.
- For foam and body in a standard beer, stay in Weyermann's 5–10 % band.
- Brewing alcohol-free or low-alcohol? Weyermann allows much higher shares, up to 40 %, in special formulations.
Pairs well with
Brewing a pilsner or pale lager? Try it with Czech Pilsner malt and SafLager W-34/70.
Brewing a pale ale or IPA? BESTMALZ BEST Pale Ale and SafAle US-05 keep the stage clear for the hops.
Storage & shelf life
- Keep it sealed in a cool, dry place.
- Weyermann: minimum 24 months' shelf life in the unopened original bag, dry, 0–30 °C. Transfer opened malt to something airtight.
- Crushed? Brew within about 5 days.
Food information
- Name: Caramel malt (CARAPILS®)
- Ingredients: malted barley (barley, water)
- Allergens: contains barley (cereal containing gluten)
- Net quantity: 100 g per unit ordered
- Country of origin: Germany
- Storage: dry, 0–30 °C
Good to know
- It's sold by the 100 g: a quantity of 4 is 400 g.
- Select Crushed in the Milling option and it's milled before dispatch, ready for the mash tun. Brew it within about 5 days; whole grain keeps better.
- Ordering hardware too? Ingredients ship on their own from our partner warehouse in the Czech Republic.
- CARAPILS® is a registered trademark of Mich. Weyermann® GmbH & Co. KG, Bamberg, Germany.
FAQ
Is CARAPILS® the same as CARAFOAM®?
On its US website Weyermann shows this malt as CARAFOAM®, with the same description, colour (2.5–6.5 EBC) and usage. Weyermann's European site lists it as CARAPILS®.
Will it darken my pilsner?
Barely. It's 2.5–6.5 EBC; 500 g in 20 L adds ≈ 1.7 EBC on its own (approx., Morey).
How much do I need for better foam?
Weyermann recommends 5–10 % of the grist: 250–500 g on a 5 kg grist.
Whole grain or crushed?
Either — choose in the Milling option. Crushed is milled before dispatch; brew it within about 5 days.