How Caramünich Type 1 Really Changes Your Beer (A Split-Batch Experiment with A01)
How Caramünich Type 1 Really Changes Your Beer (A Split-Batch Experiment with A01
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably stared at a bag of Caramünich and thought:
“What’s the deal with this stuff? Just another fancy name for crystal malt or what?!?”
And honestly… I asked myself that question for years.
Ever since the first time I brewed with Caramünich — Type 3 — I knew something special was going on. It didn’t behave like your normal caramel or crystal malt. It had this pastry-like, fruity, “hello-I’m-here!” personality that I couldn’t quite explain. I actually went digging online about it years ago and even made a Reddit post asking if anyone else had noticed the same thing. Without any real success!
And when I started researching for this video?
The first thing I found was… my own old Reddit post.
So yeah — people aren’t exactly talking much about this malt. But they should, because Caramünich isn’t your everyday specialty malt. It’s got layers.
That’s why I finally ran this experiment: a classic DrHans split batch — one control beer, and one beer boosted with 100 g of Caramünich Type 1, both fermented with the clean and reliable Angel Yeast A01 American Ale yeast.
👉 Big thanks to Angel Yeast, who kindly sponsored the video this blog is based on. Don’t forget to check out their brewing products ->
Let’s break down what Caramünich really brings to the party.
The Base Beer — A Dark Lager for the Autumn
The base recipe for this experiment was originally intended as a dark lager. So I added 1% Carafa Special III to set the color, which in hindsight wasn’t perfect for a control beer. But hey — chill, it’s homebrewing….
OG of the control beer: 1.053 → 1.014
Approx. ABV: 5.1%
Clean, malty, slightly sweet, great mouthfeel.
A nice reference point.
The Split: Making the Caramünich Type 1 Portion
I took 100 grams of Caramünich Type 1, freshly ground, then added it to a portion of wort drawn from the main mash.
Caramünich doesn’t have enzymes (it’s fully converted during kilning), so technically you can just steep it — but since the mash was already running and enzymes were available, I let the grains rest warm anyway.
I then strained it and reduced it on the stovetop.
The reduction adds intensity — more body, more Maillard character, and more of that deeper “caramel pastry glow” Caramünich is known for.
This caramelized wort was then blended with the base wort for the Caramünich variant.
Fermentation: A01 Takes Over
Both beers were fermented with Angel Yeast A01.
Fermentation schedule:
-
2 days at 22°C
-
2 days at 23°C
-
5 days at 25°C
-
~23 PSI pressure
A01 kicked off instantly — bubbling within hours. Both batches finished fast and clean.
Control FG: 1.014
Caramünich FG: 1.016 (expected due to reduction sugars)
After two to three weeks of cold crash, it was time for the showdown.
The Pour & First Impressions
Color difference?
Oh yeah.
The Caramünich beer is clearly darker, leaning amber, and strangely… even clearer.
Not sure why — but it looks beautiful.
Tasting Notes (AKA: The Fun Part)
Control Beer
-
Clean
-
Slight sweetness
-
Malty backbone
-
Very crushable
-
Classic American Ale character from A01
Caramünich Type 1 Beer
Flavor hits instantly.
Caramünich Type 1 brings:
-
Toffee
-
Dark sugars
-
A warm, rounded sweetness
-
Slight fruitiness
-
Fuller body
-
More depth & malt presence
If the control beer was an American Amber, the Caramünich version leans more English Amber — richer, toastier, more dessert-like.
As my friend in the video put it:
Caramünich is the quiet architect behind a well-built malt profile.
Add too much and it will steal the show. Add a little and it fills in the gaps.
Which One Wins?
If I could only have one beer for the rest of my life?
I’d pick the control beer — it’s more crushable.
But the Caramünich beer?
That’s the treat.
The dessert.
The “I deserve this” beer.
Both are awesome, both are different, both have their place.
Final Thoughts
Caramünich malts are seriously underrated.
It’s not crystal malt. It’s not caramel malt in the classic sense.
It brings a unique pastry-like depth, boosts foam, improves mouthfeel, enhances color, and gives a warm, rounded sweetness that’s unlike anything else.
Use it carefully, use it intentionally — but absolutely use it.
It’s a gem.
Until next time…
DrHans Out! 🍺🔥
Want the Recipe?
I made a downloadable recipe that mimics this beer without needing to run a split batch.
👉 Grab it here on my Buy Me a Beer page:
DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE
If you want to support the channel, buy me a beer while you’re there.
You’re awesome.
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