Crystal 150 (Briess)
Crystal / caramel malt, typically 150 °L (396 EBC). Malt color varies by lot — treat listed values as typical and adjust to your malt analysis.
| Type | Crystal / caramel malt |
|---|---|
| Typical color | 150 °L · 396 EBC |
| Distilled-water mash pH | 4.48 (measured, titrated) |
| Buffering (a1) | -49 mEq/kg per pH |
In the mash
Crystal malts are kilned wet, which caramelizes sugars and generates acidity roughly in proportion to color. In the mash they pull pH downward — a 10% addition of a mid-color crystal typically drops the mash 0.05–0.1 pH — which is why caramel-forward grists often need little or no added acid.
Build a water profile around it →Add Crystal 150 (Briess) to a grain bill in the calculator and the mash pH prediction updates live — with a per-lot DI pH override if you've measured your own sack.
pH data: Kai Troester, “The effect of brewing water and grist composition on the pH of the mash” (2009, braukaiser.com). Lot-to-lot variation of ±0.1 pH is normal.