Sometimes, good things come out of hard times.
Munich 10 malt was our silver lining of the 2020 pandemic. Or, perhaps more adequately, our bronze lining. A malt that we had been developing and refining, trying to make just right, finally hit its stride, winning a bronze medal in that year’s Craft Malt Cup, and giving us a bit of a bright spot in what was otherwise a strange and difficult time.
Or perhaps it was the isolation and solitude of the pandemic that made us creative, working to perfect this malt and the malting process until we hit the nail on the head, a task that served to both keep our minds busy and feel like we were creating something positive out of an uncertain situation.
Whatever it was, that 2020 batch of Munich 10 came out of the drum swingin,’ ready to flex its thick bread crust flavors and honey and brown sugar aromas in a wide variety of beers.
Produced via a slightly warmer germination phase to increase the modification level, Munich 10 also receives a touch higher moisture in the kiln which promotes the melanoidin reaction, resulting in excellent color and flavor development, Munich 10’s strongest traits.
This malt excels as an added extra layer that ups a beer’s game. Our personal favorite uses include employing it as a flavor and color enhancer for West Coast IPAs, or adding it to increase complexity in “roasty-toasty” beers. The caramel, honey, and brown sugar aromas, along with the light orange color from the wort also make this an excellent choice of malt for Oktoberfest season.
This year’s gold medal win in the Craft Malt Cup shows us that Munich 10 has continued to mature. It’s consistent, it’s high-quality, it’s predictable in its ability to elevate the brews it’s blended into.
It is, most definitely, a malt that you should add to your next pallet.
No regrets.
