[phillamb168]

What's the difference (other than color) between Weyerman CaraAroma and Dingemans Aromatic?

[bluesman]

Caraoma adds strong caramel flavor, red color, and malty aroma. Whereas, Aromatic malt is a kilned barley malt used to give beer a strong, aggressive malt aroma and rich color but not nearly as dark as cararoma.

[pikelakehomebrew]

What's the difference (other than color) between Weyerman CaraAroma and Dingemans Aromatic?

Well, technically you can use the Dingemans up to 100%, albeit with relatively low diastatic power — and it probably has similar caramel notes to the CaraAroma.  But given the vast °L difference between the two, I think CaraAroma (IMO) has a richer, deeper caramel aroma contribution...but that's subjective and depends upon how much you're using I imagine.

I'd think that you'd want to use the CaraAroma for bigger, darker beers over the Dingemans, which you might use for less-darker beers but want that deep caramel aroma.  Just my two cents, and quite obviously subjective.

[phillamb168]

So CaraAroma would be perfect for a IIPA - something maybe as simple as 90% MO/10% CaraAroma?

[Poobah58]

10% will be Arrogant Bastard like. I did my first one with around 9% and it was a tad too roasty for me. The last one I did 92.5/5.5/2 (pale/C-Aroma/Carafa Special) and I like it much better.

[tony perkins]

I'm trying to identify the malt that would give my red ale the deep red color and rich, dark dried fruit / burnt sugar flavor that I see in Mad River Brewing's Jamaica Red Ale:

http://www.beerclubguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Jamaica-Red-Ale.jpg

I've tried 7% Crystal 120 and 3% Crystal 40, and that didn't get me there.  Do you think CaraAroma is the ticket?  If so, what percentage would you use?

[denny]

Try about 15-20% carared.

[tony perkins]

Try about 15-20% carared.

Thanks again, Denny!  And would that be in place of, or in addition to, other Crystal malts?

[malzig]

CaraAroma and Aromatic aren't really very similar grains.  The first is a crystal malt that gives Dark Munich Malt-like flavors, while the second is a toasted malt similar to an exaggerated Light Munich Malt.

I'm trying to identify the malt that would give my red ale the deep red color and rich, dark dried fruit / burnt sugar flavor that I see in Mad River Brewing's Jamaica Red Ale:

http://www.beerclubguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Jamaica-Red-Ale.jpg

I've tried 7% Crystal 120 and 3% Crystal 40, and that didn't get me there.  Do you think CaraAroma is the ticket?  If so, what percentage would you use?

That sounds like Special B, which gives a nice red, especially combined with a 120L crystal malt like CaraAroma.  Maybe about 1/2 pound each per 5 gallons, a'la Ken Lenard's Home Run Red.

[denny]

Try about 15-20% carared.

Thanks again, Denny!  And would that be in place of, or in addition to, other Crystal malts?

I'd use it in place of an equal amount of base malt.  Carared doesn't seem to act like a crystal malt.  It's closer to a base malt in terms of fermentability.

[tony perkins]

That sounds like Special B, which gives a nice red, especially combined with a 120L crystal malt like CaraAroma.  Maybe about 1/2 pound each per 5 gallons, a'la Ken Lenard's Home Run Red.

Try about 15-20% carared.

Thanks again, Denny!  And would that be in place of, or in addition to, other Crystal malts?

I'd use it in place of an equal amount of base malt.  Carared doesn't seem to act like a crystal malt.  It's closer to a base malt in terms of fermentability.

Thanks for the suggestions.  I just bottled a red last night, but the next couple of times I brew it I'll try these approaches.  I'll report back with results, even if that's a year from now.

[redbeerman]

I have tried the Carared with Denny's recommendation and it was OK, but I still prefer a mixture of darker crystal malts (60,80,120) for deeper red color. YMMV.