is a highly modified pale malt that takes its name from the words “caramel,” which is melted and crystallized sugar, and “pilsner,” which is a blond lager beer style first developed in the Czech city of Pilsen in 1842. See pilsner. Whereas regular pale malt is gently kiln dried at temperatures ranging from 50°C to 84°C (122°F to 183°F), Carapils is best dried evenly in a heated drum, which allows for the precise control of airflow, moisture, and temperature. For the production of Carapils, the drum is heated to at least 110°C (230°F) and rarely above 160°C (320°F). At this temperature, malt sugars caramelize, which means they change their molecular structure and become glassy and unfermentable. Caramelization also gives the malt a slightly nutty flavor. The higher the temperature in the drum, the darker will be the Carapils color and the stronger will be its flavor. Most Carapils, however, is of roughly the same color as kiln-dried pilsner malt (about 2.5 to 5 European Brewing Convention or 1.5 to 2.4 Lovibond). See pilsner malt. In pale ales and lagers, Carapils rarely exceeds 5% to 10% of the grain bill, whereas in heftier beer styles, such as bock beer, it may constitute as much as 40% of the mash. In finished beer, the addition of Carapils can produce more foam and better head retention and leads to a fuller body and mouthfeel. Although many brewers use the term Carapils generically, it is actually a trademarked brand name. Drum-dried and drum-roasted caramel-type malts were first developed by Weyermann Malting of Bamberg, Germany, which has held a trademark registration for the name Carapils under the international Madrid Agreement for intellectual property since 1908 in all countries except the United States, where Carapils is a registered trade mark of the Briess Malt & Ingredients Company of Chilton, Wisconsin. See briess malt & ingredients company, weyermann malting. In North America, Weyermann markets its pale caramel malt under the trade name of Carafoam.
