Base Malts and Grains

Base malts make up the majority of fermentable ingredients in beer recipes, usually 60-100%. They're light in color and have a high enzyme concentration (which helps convert the starch to sugar.) Standard malted barley base malts go by the names Pale, Munich, Marris Otter or Pilsner. Malted wheat can also be used as a base malt, but it's typically mixed with at least an equal portion of a barley. These types of grain can be steeped in an extract recipe to provide a little complexity and flavor, but they're really most effective when used in a partial-mash or all-grain recipe.