German Dextrin Malt for Body and Head Retention

Improve beer body, mouthfeel and foam stability with Weyermann CARAPILS®. Produced in Bamberg, Germany, this exceptionally pale dextrin malt contains a high proportion of dextrins and high-molecular-weight proteins that help create a fuller mouthfeel and longer-lasting head.

CARAPILS contributes gentle malty sweetness with subtle light-caramel notes. Its pale 2.5–6.5 EBC colour makes it suitable for virtually every beer style, from Pilsner, Helles and Kölsch-style beer to Pale Ale, IPA, wheat beer and dark ale.

Use CARAPILS when you want better body and foam retention without adding the strong sweetness, flavour or colour associated with darker caramel malts.

Why You’ll Love Weyermann CARAPILS®

• Premium German dextrin malt

• Improves beer body and mouthfeel

• Supports foam formation and head retention

• Adds minimal colour to the finished beer

• Gentle malty sweetness with light caramel notes

• Suitable for pale, amber and dark beer

• Excellent for lager, Pale Ale, IPA and wheat beer

• Particularly useful in low-alcohol beer

• Recommended at 5–10% of the grain bill

• Can be used at higher rates in specialised recipes

• Freshly packed to order by Border Brewing Supplies

Flavour Profile

Weyermann CARAPILS provides a restrained malty sweetness with delicate light-caramel notes. Its flavour contribution remains subtle, allowing the base malt, hops and yeast to stay prominent.

Its principal brewing benefits are improved body, mouthfeel and foam stability rather than pronounced caramel flavour.

Colour: Very pale straw to light gold
Flavour: Malty-sweet with light caramel notes
Aroma: Delicate malt and light caramel
Body Contribution: Medium
Foam Contribution: Improved formation and stability
Enzyme Activity: Low

Typical Beer Styles

Weyermann CARAPILS is suitable for brewing:

Its exceptionally pale colour also allows it to improve body and foam stability in amber and dark beer without noticeably affecting colour.

Product Specifications

Specifications may vary slightly between individual malt batches.

Brewing Tips

Use Weyermann CARAPILS at approximately 5–10% of the total grain bill to improve body, mouthfeel and foam stability while adding minimal colour and flavour.

Use around 5% in delicate Pilsners, pale lagers and Kölsch-style beers where only a subtle increase in body and head retention is required.

Use approximately 5–10% in Pale Ale, IPA, wheat beer and lower-alcohol recipes where a fuller mouthfeel and more persistent foam are desired.

Weyermann advises that higher additions of up to 40% are possible in specialised formulations, including alcohol-reduced and alcohol-free beer.

CARAPILS has low enzymatic activity. When mashing, combine it with an enzymatic base malt such as Pilsner, Pale Ale, Vienna or Munich malt.

Extract brewers can steep crushed CARAPILS with other specialty grains, although including it in a mash with base malt provides more complete utilisation.

CARAPILS can support foam stability, but head retention also depends on brewing technique, healthy fermentation, clean glassware and avoiding excessive oils or fats.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Weyermann CARAPILS?

Weyermann CARAPILS is a very pale German dextrin malt used to improve beer body, mouthfeel, foam formation and head retention while adding minimal colour and flavour.

What flavour does CARAPILS add to beer?

CARAPILS contributes gentle malty sweetness and subtle light-caramel notes. Its flavour is much less pronounced than that of darker caramel and crystal malts.

Does CARAPILS improve head retention?

Yes. Its high proportion of dextrins and high-molecular-weight proteins helps support foam formation and stability.

Does CARAPILS make beer sweeter?

CARAPILS can make beer feel fuller and rounder, but normal usage rates should not create the strong sweetness associated with darker crystal malt. Its main contribution is body and foam stability.

How much CARAPILS should I use?

Weyermann recommends using CARAPILS at 5–10% of the grain bill for most beer styles. Higher additions of up to 40% are possible in specialised recipes such as alcohol-reduced and alcohol-free beer.

What beer styles use CARAPILS?

CARAPILS can be used in virtually every beer style. It is particularly useful in Pilsner, Helles, pale lager, Kölsch-style beer, Cream Ale, Blonde Ale, Pale Ale, IPA, wheat beer and low-alcohol beer.

What is the difference between CARAPILS and CARAHELL?

CARAPILS is paler and primarily used to improve body and foam stability with minimal flavour. CARAHELL is darker and contributes more noticeable caramel flavour, malty sweetness and golden colour.

Is CARAPILS the same as crystal malt?

CARAPILS is a very pale caramel or dextrin malt. It provides some light caramel character, but its main purpose is improving body and foam rather than adding the pronounced sweetness and colour of conventional crystal malt.

Does CARAPILS need to be mashed?

CARAPILS can be mashed with an enzymatic base malt and may also be steeped by extract brewers. Mashing is preferable when seeking more complete utilisation of the grain.

Can CARAPILS be used in dark beer?

Yes. Because it adds very little colour and has a restrained flavour, CARAPILS can improve body and foam stability in pale, amber and dark beer styles.

What can I substitute for CARAPILS?

Gladfield Gladiator Malt or another pale dextrin malt can be used as an alternative. Exact colour, flavour and brewing performance may differ between maltsters.

Buy Weyermann CARAPILS malt online from Border Brewing Supplies. Available in freshly packed quantities for home brewers throughout Australia, with local collection from our Tweed Heads South home brew shop for customers from the Gold Coast, Northern Rivers and QLD–NSW border region.