BrauBeviale 2023: Castle Malting hops on market trends and novel brewing creations

01 Dec 2023 --- Castle Malting, one of the oldest malting plants in the world, showcased the latest Belgian craft brewing designs and brought unique flavors to the table at BrauBeviale in Nuremberg, Germany, this week. 

We spoke to Isabel Suruceanu, sales manager at Castle Malting, about the evolution of the beer industry as Castle Malting presents its novel approach and diversifies its brewing and malting capabilities. 

The company introduced its malt roasting technology, which enables caramel and roasted malts, as the industry sees a surge in demand for caramelized solutions. 

“A lot of base malts are needed to make beer. To ferment the beer, you need to have the right diastatic power,” Suruceanu tells Food Ingredients First.

“We produce the widest range of caramelized malt in the world and have over 100 types of malts, from base malts to specialty malts.” 

Popular products and brewing trends 
Flake malts are a popular ingredient among small brewers, often overlooked due to their commonality. These grains are a staple in various craft brew styles, as they replace the need for milling by breaking down the cell walls, allowing for rapid solubilization and enzymatic activity within the grain kernel. 

Castle Malting selects the suitable barley varieties for each type of malt, profiting from its geography and sourcing from high-quality raw materials.“We make flake malts that can be directly included in the mashing process without being crushed. Normally, the whole grains have to be crushed before the mashing process, but our products can save brewers from that,” Suruceanu explains.

“While many drinks can be made from malts, caramelized malts are used for specialty craft beers.”

Craft beer, known for its diversity and inclusivity, is attracting a considerable female audience. A notable trend is the gradual closing of the gap between women and men as alcohol consumers. Research indicates that women, in general, tend to prefer weaker-tasting beers than men, and this preference is causing a shift in market dynamics.

Moreover, ingredient suppliers are observing a growing interest in non-alcoholic beers from both younger and older generations. The emergence of non-alcoholic India pale ales (IPAs), designed to encapsulate the essence of traditional IPAs for non-drinkers, is becoming increasingly prominent in the market.

As the industry adapts to these evolving trends, Suruceanu says: “If you want to make an IPA, you can use black malts, which are very dark in color. It will give you the color that you need. If you want to give sweetness to the beer, you’ll add some caramelized malts.”

Diversifying the palette
Castle Malting’s malts range caters to beer and whisky that a creative brewer or distiller might conceive. However, their portfolio also includes hops, sugars and spices.Malt is shipped to customers around the world in various types of packaging. 

“We do sell other ingredients just to make life easier for our customers,” Suruceanu says. “In Belgium, we love specialty beers and we often use spices and sugars in them. For instance, Christmas beers require a variety of spices, which we can provide.”

Nevertheless, as the global alcohol market is steadily growing, the company is focusing on more than just regional markets.

“We work with 150 countries in the world and export a lot. We have clients not only in Europe but also in the US, Canada, Latin America and Asia,” Suruceanu shares.

In Latin America and Southeast Asia, the craft beer market is experiencing a surge in demand, driven by the rising taste sophistication of Millennials. 

With these regions undergoing economic development, an expanding array of products is becoming accessible to the younger generation, presenting them with more choices than ever before.

By Sichong Wang, with additional reporting by Natalie Schwertheim at BrauBeviale 2023