One of the three main categories of brewing grains. Crystal malts are created by the maltster by steeping wet grains to achieve the production of sugars within the whole grains. When the grains are then dried and heated in kilns, the sugars are crystallized and caramelized to varying degrees of darkness. Since crystal malts do not require mashing, they may be used by malt extract brewers and all-grain brewers alike.

When fresh malt is carefully dried at warm temperatures, some of the starches are converted to sugars which crystallize within the grains. When these crystal malts are used in brewing, they add sweetness, body and a reddish gold color to the beer.

A medium roasting gives this malt a golden brown colour.