Malt
Rice
A very neutral adjunct that lightens body and colour, used in American and Japanese lager.
What it does
Raw grain. Unmalted cereal added for texture, haze, head or flavour. Contributes no enzymes.
Requires a cereal mash to gelatinise its starch before the main mash, unless bought pre-gelatinised as flakes. Even more neutral than maize.
Specification
| Colour | 0.5–2°L |
|---|---|
| Grain | rice |
| Enzyme activity | none — needs a base malt to convert it. |
| Fermentability | high |
| Typical share of grist | 10–40% |
| Flavour | neutral, very light |
Substitutes
- Flaked maize — A similar lightening effect with a touch more sweetness.
Used in
- International pale lager
The global mainstream lager: pale, clean, lightly hopped and built for consistency and refreshment above flavour intensity.
- American lager
A very light, highly attenuated pale lager brewed with a substantial proportion of maize or rice, prioritising drinkability and cold service.
- Cold IPA
A lean, dry IPA fermented with lager yeast at higher temperature, using maize or rice to strip body and expose hop aroma.