‘Chits’ are the small white sprouts that emerge from the raw grain when it’s had enough water to start the process of germination. Generally, in malting, the grain would be steeped long enough for the chits to grow into longer rootlets which would be shaken off during and after kilning. But with chit malt, the grain is grabbed for kilning before those sprouts have reached a significant length.
So, Chit Malt is a highly functional malt that’s undergone very short germination, resulting in a barely (not to be confused with barley – though it’s that too!) malted brewing ingredient.
With the relatively short steeping, Chit Malt is very hard – but the good news is, it’s highly friable. This means that the grains break apart easily in the mill. So, unlike with raw grain, you don’t need to use a separate hammer mill or any other specialist equipment prior to normal milling.
Chit Malt is a great addition for body, haze stability, as well as promoting head retention and foam. The incredibly low color will not effect the beer color. The perfect addition for any craft beer, but particularly beneficial for hazy brews.
