Strictly speaking, none of them. Red malt is significantly darker than crystal/caramel and lighter than roasted/chocolate malt which tastes like cinders. In practice, however, crystal will do just fine.
Crystal looks red and I would have chosen that as red rye malt from the photo but You have said it is a lighter malt so it must be vice versa. So red is REALLY red - dark red.
Will be interesting to work with. I'll buy crystal and continue my search for the real thing.
Strictly speaking, none of them. Red malt is significantly darker than crystal/caramel and lighter than roasted/chocolate malt which tastes like cinders. In practice, however, crystal will do just fine.
I'll go for Crystal - the next best thing.
That's what crystal looks like compared to real red:
Crystal looks red and I would have chosen that as red rye malt from the photo but You have said it is a lighter malt so it must be vice versa. So red is REALLY red - dark red.
Will be interesting to work with. I'll buy crystal and continue my search for the real thing.
Thanks Suave. Good comparison.
It looks red, but it often comes lighter than in online photos, and gets even lighter after being ground.
If I buy the crystal how do they come? Do I have to dry and grind them or do they come ready to grind?
Ready to grind.
One last question. Just went to order and it asks if I want them "crushed" or "whole". What do you advise?
Does not matter - crushed malt still needs to be ground.
Thanks for all your advice and patience with all my questions.
Ordered!
So I purchased the crystal malt and I'm about to do the scald and starter build. My next question is here... http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/51763/borodinsky-recipe-scald-question