Dextrins lend body, mouth fees and palate fullness to beers, as well as foam stability. Carapils must be mashed with pale malt, due to its lack of enzymes. Use 5 to 20% for these properties without adding colour or having to mash at higher temperatures.

Grain steeping

The best way to extract flavors from specialty grains is by steeping them in warm water.

The simplest way to perform this is to add the crushed grains (in a nylon or cotton grain bag) to the (cold) brewing water as is it brought to boiling temperature. The grains should be removed before the temperature reaches 170°F to prevent the extraction of too many tannins. Dip the bag in and out a few times and let it drip for about 15 seconds before discarding. Do not squeeze the bag. Squeezing will also extract too much tannin from the grain husks. Alternatively, the crushed grains are steeped in 2-3 gallons of 150°F water for 30 minutes before being removed from the wort. This allows for a more complete extraction.