Introducing Root Shoot's Newest Malt: Low Color Pilsner
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Meet the malt that gets out of the way (on purpose).
We’ve been quietly working on something… and for once, the goal wasn’t more character.
It was less. After months of trials, tweaks, and more hot steeps than we care to admit, we’ve landed on a malt that does exactly what we wanted: It disappears, so everything else can shine.
What Makes Our Low Color Pilsner Special
Low Color Pilsner is our most restrained, dialed-back base malt to date. Built from a blend of our Thunder and Genie barley varieties, it’s designed for brewers who want total control over flavor, color, and expression.
What it does:
Keeps color extremely low (1.3–1.8 SRM)
Stays clean and neutral on the palate
Lets hops, yeast, and process do the talking
Think of it as a blank canvas, but one that still performs like a high-quality malt should.
Why We Made This Malt
We kept hearing the same thing:
“We love your malt… but sometimes we just want it to get out of the way.”
Fair.
Not every beer needs to be malt-driven. Some beers need precision. Restraint. A clean runway. So we leaned into that challenge:
How pale can we go without sacrificing performance?
How neutral can we get without stripping things back too far?
How do we keep extract high, conversion easy, and lautering smooth… while pulling color down?
That balance took time. Different kilning curves. Blending trials. Lab work. Sensory. Repeat.
We didn’t rush it.
And now, we think we nailed it.
What to Brew with Low Color Pilsner
This malt is ideal for a variety of beer styles that call for a pale, clean malt base and for when color matters more than ever:
Super pale and light Lagers: create low-alcohol, pale beers that maintain body and flavor
Hop-forward and classic Pilsners: achieve the traditional bright gold color and crisp finish that define this style
Kölsch and Blonde Ales: use as a base malt to highlight subtle hop and yeast notes
Experimental Pale Beers: try new hop varieties or yeast strains without malt color and/or flavor interference
Brut-style or ultra-dry expressions
Session beers
Anywhere small color and flavor shifts get amplified… this keeps things tight.
Want to taste it for yourself? Grab a pint around town:
Export Pilsner Collaboration: Prost (Northglenn), Zwei Brewing (Fort Collins, or Woods Boss Brewing (Denver).
Hazy IPA: Stodgy Brewing Co (Fort Collins)
Bob West Coast IPA: Hello Brewing Company (Fort Collins)
Technical Snapshot
Low Color Pilsner
SRM: 1.3–1.8
Protein: 11.8%
Friability: 97
Extract: 81%
Flavor & Performance
Aroma: Neutral, clean
Flavor: Delicate grain, subtle sweetness
Mouthfeel: Tidy, neat, just enough structure
Usage: Up to 100%
The takeaway
We spend a lot of time talking about flavor, terroir, and malt character.
This one’s different.
This is about restraint done well.
It’s still Root Shoot: Sown, grown, and malted.
Just… quieter.
If you want to push hops further, dry things out, or keep your beer looking as pale as possible without sacrificing performance…
This is your malt.