The malt is manufactured by roasting kilned malt – a Lager malt of good modification is best – progressively raising the temperature of the malt from ambient to 150/160°C. Because there is no saccharification stage the non-enzymic browning reactions follow a different pattern, and the end products are nitrogen containing heterocycles of the pyrrole and pyrazine type, the pyrazines being mainly responsible for the bitterness.
| Parameter | IOB | EBC | ASBC |
| Moisture | 4.5% max | 4.5% max | 4.5% max |
| Extract (0.7/0.2mm), dry | 275Ldk min | 77.0% min | 77.0% min |
| Colour (EBC/SRM Units) | 100 - 120 | 110 - 130 | 50 - 70 |
| Total Nitrogen / Protein, dry | 1.75% max | 1.75% max | 11.0 % max |