what are specialty grains used for
Specialty grains that can be used in this way are usually barley, malted or unmalted, that has been treated differently at the malting company. Crystal malt is one of the specialty grains. It is available in a whole range of colors, from 20 to 120 Lovibond. Crystal malt is malted barley that is heated while wet.
Some other specialty grains that are easy for everyone to use are roasted barley, biscuit malt, special roast, black patent malt, black barley, and chocolate malt. Each of these was made in a different way, and each will add different qualities to the beer you are making. Using these grains is very simple.
To make other beer styles, specialty grains are used. Commercial brewers and all-grain homebrewers enjoy an advantage here, because they usually just add whatever specialty grains they are using to the mixture of grains in their mash. To a commercial or all-grain brewer, all the grains are mixed.