Base Malt

Base malts make up the majority of an all-grain beer recipe. Base malts have enough diastatic power to convert their own starch and usually some amount of starch from unmalted grain, or adjuncts while specialty malts have little diastatic power, but provide flavor, color, and body to the finished beer.  The type of beer and or flavors you are interested in will dictate which base malt you should use.