Malt barley: how to produce and what is used?

Malt - what kind of product is it? The answer to this question will be found in the materials of the article.

General information

Malt is a product that is obtained from germinated cereal seeds, mainly barley. As you know, this ingredient is the basis of the whole brewing industry. If barley malt is not grown, then there will be no foamy drink. What is the reason for this? The fact is that during the germination of this cereal culture, a diastase enzyme is formed in it, which, in fact, turns starch into malt sugar, that is, maltose. Under the action of the substance, the congestion is saccharified, and then it becomes a must. In turn, it is fermented and becomes a young beer.

Getting Malt

What should I do to get malt barley? The process of production of this product involves two stages: soaking and germination of seeds. These steps are necessary in order to induce in the cereal culture chemical reactions that contribute to the emergence of the necessary substances responsible for the formation of a delicious foam drink.

To better understand how malting barley is produced, it is necessary to describe the above stages of its production in more detail.

The soaking process

The purpose of soaking is the swelling of dry grain. At the same time, the processes of chemical changes begin immediately. This can be seen from the breath of the seeds, which manifests itself in the formation of carbonic acid and diastase.

Thus, in a wooden vat or a stainless steel tank, pour water and allow it to settle for 3 days. After this time, in the same container gradually fill the grain and carefully mix everything. After 3 hours, the trash that emerges on the surface and the seeds are removed using noise. After that, excess water is drained, leaving only a layer of liquid 10-15 centimeters above the barley.

In the process of soaking, the grains are cleaned of dirt, as well as from certain substances in the husks that can give the beverage an unpleasant taste and smell. In this form, the barley malt is kept for about 5 days, until it is fully swollen. This requires regularly changing the dirty water to clean water.

The germination process

After the soaking process is completed, the germination of the grain begins, which on average lasts about 7 days. During this process, the barley should be periodically moistened and gently mixed. As a rule, already on the 2nd or 3rd day, the seeds begin to appear on the seeds. After a week of aging, their length often reaches 1.6 times the length of the barley itself.

Freshly malted barley malt can be stored for no more than 2-3 days. That is why it is often dried for 17 hours at a temperature of + 45-55 degrees. When properly dried, this product has a light tint.

Methods of application

As it was said above, malt is most often used in brewing and distilleries. In the latter case, it is used to dissolve and fumigate the starch of other ingredients. As for the first, during the production of the foam drink only malt is used, which is further fermented.

In addition to the productions presented, this product is also used in the extraction process. By the way, barley malt for whiskey is equally actively used.

Brewing companies for cooking malt most often use barley and wheat. As for the distillery, oats, rye and maize are often used in it. It should also be noted that, depending on whether the raw material is fresh or dried, the malt is green and dry, respectively.

Types of malt

Depending on how the grain is soaked and grown, the malt is divided into different types:

1. Sour . It is obtained from dry light malt, which is soaked in water at a temperature of +45 degrees and withstands so much time that lactic acid microorganisms do not form more than 1% of lactic acid. After that, the malt is dried.
2. Wheaten . Made from wheat grain, which is soaked to a moisture content of 40%. After drying at a temperature of + 40-60 degrees, a light or dark malt is obtained, which is used to produce exceptionally dark wheat beer.
3. Burnt . This malt is most often used to produce a rather dark beer. Add it is recommended not more than 1%. Otherwise, the foamy drink will acquire an unpleasant burnt aftertaste.
4. Tempered . Make it from barley with a moisture content of 50%, and then the grain is wilted and dried for 4 hours. Such a product is often added to light or dark raw materials to improve its flavor and give a pleasant shade.
5. Caramel . Get it from dried malt, which is brought to a humidity of 45%. Caramel malt is saccharified with roasting drums at a temperature of +70 degrees. After that, different types of malt are obtained. For example, transparent is done by drying, light - by heating, and dark - evaporation of excess moisture.