Base Malts – Are made using the exact process above, but kilned slowly at low temperature so the malt dries with a light finished color.These are base malts, kilned malts, caramel/crystal malts and roasted malts. ![]() The Four Malt Groupsĭepending on the temperature, humidity and time used in the kilning process you can make the four basic malt groups. The rootlets and other debris are also separated from the malt during this process leaving only the malted grain. ![]() By varying the time and temperature used during kilning, the malster can also develop the color and flavor of the malt. During the kilning step, the grain is tumbled with hot air running through it to halt germination and also dry out the malt. Most of these modern systems use the same drum for kilning, which is the next step. This malting process develops the enzymes that will be needed in the mash. The seed is allowed to grow for several days until the acrospire within the grain reaches approximately the same length of the grain husk itself. The process starts with a static steep to initiate germination, and then the drum is rotated to during germination and early growth. In a modern setup, malting is instead done in a slowly rotating drum. Later the “Saladin” box was invented with corkscrew augers that rotated the germinating grain in the box. In a traditional malthouse this was often done over a floor (aka floor malting), and the seeds are raked several times a day to turn them over and avoid too much moisture or heat. Small rootlets will also form at the base of the seed. ![]() Within a day or so the barley will sprout and moisture is maintained for the next few days as the small seedling (called an acrospire) begins to grow. The grain is dry when brought into the malt house, but the first step is to immerse the grain into water to raise the water content up enough to get the barley seeds to sprout. The malting process starts with raw barley grain, harvested from the field. This week I look at the malting process, how we commonly group malts and the impacts for beer brewing.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |