Malt, one of the four major raw materials for craft beer, is not a staple food for people but is planted in large quantities. Moreover, as far as malt itself is concerned, the malt shell is thin, the starch content is high, the protein content is relatively low, the germination is uniform, and the extract yield is high, making it the first choice for craft beer. Today, Tiantai will introduce you to the importance of malt and the preservation method.
What is malting?
There are two concepts of malting. One is in the biological sense, in which dormant grains are activated and enzymes begin to be produced or released. The other is in the chemical sense, in which unfermented malt is “liquefied” under the action of enzymes to produce soluble substances-extracts and malt flavors.
What is the role of malting?
Enzyme production: After germination, part of the starch in barley is decomposed to produce a large amount of enzymes. These enzymes can convert starch into fermentable sugars in the subsequent saccharification process.
Moderate dissolution of malt: During the malting process, the action of enzymes moderately dissolves the starch and protein in the grains and decomposes macromolecular compounds.
Formation of color, aroma, and taste: By drying to remove excess moisture and green taste, malt produces unique color, aroma, and taste during the cooking process, which affects the quality and taste of craft beer.
What is the role of soaking?
Activate barley: By soaking, the physical effect of dormant barley is activated, the moisture content of barley is increased to 43%~48%, and an appropriate amount of air supply is ensured to allow the barley to breathe.
Purify barley: Further, remove impurities.
Remove harmful substances: Eliminate tannins and other harmful substances in the shell to ensure the quality of the malt.
Why do we need to dry malt?
Reduce humidity: Reduce the humidity of malt to below 5% to prevent mold and deterioration.
Termination of germination and dissolution: Stop the growth process of malt through hot air treatment and fix its characteristics.
Production of color, aroma, and flavor substances: When the temperature exceeds 80℃, a large amount of pigment compounds and aroma substances are formed to enhance the flavor of beer.
How to preserve malt?
Environmental requirements: The storage warehouse needs to be well ventilated and dry. The floor and walls should be made of impermeable materials and have measures to prevent insects, rodents, and moisture.
Classification and stacking: Classify according to different varieties to avoid contact with corrosive or moldy items.
Regular inspection: Pay attention to the temperature and moisture of the malt, ensure that the temperature is below 20℃ and the moisture does not exceed 5%.
First in, first out: Manage inventory reasonably to avoid losses caused by long-term storage.
Through the above introduction to malt, we can see that high-quality malt is an important raw material for craft beer. The correct preservation method can not only keep the malt in the best condition but also lay a solid raw material foundation for brewing craft beer with a unique flavor. At Shandong Tiantai Beer Equipment Co., Ltd., we are committed to providing customers with efficient beer equipment to help you on your craft beer journey. Whether it is equipment selection or brewing technology, our professional team will serve you wholeheartedly. If you have any needs for craft beer equipment, please feel free to consult.
Refequency questions
500L double wall conical Fermenter
20 bbl double wall conical Fermenter
