Depending on the style of malt produced, grains are kilned between 175-400☏. The maltster kilns the grain to stop the growing process, which preserves the starches and the enzymes for use in brewing. Kilning – The final step in malting the barley is the kilning.The degree to which the barley is allowed to grow is called “modification.” The barley will typically be turned regularly to prevent the rootlets, or “chits,” from getting tangled. The enzymes begin to break down the cellular structure of the grain, which makes the starches accessible for conversion into fermentable sugars. During this phase, enzymes are activated in the barley. Germination – The barley is then moved to the floor where it is allowed to sprout.The water is periodically replaced, which gives the barley a chance to breathe. Steeping – The maltster soaks the barley in large steeping tanks, aerating the malt and maintaining a constant, cool temperature that discourages microbial growth.Using a variety of barley grown specifically for making beer, the maltster creates conditions that encourage the barley corns to grow, then kilns the barley corns before they have a chance to grow into plants:
Barley wine homebrew professional#
Malting the barley is a three-step process carried out by a professional maltster. But before these sugars can be used, they must be made accessible through a process called malting. The grain provides the sugar that feeds the yeast, which in turn converts the sugar into alcohol and CO 2. These sugars are what brewers use to make beer. The corns store energy in the form of starch, a complex sugar, so that the plant can grow. Barley grains (also called corns) are the seeds of the plant that in optimal conditions will grow into a plant. So, what is malted barley?īarley is a grass that comes in a 2-row or 6-row variety, which corresponds to way the grains are arranged around the barley stem. (The other three are water, hops, and yeast.) Most commercial beer is made with malted barley, though some beers are made with wheat malt, rye malt, and other cereal grains. Malted barley is one of the four essential building blocks of beer.