by Paulie Weese

How is Malt made?

Once the bug to make beer really bites a brewer faster than it can be drank, this question inevitably comes up.  It is discussed because ingredients make all the difference when brewing, just like a chef thinks about his entrée, the brewer thinks about his beer.  There are so many variations, selecting malt can be confusing.  Different beers require specific malts for them to bring the flavor a brewer is looking for.

For me, researching malt came by way of Scottish Ale, which is a strong beer whose roots date back early Scotland.  The beer is cooked and then fermented at very low temperature, as low as 50 degrees.  This is because Scotland rarely gets warm, and their brewing process reflects this geographic fact.  In my brewing experience, I have had to wait for winter to make such good beers because I cannot maintain a low temperature like this without help from Mother Nature.

Malt starts with barley.  The barley used for malt must be viable for germination.  Not all barley grown is able to reproduce.  Some barley is grown for human consumption like rice, or to make breads like wheat.  Barleys also have different types.  Growers refer to two, four, and six row barley, each corresponding to the number of flower clusters along the stem, at the seed head.  The choice of which to use depends on the beer and the brewer.

Once harvested and taken to the silo, barley waits to be steeped.  The silo time allows the kernels to season.  Once the barley is taken to the manufacturer, the grains are steeped.  Steeping allows for germination to occur.  Steeping the grains softens the outer layers.  Germinating these seeds causes enzymes to be produced, thus giving a fuller flavor.  Depending on the type of beer, the seeds are germinated over short or long time periods.  The shorter the period, the stronger the barley flavors can be.

After germination, the barley is taken to a kiln to be cooked.  In old Scotland and elsewhere, grains were cooked on wooden floors.  The grains were turned by hand.  (A very hot job in Summertime!)  Not until 1817 did barrel roasters appear, with copper becoming used frequently in the 1830’s.  Today kilns are large, enclosed, automated spaces that are very efficient at uniform roasting.  These kilns can use relatively low temperatures and high flows of air.  The grains are dried to water content of near ten percent.  At this point, the temperature is increased, producing roasts of specific types.  The end of the process has malted the barley.

Barley at this point can be processed into syrup or powder.  Each compound is used differently, and produces similar, yet culinary differences that are discussed at length between brewers.  Barley grains are added to worts to bring out further flavor.  For example, dark grain can be added a light, pale malt to bring out a robust coffee flavor.

For me, malt means flavor.  I still experiment with combinations and find some I like, and some I won’t do again.  In the end, I still have an excellent home brewed beer to be served fresh at the end of my workday.

Published July, 2009

Paulie Weese, www.thebarleyreview.com              Back To Main Article Menu