| When it comes to brewing beer as we all commonly | | | | soaked in water and allowed to germinate for a short |
| know it, there are three major ingredients required to | | | | period, then the sprouting process is abruptly halted |
| complete the process. Hops are used as a flavoring | | | | by kiln-drying the grains with the use of hot air. This |
| aspect, yeast is added to convert the fermentable | | | | procedure develops the enzymes in the grain required |
| sugars into alcohol, but barley is the key ingredient | | | | to modify its starches into sugars such as glucose, |
| from which the sugars are obtained. As the fourth | | | | fructose, sucrose, maltose, etc, and also further |
| largest produced cereal grain crop in the world, barley | | | | enzymes known as proteases used to break down |
| predominantly serves its purpose as a major animal | | | | proteins. Barley however contains a high enzyme |
| feed, but it is often used in foods of a healthy | | | | content which makes it to be the most commonly |
| nutritional value, and is also the root ingredient in the | | | | malted grain available, with wheat being the second. |
| manufacture of beer. There are two common types | | | | With the sugars required for fermentation to produce |
| available of the grain suitable for brewing, which are | | | | alcohol, and formatted proteins suitable for the yeast |
| known as two-row and six-row barley. | | | | conversion, malted barley is therefore the most |
| The six-row barley is a natural mutation of the two | | | | popular choice for brewing beer. |
| row version, and is higher in protein content which is | | | | There are two categories used by brewers in |
| found more suitable for animal feed. It is commonly | | | | reference to malt, which are base malts and specialty |
| used in some North American lager beers, but mostly | | | | malts. Base malts refer to malted barley which |
| when there are other adjuncts added to provide | | | | contains enough enzymes to convert their own |
| additional sugars, such as corn and rice. Two-row | | | | starch into sugars, as well as some starch from other |
| barley however has lower protein content with more | | | | unmalted grains which may be added during the |
| fermentable sugars present, therefore it is this which | | | | conversion process known as mashing. Specialty |
| is better adapted to beer brewing, and is traditionally | | | | malts however have very little diastatic power and |
| used in many European beers. Its lower protein | | | | low enzyme content, so these are particularly used |
| content lessens the chances of a beer becoming | | | | to provide color, flavor, and body to the final brew. |
| cloudy, and also requires less time steeping in water | | | | These malted grains were most commonly subjected |
| for partial germination to occur, which is essential for | | | | to additional heat treatment by means of roasting, |
| malting. Malted barley also serves as the key | | | | which converts their starches into sugars |
| ingredient to whiskey production by distillation of | | | | non-enzymatically by a simple applied cooking process. |
| unfermented green beer, and although it may be the | | | | Once the barley has undergone all the preparation |
| most predominant and popular source of sugars | | | | necessary through malting, it is then sent for mashing |
| required for beer brewing, it is not a compulsory | | | | which activates the enzymatic process by stewing |
| element. | | | | the grains in hot water for a short period. This |
| If the word 'malt' is in the title of any consumable | | | | eventually results in a sweet liquid known as wort, |
| product, it commonly refers to the process to which | | | | and it is then transferred to the next important |
| the cereal grain used as an ingredient has been | | | | stage of flavoring and sterilization. |
| subjected to. To achieve malting, whole grains are | | | | |
