Malt production

MALT PRODUCTION

Malt production is a precise craft that transforms cereals into an essential ingredient for brewing beer. From the meticulous selection of the grains to their final drying, each step—cleaning, steeping, germination, and kilning—is carried out with care to guarantee a homogeneous, aromatic, and high-quality malt, ready to reveal its full potential in the brewery.

CLEANING AND SIZING OF BARLEY

The barley harvested from the fields will be cleaned and calibrated to ensure uniform grain size and to remove foreign matter. Calibration is carried out using sieves of varying diameters (2.8 mm, 2.5 mm, 2.2 mm), resulting in consistent and uniform grain size.

SOAK AND GERMINATION

The barley is first soaked in potable water to hydrate the grain and the embryo, alternating periods underwater for absorption and cooling, and periods exposed to air for respiration. This step, with precise control of temperature and aeration, raises the moisture content to 40-44% within two days, triggering the production of enzymes essential for brewing. Under ideal conditions, germination lasts 4 to 5 days, depending on the variety, until the germ reaches two-thirds of the grain. The process is then interrupted by indirect drying to preserve the qualities of the future malt.

KILNING AND DEGERMATING

Kilning is the grain drying process. It comprises two main phases: drying to remove free water and kilning to remove bound water. The goal of kilning is to dry the grain, impart color, and eliminate DMS precursors (PDMS) and DMS. Drying is achieved using indirectly heated air that enters from the bottom of the kiln. The dried grain (4.5% moisture) then passes through vibrating screens to remove rootlets and germs that contribute oil to the malt (affecting flavor and foam quality).

Custom malting from 50 tons of barley

To be even closer to microbrewers, we offer custom malting services for breweries and distilleries that wish to use specific barley from specific regions.