MALT HOUSE: THE HEART OF BREWING GREAT BEER

Malting is the process in which a primary role in defining flavor, aroma, and overall quality of the final product is played by malt in beer brewing.

Malt processing is done through a basic procedure called malting, whereby raw barley or other grains are transformed into those fermentable sugars that are needed in brewing.

The facility in which this transformation occurs is called a malt house or malt plant.

Several steps within the process become automated and controlled by the malting system so that the various stages of the malting process are stabilized to ensure quality in the malt produced.

This article will examine the malting process, its importance to brewing, and what types of malt houses are available to the brewer/maltster today.

WHAT IS MALTING PROCESS AND HOW DOES MALTING SYSTEM WORK?

The malting process is complicated and has several steps; it essentially prepares grains, usually barley, for brewing by allowing their germination and then drying to check further growth.

Three main steps make up the process, and they are:

Steeping: the grain is immersed in water to raise its moisture content and initiate the germination process.

Germination: the grains are spread out and allowed to sprout.

It is during this process that enzymes within the grain break down the starches into fermentable sugars.

Kilning: germinated grains are dried in a kiln to arrest their growth process and lock in the fermentable sugars besides developing the flavor characteristic of malt.

All these processes are controlled by a malting system, which may be automated for steeping, germination, and drying.

In this way, malt quality and consistency are ensured for brewing.

Malt houses vary in size from traditional, hand-crafted designs to large automated plants.

IMPORTANCE OF MALT FOR QUALITY BEER

Malt, on the whole, is rather poetically described as the soul of beer in that it contains those vital sugars which the yeast will need for fermentation and the resultant generation of alcohol.

It has been interpreted in a number of ways to mean sweet, nutty, rich, roasted, and all colors, from pale golden hues to deep amber and brown.

Without good malt, it is simply impossible to brew a great beer.

The entire process of malting impacts the flavor and aroma of the final brew-so much that breweries select their malt with care and rely on malt houses to deliver the same product over and over again.

THE MALTING PROCESS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF MALT HOUSES

These are manifold, but each type of malt house proffers special advantages with regard to the scale of production, efficiency, or style in which the production is done.

The major types of malt houses used in brewing industries are discussed below.

  • Traditional Floor Malthouses

  • Drum Malthouses (Industrial or Pneumatic Malting)

  • Saladin Box Malthouses

  • Batch Malthouses

  • Tower Malthouses

  • Micromalthouses

  • Ecological Malthouses

  • Multi-Stage Malthouses

TRADITIONAL FLOOR MALTHOUSE

One of the oldest ways of malt-making is by using a traditional floor malt house.

Here, grains are laid out on a flat floor in thin layers and turned by hand to regulate germination.

This method makes allowance for natural airflow and very limited mechanization.

Labor-intensive and requiring so much space, floor malting is still a method favored by craft maltsters for its special flavors in malt.

Slow germination and manual handling give the grain subtle differences which will enable more complexity in beer.

DRUM MALTHOUSES (INDUSTRIAL OR PNEUMATIC MALTING)

Generally, these are the more industrialized versions of malt houses compared to the traditional ones.

For either large rotating drums or chambers where forced air is used for drum malthouses or pneumatic malting systems, respectively, the grains germinate.

Being mechanized, this process assures an extremely controlled environment where uniform germination and drying can be attained.

Drum malting normally occurs in large-scale malt plants because it is highly efficient and has high malt production capacities.

The presence of automated turning and aeration systems reduces manual involvement, hence making them economical for commercial breweries.

SALADIN BOX MALTHOUSES

Another type of system for industrial malting is the Saladin box.

Grains germinate in large boxes with rotating arms that automatically turn the grains.

Air is also forced through the boxes in order to regulate both temperature and moisture.

This method provides good control of the germination process and uniformity is enhanced, thereby reducing the chances of spoilage.

A Saladin box has the advantage of handling larger volumes of grain in one batch, and thus they are preferred for medium and large malt houses.

BATCH MALTHOUSES

The way batch malthouses work is that the grain is handled piece by piece, in distinct, small batches, rather than continuously.

This system allows maltsters more flexibility in experimenting with different types of grain and malting profiles without disrupting the overall process of work.

Batch systems are ideal for the production of specialty malt, for which brewers might require only small quantities of custom-made malt in exceptionally special recipes.

While less productive than continuous malting, batch malthouses provide even greater control and customization.

TOWER MALTHOUSES

In tower maltings, there is a vertical malting through different levels of a tall building.

Grain is moved progressively from one stage to another as it advances through steeping to germination and on to kilning.

This saves space, with an added advantage of increasing the effectiveness of the malting process by reducing horizontal floor space.

The tower malthouses are ideal to be sited in an urban location or when space is at premium.

They also allow a high degree of automation that might streamline the process of malting and reduce most of the operational costs.

MICROMALTHOUSES

A micromalthouse is a compact malting plant serving the needs of a craft brewer or a small maltster.

Micromalting systems generally serve for small batches of malt production, enabling more experimentation and flexibility.

These micromalthouses are perfect for breweries wanting to make malt in-house, or maltsters looking to provide small quantities of specialty malt to local brewers.

They may not be as efficient as larger systems but offer flexibility that is hard to match.

ECO-FRIENDLY MALTHOUSES

Sustainability nowadays is equally important in the brewing industry, and eco-friendly malt houses are built with energy efficiency and consideration for the environment.

Common features that can be found in this type of malt houses include solar and wind power, water recycling systems, and minimal waste.

Eco-friendly malt houses are increasing as breweries and maltsters find ways to cut their carbon footprint without losing quality in the product lines.

MULTI-STAGE MALTHOUSES

The multi-stage malthouse is designed to deal with several stages of the malting process simultaneously.

These systems are ideal for malt plants that wish to produce malt continuously on a large scale.

Grains will be steeping, germinating, and kilning simultaneously in different portions of the plant for continuous output.

This malt house represents probably the best efficiency and throughput; therefore, it is appropriate for commercial malt production where large volumes are needed.

CONCLUSION

The malt house forms a crucial unit in the brewing of beer, where raw grains are malted, giving it its special flavor, aroma, and body.

From the traditional floor malting to modern, environment-friendly malt houses, the correct malting system goes a long way in determining the quality and character of the beer.

But the selection of the correct malt house is a very crucial process that helps a brewery and maltster maintain consistency and quality within their products.

Whether you are a craft brewer looking to experiment with small batches, or a larger-scale producer needing high-volume production, there is a malting system for you.

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