Malt and Other Sources of Sugar

Question 1

What are grains?

Answer 1

The seeds of cereal plants.

Question 2

What is considered the most important grain, from a brewing point of view?

Answer 2

Barley

Question 3

What are the most commonly used grains for brewing beer?

Answer 3

• Barley
• Wheat
• Maize (corn)
• Oats
• Rye
• Rice
• Sorghum

Question 4

What are the two basic components found inside the protective husk of a grain?

Answer 4

• The embryo, or baby plant.
• The endosperm, or a storage of energy (in the form of starch).

Question 5

What conditions are needed for the embryo inside a grain to begin to grow?

Answer 5

Warmth and wetness.

Essentially it needs to feel like spring is here.

Question 6

Why does the plant store energy inside the grain?

Answer 6

Because the embryo needs an energy source to grow until the plant can produce leaves and create energy through photosynthesis.

Question 7

What is photosynthesis?

Answer 7

It is a plant’s ability to produce energy from sunlight.

Question 8

In what form does a plant store food in its grain?

Answer 8

In the form of starch.

This is an effecient way to store sugars.

Question 9

True or False.

A plant embryo can feed on starch to produce energy directly?

Answer 9

False

It must first convert the starch into sugars, which it can then process into energy.

Question 10

What is typcially needed to convert starch to sugars?

Answer 10

Enzymes

Enzymes act as catalysts for the conversion of starch to sugar.

Question 11

What is the process of converting grain into malt called?

Answer 11

Malting

Question 12

What are the three key steps to malting?

Answer 12

1. Steeping
2. Germination
3. Kilning

Question 13

What is the most commonly malted grain?

Answer 13

Barley

Question 14

What does malt refer to?

Answer 14

On its own, it always refers to barley malt.

Other grains, if malted, will have the name of the grain in the description.

Question 15

What happens when grains are steeped?

Answer 15

They are submerged in water, which causes germination, where the embryo begins to grow and release enzymes.

Question 16

What happens during germination?

Answer 16

This is where the embryo in the grain begins to grow and produce enzymes to convert starch to simpler sugars.

Question 17

Why is kilning a key step in the malting process?

Answer 17

It heats and dries the grain out (reduces moisture) and stops the plant from using all of the energy / sugar.

Germination is stopped at this point.

Question 18

Aside from halting germination, what other effect does kilning have on the grain?

Answer 18

Also produces color and aromas in the malt.

This can have a major impact on the style of beer produced from this malt.

Question 19

What is the production difference between base malts and other malts?

Answer 19

Base malts are heated to the lowest temperatures in the kilns in order to minimise damage to enzymes, which will be used later to convert starch to sugar during mashing.

Question 20

What aromas can base malts contribute to a beer?

Answer 20

• Water cracker
• Bread dough
• Bread crumb
• Light honey

Question 21

What colors can base malts contribute to a beer, if used on their own?

Answer 21

Straw or golden colors.

Question 22

What is the majority malt type used by most brewers?

Answer 22

Base malts

Question 23

What is the primary purpose of specialty malts?

Answer 23

To give color and aromas to the final beer.

Question 24

How are base malts used in the production of beer?

Answer 24

In small amounts and in combination with larger portions of base malts.

Question 25

How are specialty malts produced?

Answer 25

By increasing the temperature and length of time the malt spends in the kiln, or by roasting the malts to an even higher temperature.

Question 26

What can happen to enzymes during the production of specialty malts?

Answer 26

The higher temperatures used to produce specialty malts can either damage or destroy the enzymes.

This is why base malts are key to brewing.

Question 27

What aromas can specialty malts give to beer?

Answer 27

• Graham cracker
• Bread crust
• Toasted bread
• Toasted nut
• Caramel
• Dried fruits
• Candy floss (cotton candy)
• Coffee
• Chocolate

Wide spectrum of aromas depending on the malt combination.

Question 28

What color can specialty malts contribute to beer?

Answer 28

• Amber
• Copper
• Brown
• Black

Question 29

Base or Specialty malt:

Pilsner malt

Answer 29

Base malt

Question 30

Base or Specialty malt:

Munich malt

Answer 30

Highly kilned specialty malt

Question 31

Base or Specialty malt:

Black malt

Answer 31

Dark roasted specialty malt

Question 32

Base or Specialty malt:

Caramel malt

Answer 32

Specialty malt

Question 33

What types of sugar sources can be used in combination with malt?

Answer 33

• Other grains (i.e. rice or maize/corn)
• Sugars
• Syrups

Question 34

Why would a brewer use sugar sources other than malts?

Answer 34

• To provide extra sugar for fermentation.
• To affect the final beer’s texture and aroma.

Question 35

How can the use of rice or maize/corn impact the final style of the beer?

Answer 35

They will often give beer a lighter aroma, intensity, and body.

Question 36

What affect on the final style of the beer will wheat have?

Answer 36

It can create a smooth and creamy texture, as well as contribute haziness to a beer.

Question 37

What is the recipe listing all of the types and amounts of malts and grains used to make beer called?

Answer 37

The Grain Bill