Malt: A practical guide from field to brewhouse

Fifty years ago, the only specialty malts being made in the U.S. were produced by Briess. Today, American craft brewers have a dizzying array of domestic and imported specialty malts available to them. So craft beer’s demand for variety, special packaging/grain handling systems and technical support from their malt supplier have greatly impacted the malt industry,

To learn more about this amazing industry, check out the Brewers Association‘s fourth installment in the Brewing Elements series — Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse — which delves into the intricacies of this key ingredient used in virtually all beers. This book provides a comprehensive overview of malt, with primary focus on barley, from the field through the malting process.

With primers on history, agricultural development and physiology of the barley kernel, John Mallett, Bell’s Brewery Inc., leads us through the enzymatic conversion that takes place during the malting process. A detailed discussion of enzymes, the Maillard reaction, and specialty malts follows. Quality and analysis, malt selection, and storage and handling are explained. This book is of value to all brewers, of all experience levels, who wish to learn more about the role of malt as the backbone of beer. To learn more, watch the video above.