Make Beer At Home

American grains. Barley. The grain develops on the ear. Each grain is generally referred to as a “corn.” The“whiskers” or “beards” (awns) are distinctive of barley. When we speak of barley in a brewing context, we are primarily concerned with its grain, the seeds growing on the ear in the field: it is these that are used to make beer.

Barley malt is the proper combination of starch, enzymes, flavors, along with aromas for brewing, distilling, baked goods, cereals and confections.  There are lots of varieties of barley malt - from light to dark - but all are produced by variations on 2  principal themes: germination as well as kilning.  Different end-uses need different malt quality specifications.  There are rigorous certification processes to certify which sorts are proper  for malting. Some of the principal characteristics used to define malting quality are protein (low, moderate, or high), malt extract (high) , enzyme activity (moderate to high), along with beta glucan (low).

Crystal malt—grain that has been heated longer than pale malt—is darker and imparts more color and a slight caramel flavor to the beer. Chocolate and black malts, so named for their colors, are barley grains that have been heated still more. They add color, a smoky flavor, and a grainy texture to the beer.