Raw materials for brewing beer – malt

Malt is the main raw material for beer brewing. The composition and quality of malt directly affect the flavor and quality of beer, so that malt is called “the skeleton of beer”.

Malt is mainly made of barley, it is not strict with soil and climatic conditions, and it is widely distributed all over the world. Barley is easy to germinate, the enzyme system is relatively complete, and the brewed beer has a unique flavor. The biochemical and morphological characteristics of barley grains are more suitable for brewing of beer than wheat and other grains; the price of barley is also lower, and the production process can save 70% of water; in addition, barley matures much faster than other grains, so barley is selected as the main raw material for beer brewing.

Those days, the variety of beer is becoming more diverse, and many products have a special position in the market with their unique foam, color, aroma, taste and fullness. Malt is widely used in beer brewing, the advantages of malt as a raw material for brewing beer are:

1. The enzyme activity is good, the α－N content is high, and the amount of the enzyme preparation can be reduced during brewhouse.
2. The high content of anhydrous extracts can increase the yield of brewhouse wort and reduce the cost of beer sugar consumption.
3. The brewed beer has a long-lasting foam and a strong mellow feeling.

In addition, in the production of different craft beers, special malt, such as coke malt and black malt, is added to highlight the typical characteristics of the product, which are called special malt. Special malt can give beer a special quality, affecting the beer production process, color and aroma and its stability.

Good malt requires good brewing equipment to ferment. YoLong is your best choice. We can supply a variety of brewing equipment. If you want to experiment with brewing, welcome to purchase our pilot brewing equipment.

Cheers!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Q1: What malt parameters matter most for brewing beer quality?
  A1: Focus on moisture (<4.5%), fine-coarse extract difference (F/C <1.5%), diastatic power (DP ≥220 WK or ≥100 Lintner), Kolbach Index (36–44%), friability (>85%), viscosity (<1.6 mPa·s), FAN (130–200 mg/L), and color (EBC/Lovibond per style).
• Q2: How do base malts differ from specialty malts in brewing beer?
  A2: Base malts (Pilsner, Pale, Vienna, Munich) supply enzymes and fermentable extract; specialty malts (crystal/caramel, roasted, chocolate, black, biscuit) contribute color, flavor, and body but have little to no enzymatic power.
• Q3: Can I replace part of the malt bill with adjuncts without harming beer foam?
  A3: Yes, but keep adjuncts (e.g., rice, corn, sugar) below 30–40% unless you supplement foam-positive proteins via malt selection (higher S/T, adequate protein) and manage proteolysis. Excess adjuncts can reduce foam stability.
• Q4: How do malt freshness and storage affect brewing beer flavor?
  A4: High moisture or warm storage accelerates staling (lipid oxidation), raising staling aldehydes. Store malt cool and dry (<20°C, RH <50%) in sealed bags; aim to use within 12 months for base malts, sooner for kilned/roasted malts.
• Q5: What lab tests should small breweries request from maltsters?
  A5: Standard CoA with moisture, extract (DB/FG), color (EBC/SRM), protein (total/S/T), DP, KI, friability, beta-glucan/viscosity, and DON (mycotoxin). For hazy beers, beta-glucan and protein specs are particularly important.

2025 Industry Trends: Malt for Brewing Beer

• Climate-resilient barley: Expanded use of drought-/heat-tolerant varieties to stabilize extract and protein.
• Lower-DON supply chains: Tighter mycotoxin screening due to wetter harvests in some regions.
• Predictive quality: Maltsters use NIR and ML models to forecast extract/DP and optimize steeping/germination.
• Sustainability labeling: More malt CoAs include carbon/water footprint data; brewers use this in ESG reporting.
• Flavor-forward base malts: Growth in “character base malts” (heritage/terroir) for lagers and IPAs without heavy specialty use.

2025 Malt Quality Benchmarks (typical ranges for base malts)

Parameter	Lager/Pils Base	Pale Ale Base	Notes / Sources
Moisture (%)	3.5–4.5	3.5–4.5	Keep low for stability (EBC, ASBC)
Extract FG, DB (%)	80–83	80–83	Higher extract improves brewhouse yield
Diastatic Power	220–300 WK (≥100 L)	240–320 WK (≥110 L)	Variety and kilning dependent
Total Protein (%)	9.5–11.5	10.5–12.5	Impacts FAN, foam, haze potential
S/T (Soluble/Total, %)	36–42	38–45	Proteolysis; relates to fermentability
Kolbach Index (%)	36–42	38–44	Target mid-range for balance
Beta-Glucan (mg/L)	<150	<200	Lower reduces lautering issues
Color (EBC)	3–5	5–7	Style-driven
DON (ppb)	<500 (goal <150)	<500 (goal <150)	Safety/spec; regional limits vary

Selected sources:

• ASBC Methods of Analysis: https://www.asbcnet.org
• EBC Quality Handbook (malting/brewing standards): https://brewup.eu
• Brewers Association raw material guidance: https://www.brewersassociation.org

Latest Research Cases

Case Study 1: Switching to Climate-Resilient Barley to Stabilize Extract (2025)
Background: A regional lager brewery saw seasonal swings in extract and lautering due to variable barley protein and beta-glucan.
Solution: Partnered with a maltster sourcing heat-tolerant barley variety; tightened malt CoA acceptance (beta-glucan <150 mg/L, DP ≥240 WK) and adjusted mash (short protein rest at 52–54°C).
Results: Brewhouse yield improved by 1.2% absolute; lauter time reduced 18%; sensory panel noted improved foam stability with no flavor trade-offs. Data shared in MBAA district presentation (2025).

Case Study 2: Reducing DON Risk in Wet Harvest Year (2024)
Background: Elevated DON levels in incoming malt lots increased QA rejections and supply pressure.
Solution: Implemented stricter incoming screening (rapid test kits), segregated lots by DON, and adjusted grist: specialty malts from low-DON batches; added brewery-side HACCP checkpoint.
Results: Zero production batches exceeded internal DON limits; procurement costs rose 1.4% but avoided product holds and recalls. Lessons cited in BA safety forum (2024).

Expert Opinions

• Dr. Charlie Bamforth, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Malting & Brewing Science, UC Davis
  Viewpoint: “Malt is beer’s backbone—manage protein modification and oxidation from day one to sustain flavor stability and foam.” Source: Public lectures/interviews; brewing texts.
• Dr. John Shellhammer (Tom Shellhammer), Professor, Oregon State University
  Viewpoint: “Base malt selection and mash regime shape hop expression; controlling polyphenols and protein carryover helps clarity and hop aroma retention.” Source: OSU Hop & Brewing research.
• Graham Stewart, Professor Emeritus, Heriot-Watt University; former Director, IBHD
  Viewpoint: “Consistent FAN and DP are critical for fermentation performance—set and enforce malt CoA specs to protect throughput and quality.” Source: Technical publications and seminars.

Practical Tools/Resources

• ASBC Methods (malt, wort, beer analyses): https://www.asbcnet.org
• EBC Analytica and BrewUp resources: https://brewup.eu
• Brewers Association: raw materials, quality specs, safety: https://www.brewersassociation.org
• Maltsters Association of Great Britain (MAGB) guidelines: https://www.ukmalt.com
• GrainCorp/Boortmalt/Castle Malting technical sheets: check vendor sites for CoAs and specs
• Mycotoxin rapid test info (EU/US): FDA/EU guidance — https://www.fda.gov | https://ec.europa.eu/food

Last updated: 2025-09-01
Changelog: Added 5 malt-focused FAQs, 2025 trends with benchmark table and sources, two case studies on resilient barley and DON control, expert viewpoints, and practical malt QA resources
Next review date & triggers: 2026-03-01 or earlier if major barley harvest quality reports change specifications, ASBC/EBC update malt analysis methods, or new mycotoxin limits are introduced