Often playing second fiddle to hops in the minds of craft beer drinkers, malt is the backbone of beer: “No barley, no beer.” Malt defines the color, flavor, body, and alcohol of beer and has been cultivated for nearly as long as agriculture has existed. In this book, author John Mallett explains why he feels a book on malt is necessary, taking the reader on a brief history of malting from the earliest records of bappir through to the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. When Mallett touches on the major changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution and beyond, he illustrates how developments in malting technology were intertwined with politics and taxation, which increasingly came to bear on the world of maltsters and brewers. Of course, no book on malt would be complete without a look at the processes behind malting and how different malts are made. Mallett neatly conveys the basics of malt chemistry, Maillard reactions, and diastatic power—the enzymes, starches, sugars, glucans, phenols, proteins, and lipids involved. Descriptions of the main types of malt are included, from base malt, caramel malts, and roasted malts through to specialty malts and other grains like wheat, rye, and oats. Information is interspersed with the thoughts and wisdom of some of America's most respected craft brewers. Understanding an ingredient requires appreciating where it comes from and how it is grown. The author condenses the complexities of barley anatomy and agriculture into easy, readable sections, seamlessly combining these details with high-level look at the economic and environmental pressures that dictate the livelihoods of farmers and maltsters. Mallett explains how to interpret—and when to rely on—malt quality and analysis sheets, an essential skill for brewers. There is a summary of the main barley varieties, both modern and heritage, from Europe and America. The book finishes with what happens to the malt once it reaches the brewery, addressing issues of malt packaging, handling, preparation, storage, conveyance, and milling in the brewhouse.

The Craft Brewing Handbook: A Practical Guide to Running a Successful Craft Brewery covers the practical and technical aspects required to set up and grow a successful craft brewing business. With coverage of equipment options, raw material choice, the brewing process, recipe development and beer styles, packaging, quality assurance and quality control, sensory evaluation, common faults in beer, basic analyses, and strategies to minimize utilities, such as water and energy, this book is a one-stop shop for the aspiring brewer. The craft brewing sector has grown significantly around the world over the past decade. Many new breweries are technically naïve and have a thirst for knowledge. This book not only covers how to maximize the chances of getting production right the first time, it also deals with the inevitable problems that arise and what to do about them. - Focuses on the practical aspects of craft brewing - Features chapters on equipment choice, QA/QC and analyses, and beer styles - Provides insights into successful breweries around the globe

The industrial process of germination-which converts hard, insoluble cereals into friable, extractable grains for subsequent use as a food source for humans or yeast - is called malting. The Craft Maltsters' Handbook provides an in-depth understanding of the technical and scientific meanings of words and phrases used in malting and is an up-to-date reference on the many types of malts used in brewing and distilling today. The rise in craft micro-malting is a nod to the 19th century men and women who provided the malt for brewing/distilling and part of the growing trend of taking back an art from large multinational corporations who have come to dominate much of agriculture and manufacturing.