In article ,
Rusty Hinge 2 writes:
|
| Barley for beer is 'malted' - that is, it is damped and kept in a warm
| place, where it sprouts. It is turned continually to allow air to get to
| the grains. as the grains sprout, the starch is converted to sugar
| (maltose).

That is a trifle misleading. While some starch is converted to sugar
during malting, only a little is. The main function of malting is to
produce a variety of enzymes, which are then activated during mashing.

The reason that both kilning and mashing have to proceed at a fairly
low temperature (not above 160 Fahrenheit) is to avoid destroying
the enzymes.

It is also why beers can be and are made from a mixture of malt and
unmalted grains (e.g. maize or rice) - barley malt has enough enzymes
to covert more than the starch it contains.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.