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This page features questions submitted to Ask the Maltster and their
answers. We invite you to submit
your own question to the maltster.
Question
I have been told that all the various brands of Supermalt contain pigs blood, the pigs blood they say is used to color the drink. Could you tell me if this is fact or fiction?
Posed by RONALD LAKE, London middx England
Answer
I am not entirely certain what Supermalt is, but I can assure you that it would not contain pig's blood. The color is more likely acheived through caramel coloring.
Question
I am looking for organic wheat malt to brew an organic beer in my brewery.
Don't you have such a product?
Posed by Koh-ichi Nittoh, Nagareyama-shi Chiba-ken Japan on May 27, 2002
Answer
We do not presently carry organic malt but we are in the process of investigating the possibility of doing so.
Question
Hi.
I would like to know if your malt mixes are the same powders that are used in making ice cream malteds. If they are do you sell directly to the public. Do you have a price list. I am interested in vanilla, chocolate, and perhaps strawberry malted mix.
Thank you
Posed by Donna, crestview fl. usa on January 29, 2000
Answer
Sorry, we do not make powdered malted mixes. We manufacture brewer's malt in whole grain form.
Question
Has there been any research on the glycemic affects of malt? Do malts differ in their glycemic properties.
Posed by Vance Stanley, Houston Texas USA on October 10, 1999
Answer
I am not aware of any research being done on the glycemic affects of malt, but there has been some research done that suggest certain health benefits in drinking a moderate amount of beer, which of course contains malt.
Question
Can malt be frozen to increase its storage life?
Posed by Brian Lundeen, Winnipeg MB Canada on July 12, 1999
Answer
I'm not completely sure. My best guess would be no. My primary fear would be moisture pick up in the freezing/thawing process.
Question
i read in an article that a rise in temp over 2 degrees a min could be harmfull to the enzymes in your malt is this true.thank you
Posed by Lca, Ellerslie Md USA on April 5, 1999
Answer
Like all proteins, enzymes are fragile. They can destroyed by heat.
However, I am not certain what affect raising your mash temp more than 2 degrees per minute would have.
Question
I have a question about dextrin malts that's been nagging at me for a while. I hope you can help. Dextrin malts are generally advertised as having the capacity to improve body, mouth-feel, palate fullness, and foam stability due to dextrins created during the malting process. I have read that the dextrins are created by roasting moist barley at a high saccharification temperature, tipping the balance of the converted endosperm to intermediate length carbohydrates, i.e. dextrins, rather than simpler sugars created in crystal malts. It is also my understanding that dextrin malts are subsequently kilned at fairly low temperatures in order to keep the malt reasonably neutral in flavor and color. So, it would seem to me that these dextrins would be subject to enzymatic degradation in the mash. After all, unless they are limit dextrins, which would not be subject to further a-amylase or b-amylase activity, the dextrins contributed by the dextrin malt would just be one step closer to complete conversion than starch from the base malt. Yet, I know that dextrin malts do indeed contribute a significant amount of nonfermentable extract. So, what's going on here?
Posed by David Humes, Baltimore MD USA on November 22, 1998
Answer
This is an excellent question! I hope my attempt at an answer does it justice.
Dextrin malt is essentialy undermodified malt that has gone through saccharification and then dried. It does not contain any products which result from thermal degradation. Thus, there are more sugars present due to the breakdown of starch in the kiln or roaster.
As we know, saccharification is brought about by the joint action of alpha and beta amylase. Saccharification takes place in steps, or in other words, the amylose and amylopectin moieties of the starch molecule are generally degraded to smaller units.
Alpha-Amaylase is more resistent to high temperatures than beta-amalyse and its optimum temperature at mashing is 70 degrees C, but it is destroyed at 80 degrees C, whereas the optimum temperature of beta-amylase at mashing is 60-65 degrees C and it destroyed at 75 C. Thus, the higher the heat used at mashing, the greater proportion of dextrins in the wort.
A prolonged temperature rest at 60-65 degrees will yield a wort rich in maltose. If, however, the temperature of the mash is raised at the outset to 70 degrees C, the dextrin content will be proportionately increased and thus the fermentability of the wort can controlled.
Question
What is the difference between flaked wheat and malted wheat? I know you get fermentables out of malted wheat, do you get the same, if any from flaked. Also, is all flaked wheat pregelantinized,or, only if it is specified that way.
Posed by Tim Dennis, York PA USA on August 26, 1998
Answer
To my knowledge, all flaked malts and adjuncts are pregelatinized, or precooked, unless stated otherwise. The possible exception would be "steel-cut" oats.
Malted wheat is wheat that has undergone the malting process and is sold in its natural whole kernel form.
Flaked malts and ajuncts are made by steaming the whole kernel, typically under pressure, until the kernel softens and swells. Then the kernels are passed between a set of hot rollers, which flatten and pull them apart.
Flaked wheat is made with raw wheat, wheat that has not been malted.
Flaked malts and adjuncts will provide you with additional fermentables.
Question
What is the meaning of the numbers after malt names such as caramel 10, caramel 20 etc...
Posed by steven frank, washington dc USA on June 9, 1998
Answer
The number after the malt is the "degrees Lovibond" or the degree of color that is present in the malt.
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