, 1885-10-07
HOW MALI IS MADE.
The Four Prooesses---ste.ping, Conching,
Flooring, kiIn-DryinE--Black Mai.

Flooring, KiIn-Drying--Black Malt.
There are four processes in the opera
ton Of mailing; first, STEPPING; second,
COUGHING; third, ~fiooring-these two be
Ing carried on in one room, and often
countcd n process; the fourth, kiln
drying.
The process OF sleeping is necessary to
promote termination, which is the first
requisite Of mailing. A mechanical as
well as a chemical change is the result of
this operation, as the s%oftening of the
grain by the use Of water is required to
loosen the flinty husk and allow the
germ TO come through. With the germ,
which begins to develop within an hour
after being put in steep, springs into ex-
istencc the principle called ~diastase, 4"
derived from the Greek word which
means To separate. Diastase is not
only soluble in itself. but it has the
power to dissolve starch and finally con
vert il into what is known as grape
sugnr"-that form Of ~sacchariuc matter
most desirable in beer. So powerful is
it that one part of diastase will change
1000 parts of starch into grape-sugar.
The grain being put into large iron
or stone cistcrns, is covered with water
10 the depth of five or six inches. In
this steep il lies about fifty hours, more
or less, according to the weather, with
the result Of an increase in bulk Of 20 or
more per cent, and an advance toward
the second process, known as couch
ing" This is simply removing the now
swelled grain from the watts and placing
it in Il heap upon the floor, where it re-
mains from thirty-siX to forty-eight
hours. During this time a slight steam
ing takes place, accompanied by a rise
in temperature of 10 degrees, and the
terminating action is well under way.
Flooring" is a continuation of couch
ing, and one requiring judgment and
delicate manipulation. The grain is now
spread out upon a floor, first to a depth
of fifteen inches, which, as il is repeat
cdly turned and worked, is reduced to
six inches. termination now progresses
rapidly, while the grain must be fire.
quautly turned, as the embryo plant re-
quires air for development quite as much
rs thu human being needs it for ex-
istence. The lighter the grain becomes,
The more Of the starch is converted
il o sugar, and the finer the future ale
Will be, and the better it will keep.
Til process Of flooring requires about
seven days for its full development.
The long, low rooms, often with as
phalt floors, IN which couching and floor
ing are done, are the chief features of the
malt house, whose many-windowed sto-
ries loom up in enormous buildings. The
great beds Of growing grain are carefully
shoyeled over several times n day with
great wooden shovels, until the careful
Tna1af.r aaae that - 20 r..al.r F,r tho hin
the door Of which opens from the end of
the room.
~Kiln-drying" follows the flooring, AS
the time arrives for checking the ger
mination. The partially-sprouted grain
is introduced into the kiln, which has u
Slated floor below to allow the action
of stove-heat, and ventilation in the
roof above to facilitate the escape
of steam; in this respect the process is
not like that of the drying of the
hops. The temperature at the first
is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which is
gradually raised to 100 degrees Fahren-
nett, the grain lying meanwhile to n
depth of eight to ten inches on the floor.
A light, gradual heat produces light malt,
from which the paler and more delicate
ales are made, coke or hard coal produc-
ing the ordinary pale malt, and hard
wood fuel, with its fumes of pyrolig
neous acid, the amber" malt. From
eighteen to twenty-four hours. as the
case may be, are consumed in the kiln
drying. Brown malt, used for porter
and for the heavier ales, is produced
in kilns with floors of wire or
thin metal, from quick wood fires,
by which in two hours driving the
malt is raised suddenly nearly to the
temperature of combustion, and as
quickly lowered, the result being n con
siderable proportion of caramel or burnt
sugar in the malt. Black malt, used
for coloring; is actually roasted, much
after the manner of coffee, and most
Of it becomes caramel lG Pomeroy
Reese in Harper's.