The Colorado statesman., 1915-01-30
tCopyrieht, l9l4. bY A. S. Grayl
MANUFACTURE OF MALT.

winch nave made each individual What
he is today the more we become con-
rinced that every being has affilia-
tons which link him with the whole
past; that there is a continuity of
germ plasm and also of protoplasm
which goes back to the very begin
ming of life on this globe; and that
II we could only know all the factors
which are concerned in producing any
single organism. however simple it
might be. in all itr relations and pro-
portions. we could explain the uni
verse from top to bottom and evolve
an infallible remedy for all our Ills.
consequently the study of the begin
hing of life in any organism is i'm
tnensely interesting and illuminating
20 such of us,as are not egotists and do
not insist on learning in the most ex-
'-pcnsive of all schools-that of per
sonal experience. Hence. ne open
minded the study of the manufacture
of malt should be most suggestive and
instructive.
Any live seed or grain can be malt
ed; and barley. oats, rice, wheat, rye
and maize are used, but because of its
flavor and other important qualities
barley is the prime faVorite for this
purpose. The average time required
&c malt barley is II days. Tie oper-
alton is started by sleeping" or soak
ing the barley corns in tanks of water
cor about forty-eight to seventy hours.
After the barley is removed from the
sleeping tanks it is made up into rec.
tangular heaps sixteen to twenty
inches deep known as position No. 1,
or the couch" the object of this be-
ing to enable 1t to gather heat and
start active terminating. 1t usually
remains in couch twelve to twenty
four hours. or until the interior of the
heap registers a temperature of 60
degrees Fahrenheit. At this point the
barley is moved to position No. 2, or
young floor" and there thinly and
evenly spread in order that 1t may be
controlled. When termination begins
enzymes are secreted and these act on
the reserve material. starch and pro-
teins of the endosperm, converting
them into simpler compounds, capable
of difrusing to various parts of the
growing germ. When termination is
allowed to proceed, as it does when
the, grain is planted in the soil, the
whole of the contents is rendered
soluble by degrees and in turn are s.
similated by the growing plantlet.
But the limited termination which
constitutes The mailing process re-
tnins all the soluble compounds in the
finished malt. Starch and the proteins
are reformed. the former being de-
posted in the tissues of the germ and
the cells of the scutellum which previ-
ously were almost free from starch;
che protein matter deposited in the
latter disappears to considerable
extent and the protoplasmic content
Of the cells constituting the root
which protrudes from the base OF the
grain. 1t is at this stage that the
barley is said by malsters to chit"
Tho fret sign of "chitting" may take
place either while the grain is on the
couch or on the young floor. The
grain is thickened or thinned, turned
oyer. and eyer sprinkled with water,
according TO the maltster's judgment
and skill in regulating the evapora-
tion and the rise of temperature, the
object being to aerate and stimulate
the development of the germ.
After the first rootlet has broken
through the enLs of the sheath II is
followed by others until there s.re per.
haps five or more. The cotyledonary
sheath. or seed leaf begins to elongate
m the third or fourth day of germina.
tion and ruptures the true covering
Of the grain; 1t then grows upward
between this and the husk and forms
The acrospire or "spire" of the malt.
Bter.
About the eighth day the grain ia
moved to position No 3. known as
"old floor" where it is spread thinly
and slowly allowed to dry for the pur.
pose of withering its roots. At this
stage the acrospire should be about
three-fourths the distance up the
corn. The treatment now requires
Chickening the piece up to about ten
inches The rootlets now having with.
cred and died on the temperature In.
crease resulting from thickening the
grain pile is accompanied by little II
any increase in the growth of the
acrospire the action being confined
chiefly to the mellowing OF the grain
6y the engines. Under normal con.
.dIIons the temperature in "oId piece"
10 allowed to rise as high as about
.seventy degrees during the six hours
previous TO loading 1t into the kiln.
s1t this stage the moisture content is
.h0,,t forty per cent and 1t is easily
nossibie to break down the corn be-
tween the thumb and finger; the
grain is soft. mealy and soluble; 1t
ts mostly digested The next stage
consists In loading the malt into the
Kiln and there thoroughly drying 1t
20 stop all further digestion. then
roasting II for the desired flavor
A.,,,aI life In rut n continuation