Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-01-29
copyright. 1914. by A. S. Gray)
MANUFACTURE OF MALT.

|
which have made each individual what
he is today the more we become con-
vinced that every being has affilia.
tions which link him with the whole
past; that there is continuity of
germ plasm and also of protoplasm
which goes back to the very begin
ming Of life on this globe; and that
| IL 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
ming of life in any organism Is Inn
mensely interesting and Illuminating
to such of us as are not egotistE and do
not insist on learning in the most ex-
pcnsive Of all schools-that Of per
sonal experience. Hence, me 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
to malt barley is IL days. Tie oper-
alton is started by sleeping" or soak
ing the barley corns in tanks of water
for 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 it may be
controlled. When termination begins
engines are secreted and these act on
the reserve material. starch and pro-
teins of the endosperm, converting
them into simpler compounds. capable
of diffusing to various parts Of the
growing germ. When termination is
allowed to proceed. as 1t does when
the grain is planted in the soil, the
whole of the contents is rendered
soluble by degrees and in turn are S.
simulated by the growing plantlet.
But the limited termination which
constitutes the mailing process re-
tains all the soluble compounds in the
finished malt. Starch and the proteins
k1
posted in the tissues of the germ and
the cells of the scutellum which previ-
ously were almost free from starch;
the protein matter deposited in the
latter disappears to a considerable
extent and the protoplasmic content
of the cells constituting the root
which protrudes from the base of the
grain. It is at this stage that the
barley Is said by masters to chit"
The 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
over and ever sprinkled with water,
according to the maltster's judgment
and skill In regulating the evapora-
ton 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 1t Is
followed by others until there ere per-
haps five or more. The cotyledonary
sheath, or seed leaf. begins to elongate
on 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.
ster.
moved to position No. 3, known as
"old floor.- where 1t 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
thickening 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
by the engines. Under normal con.
ditions the temperature In "old piece"
| is allowed to rise as high as about
seventy degrees during the six hours
previous to loading 1t into the kiln.
At this stage the moisture content ia
about forty per cent and 1t is easily
possible to break down the corn be-
tween the thumb and finger; the
grain is soft. mealy and soluble; It
is mostly digested. The next stage
consists in loading the malt into the
kiln and there thoroughly drying II
to stop all further digestion, then
| roastins Il for the desired fav,r