malt: a practical guide from field to brewhouse (brewing elements book 4)  brewers often call malt the soul of beer. fourth in the brewing elements series, malt: a practical guide from field to brewhouse delves into the intricacies of this key ingredient used in virtually all beers. this book provides a comprehensive overview of malt, with primary focus on barley, from the field through the malting process. with primers on history, agricultural development and physiology of the barley kernel, john mallett (bell’s brewery, inc.) leads us through the enzymatic conversion that takes place during the malting process. a detailed discussion of enzymes, the maillard reaction, and specialty malts follows. quality and analysis, malt selection, and storage and handling are explained. this book is of value to all brewers, of all experience levels, who wish to learn more about the role of malt as the backbone of beer.