History of modern malting

Malting, one of the earliest ‘biotechnologies’ is a fascinating blend of pure and applied science with personal skills and judgments, all being used with industrial and commercial restraints and requirements in view.  The malting process results in development of amylase required for conversion of starch to fermentable sugars.

Many historians contend that primitive malting arisen as part of ordinary cooking, where it would have rendered the grain more nutritious and digestible. It was developed by trial and error.

The beer processing spread throughout Europe and Africa early in its history. In 1268, befoore he achieved sainthood, Saint Louis IX of France in 1268 enacted laws to ensure the quality of beer.

The making and selling of malts was often controlled. In Nurnberg in 1290 only barley was allowed to be malted, while in Augsberg between 1433 and 1550 beer was only to be made from malted oats.

The development of large breweries particularly in the 19th century, led to the industrialization of malting and a progressive increase in the size of production units and of the batches of grain processed.

In some respects, the malting technology used in the UK was beginning to differ from that used in North America and Continental Europe by the mid 1800s. Outside the UK, the introduction of mechanization and pneumatic malting was easily adopted.

The pro-active approach of the industry to research and development is exemplified by the observation that the malting industry was using gibberelic acid as a malting aid in commercial production of malt in 1960.
History of modern malting

Ancient history of malting barley

Malting is a process where the seeds of the harvested barley are soaked in water until they sprout and begin to activate enzymes that can covert starch to sugars. Beer yeast will later convert those sugars to alcohol and carbon oxide.

Around 6000 years ago, the Sumerians wrote the first references about barley and beer.

During the next 5000 years the Sumerian beer recipes were refined by the Babylonians and then by the Egyptians, by the Greeks and then the Romans.

Herodotus, Pliny, Strabo assert that beer was prepared by malting barley called zythos.

According to the historian and student of Socrates, Xenophon of Athens (430 – 354 BC) the Armenian prepared fermented drink from barley.

The introduction of beer and barley malting into Europe began in 55 BC by Julius Caesar’s Roman Legions.

Beer making then spread throughout Europe and especially to the northern part of the Empire to the Gauls the Teutons and into Scandinavian.

According to Cornelius Tacitus (56 AD – 117 AD), the ancient Germans malted their barley before brewing from it.

By the end of the first millennium AD the art and science of malting barley and beer making were firmly established in the monasteries.
Ancient history of malting barley