Are you curious about how our malt is made? Our malting process is no secret. So if you want to know all the ins and outs of our industry, keep on reading. If you want to read just one of the steps, you can click the chapters below.
Farming | Steeping | Germination | Kilning | Caramelising | Roasting | Laboratory
Farming
The best malt starts with the best grain. Barley, wheat, rye and any other varieties are the building blocks of any beer. To turn a humble kernel into liquid gold is quite a process, but it all starts with the art of farming.
Since 2001 our malt house in Kloosterzande connects with local top growers in the region. The aim of this cooperation is the improvement of barley crop and creating an optimal chain structure. From this collaboration evolved Growing The Swaen, that focuses on sustainable agriculture.
High and consistent quality raw materials will provide the best beer. Currently 30 to 40 farmers are growing for The Swaen on 200 to 300 hectare per year with an average yield of 8 ton per hectare. The partnership enables us to trace the quality in every production stage, and to store all barley separately: per variety, per region, per supplier. This guarantees the constant availability of high quality malting barley.
At the end of the growing cycle – after the crop is ripe – the barley is harvested. It will then be transported to The Swaen. Here it is stored in huge silos, waiting for its time to shine.
Steeping
First, we need to allow the grain to rest. It will be stored and dried for a few weeks. We also make sure the grain is clean and all excess material is removed. Don’t worry, we don’t throw anything away – the collected product is used as animal feed.
Now the grain is finally ready to go through the malting process. The first step is called steeping. This means the grain will be soaked in big tanks full of water to increase the moisture content. Here it is moved around to make sure every kernel reaches its ultimate potential.
Just soaking the grain isn’t enough though, there need to be dry periodes in between. Otherwise, you would simple drown its potential. While it seems that water is the main component here, the right amount of oxygen is just as important. It allows the grain to breathe.
Steeping will awaken the enzymes needed for brewing beer or distilling whisky. This part of the process usually takes between one to two days. When the right moisture content is reached, the grain is ready to germinate. It will be transported to one of our germination boxes.
Germination
It’s time to bring the malt to life. In short, germination is the natural process of a grain that starts to grow. In the malt house we reproduce these effects in a closed environment. Here at The Swaen we call it the science of malting, where traditional art and innovation meet.
In our germination boxes – including our Lausmann germination avenue – the soaked grain will start to sprout. Creating the best circumstances, The Swaen regulates the temperature and humidity. To make sure every kernel gets the same attention, the grain is slowly turned by huge screws.
This way, we can ensure the quality of each malt we create, from base malt to our prestigious Platinum Swaen range. The colour of the final beer depends on the treatment the malt gets here.
That is all quite technical, but why do we germinate? Simply said – enzymes. These are essential for brewing beer as they convert starches into fermentable sugars. Not only is this important for alcohol content and taste, it also improves the body and mouthfeel of the final beer. When the germination period – with an average of around 3 days – is done, the malt wil be transported to our brand new kiln.
Kilning
When the germination is finished – or rather, when we want it to be finished – the malt will be dried in our kiln (a specialized oven). To understand kilning we need to go back a step, because it all starts at the germination process. We established the fact that we want the grain to come to life. But at the same time, we don’t want it to undergo the entire process of natural germination.
For the right amount of fermentable sugars in your malt we need to stop the process in time. This is done by kilning, which means the germinated malt is first dried and then heated to become the right building block for your beer. In this phase, we also make sure the malt develops the desired flavour and colour characteristics. This is called modification, a measure of enzymatic activity.
We have an advanced kiln that allows us to create large amounts of malt, while still being able to make the tiniest adjustments. For example, Swaen Pilsner will need another procedure than what will become Black Swaen Honey Biscuit. The first needs the right amount of fermentable to become the perfect base malt, while the second needs to be prepared for roasting and focusses more on flavour and colour.
After the malt has been kilned to the desired specifications, it is cooled to prevent further development and stored in our silos. This is the final step in the malting process for our Swaen base malts. But if you want Black Swaen roasted malts, there is an additional step.
Caramelising
It’s important to note that the terms caramel malt and crystal malt are used interchangeably. While caramel malt is the preferred term in continental Europe and by many international maltsters, crystal malt is favoured in the UK and US. Regardless of the name, the product comes in various forms, depending on the equipment used. A caramel malt made in a drum roaster with moisture control is vastly different from one produced on the kiln.
The production of exceptional caramel malt hinges on three essential elements: sugar, heat, and moisture. The process starts with barley (or any other grain), undergoing steeping and germination to produce green malt.
This green malt, still wet, undergoes saccharification at temperatures ranging from 60-80°C (140-176°F) in our Probat drum roaster, converting starches into sugars. Upon complete starch conversion, the temperature is swiftly elevated to 110-165°C (230-329°F) for caramelisation. It’s noteworthy that caramelisation does not occur below 110°C (230°F), although darkening transpires due to the Maillard Reaction, initiating at 60°C (140°F).
At the heart of our caramelisation process lies our state-of-the-art Probat drum roaster. This remarkable piece of equipment orchestrates a dynamic dance as the drum continuously rotates. Within its confines, specially designed blades ensure the homogeneous mixing of the malt, ensuring that every kernel receives equal attention. It’s worth mentioning that while many malt houses claim they can produce caramel (or crystal) malts, very few possess the proper equipment necessary to do so.
But it’s not just about motion; it’s about precision too. Our roaster allows us to meticulously monitor and adjust temperature and moisture levels throughout the process. This level of control ensures that saccharification and caramelisation occur uniformly across the entire batch, resulting in a consistently high-quality product.
Our range of specialty caramel malts, known as Gold Swaen, represents our commitment to excellence. Each batch is saccharified and then caramelized with the utmost care, providing complex flavours, from slight caramel sweetness to hints of soft toffee. Moreover, these malts contribute to beers with a fuller body and mouthfeel, along with enhanced foam stability. At The Swaen we pride ourselves in having a wide range of caramelised malts, ranging from 20 EBC (8°L) all the way up to 450 EBC (169°L).
Roasting
You can also roast your kilned malt, with a totally different outcome. But why would you roast malt? Producers of Porters and Stouts will truly value the powerful colours, aromas and flavours, but it can even be used when baking bread. Roasted malt always has to be used in conjunction with other malts to create a well-rounded and balanced final product.
Black Swaen malt will give your beer biscuity, bready and – of course – roasty flavours. But chocolate, coffee, toffee and nutty notes can also be found in some varieties. Colours range from biscuity brown to pitch black. Everything depends on the duration and temperature of the roasting process.
That was the why, now we will have a look at the how. That’s where our impressive Probat drum roaster comes in. Designed specifically for The Swaen, machine with a capacity of 4 metric tons is still the largest in the business. Cereals or finished malts are heated at high temperatures (max 235°C). The roaster provides a perfect temperature control and even temperature distribution, ensuring a homogenous malt.
Laboratory
Between all these steps, we constantly test the quality of the malt. Even before we unload the grain, we make sure the product is free from inconsistencies. If all is well, various samples are sent to our on site laboratory to see if moisture and protein levels are correct. When a silo is completely filled, it’s time for a full analysis. Our laboratory technicians will check all specifics of the grain, to discover the best possible production methods.
Only if everybody approves, we start malting the grain. During all steps we carefully keep track of the quality. For example, during germination we test moisture levels and germination energy to ensure the power of our malt. Once we are satisfied, a full malt analysis is done for every batch.
Before bulk deliveries are sent out another malt analysis is done. The same goes for samples we take from the bagging line. That way, we can always track back our process if a customer should have any complaints.