The Journey of Malt – Germination
After the steeping process we saw last month, it’s time to bring the malt to life. Quite literally, because the next step of the Journey of Malt is germination.
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 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. But that is a story for another time…
