GB972251A - A process for the production of a clarified malt extract - Google Patents

Abstract

A clarified malt extrat is produced by germinating barley for up to approximately four days, thereby increasing its enzyme content, disintegrating the germinated barley with water to make a slurry, separating the starch from the slurry to yield an effluent rich in barley enzymes and proteins, heating the starch-free effluent to a range of temperatures which progressively increase from 122 DEG F. to 144 DEG F. over a period of up to one hour, so as to activate the enzymes, clarifying the effluent, remixing the clarified effluent with the separated starch, and subjecting the mixture of starch and clarified effluent to heating at a range of temperatures which progressively increase from 144 DEG F. up to 170 DEG F. over a period of substantially 60 minutes, thereby converting the starch to soluble sugars, so as to produce a clarified malt extract. The separated starch may be dried and reconstituted with water to a fluid suspension, before the dried starch and water are mixed with the clarified effluent. Similarly, the clarified effluent may be either concentrated to a gravity of 1,300 or dried to a powder for reconstitution by the addition of water, prior to the mixing with the separated starch. When a stronger malty flavour is desired, the starch may be heat treated before the remixing. Conventional brewers adjuncts may be added to the germinated slurry just after disintegration, and starch from extraneous sources and a liquor extract from boiled husks may be utilised. The clarified malt extract may be used directly for the manufacture of beer or may be concentrated to a gravity of 1,300 for packaging. Specifications 872,391, 872,392, 872,393, 872,394, 872,395, 872,396, 872,397, 872,398, 872,399, 872,400 and 970,940 are referred to.