The first and most important step in brewing is cleanliness. "Brewing is
ninety percent janitorial," said Frederick Bowman, founder of Portland
Brewing. (Bowman) The first step in the actual brewing process is malting.
Malting is what is done to the barley to prepare it for brewing. The steps
of the malting process release the starches that are contained in the
barley, while minimizing haze and off-flavors. Grain is allowed to soak in
60° F. water to increase the moisture content of the grain to about
40-45%. The grain is usually spread out on the floor of the germination
room, or some other container. These grains are kept at a temperature of
about 60° F. The germination is complete when the sprout has grown to
about 3/4 the length of the grain and the hard part of the grain, or the
shell, has turned soft. The goal for germination is for the starches within
the grain to break down into shorter lengths. At this shorter length stage,
the grain is called green malt. Kilning is the next stage after the grains
have sprouted. Kilning is the process of drying the grain in the kiln where
the temperature is slowly raised during the 30-35 hour period. After
kilning, the result is finished malt, with soluble starches and developed
enzymes. These grains each have a different and distinct flavor depending
on how long they are cooked in the kiln. (Porter)
After the malting, the grain is ready for milling. Milling is the cracking, and
crushing of the grain. This procedure is controlled carefully so as to break
the grain while keeping the husk as large and as intact as possible. Milling
allows the grain to absorb the water it will be mixed wit...