Brewers often call malt the soul of beer. Fourth in the Brewing Elements series, Malt: A Practical Guide from Field to Brewhouse, delves into the intricacies of this key ingredient used in virtually all beers.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of malt, with primary focus on barley, from the field through the malting process. With primers on history, agricultural development and physiology of the barley kernel, John Mallett (Bell’s Brewery, Inc.) leads us through the enzymatic conversion that takes place during the malting process.

• Author: John Mallett
• Pages: 336
• Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches

Review

John has done the heavy lifting for us by presenting (in a very readable fashion) the chemistry of malt carbohydrates, sugars, amino acids, proteins, and lipids. He elegantly describes the history and chemistry of Maillard reaction products, and the derivation of caramel colors and flavors in the kiln and kettle.

The book flows like the air moving through drying barley, describing functionality, flavors, fermentability and unfermentables extracted from malt, including how many malty factors can be unintentionally overrepresented in beer.

In addition to the malt itself, he addresses common concerns related to malt receiving, conveying, storing, weighing, and milling. You won’t find this level of fundamental understanding and practicality in any malting theory textbooks.“

- Dave Thomas, BeerSleuth LLC and author of The Craft Maltsters’ Handbook