Assessing Floor Versus Pneumatic Malting: Comparing the Effects on Malt Quality and Fermentability

Abstract

The increase in popularity of craft beer over the past decade has resulted in a subsequent increase in the craft malting industry. Approximately 25% of craft malthouses use a labour-intensive method called floor malting for barley malt production. This research’s focus was to address some main concerns around floor malting. Over two years, malting data was collected on 22 batches of floor-malted barley. Mini-fermentations of these malt samples showed that significant (p<0.05) correlations exist between fermentation and malting parameters. Only one floor malted sample displayed the potential for premature yeast flocculation (PYF). When compared to pneumatic malt, floor malt yielded significantly higher (p<0.05) extract, colour, FAN, and diastatic power as well as significantly (p<005) lower friability. Additionally, initial laboratory trials showed the ASBC Yeast-14 method could be shortened by one day, require fewer laboratory materials, and employ other lager yeast strains to detect PYF in malt samples.