SOME ASPECTS OF BARLEY COMPOSITION AND MALTING BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

Large-scale malting trials have been carried out on 31 barley samples distributed in four groups, one each of Freya (3 samples) and Spratt-Archer (10) and two of Carlsberg (8, 10) of different geographical regions. Cellulase activity as determined in the barley does not of itself give any clear indication of the probable early behaviour on the malting floor, though most favourable conditions would appear to be provided by barleys with moderate or high cellulase activity so long as this is accompanied by no more than a moderate content of barley gum. The autolytic pattern of the grain in respect of gum recovery with advancing time is of value in assessing extremes of malting behaviour, distinguishing between the two groups of Carlsberg barleys, one of which malted well and one less satisfactorily; it also distinguishes those barleys in which water penetration is difficult. The viscosity of standard malt worts shows no correlation with other analytical methods of assessing modification; in fact, viscosities for a particular variety fall into a limited range of values insufficiently wide for useful subdivision.