h it the ingredients for lighter and darker beer styles) will be made and give malt its typical malt aroma. Finished Malt for the BreweryThe finished brewing malt contains only 3 or 4% moisture and is now ready to be stored. It is cleaned and separated from the germinating malt, dusted and polished and then stored in silos that are well ventilated and protected from dust development. The germination sets biological changes within the kernel into action: Enzymes are activated or newly created. These developments are only interrupted by the kiln-drying. During the mash (the mixing of the ground malt with water) the enzymes - as desired - become active again.The malt is now ready for the brewing process. Production methods will differ from brewery to brewery, as well as according to brewery equipment and beer types. Athenian Brewery S.A uses its own production methods; however the main processes will be similar. The description below applies to the production of a typical lager beer in a brewery with a lauter tun installed.Brewing AreaThe first stage in the brewing process is the preparation of the wort. After the malt is crushed to grist of suitable fineness, and preliminary treatment of the adjuncts takes place to facilitate extraction, the malt and adjuncts are mixed with brewing water to form a mash. Adjuncts are a supplementary sugar supply, provided either as starch (e.g. maize grits or rice) or as sugar or glucose syrup. Glucose syrup can also be added later to the wort kettle. The mash is heated, following a pre-set time-temperature program, in order to convert and dissolve substances from the malt and adjuncts in the brewing water. (The brewing water is often called ‘liquor’.)Extraction is accomplished through a combination of simple dissolution and the influence of the enzymes formed during the malting. The substances dissolved in the water are collectively called the “extract”. The solution formed is call...
