Integrating the malt value chain
Barley is especially well suited to malting operations and meets brewers’ needs and expectations. During the different stages of fabrication of malt and beer, the grain is capable of synthesizing and rapidly activating an enzymatic complex. Certain of these enzymes are necessary for the saccharification of starch, and thus its later transformation into alcohol during fermentation of the wort at the brewery. During this final stage, barley’s moderate protein content is sufficient for nourishing the yeast while limiting the appearance of sludge in the beer.
The fine husks that are a particularity of barley grains, following crushing of the malt, are the origin of the draff through which the wort is filtered in order to separate the insoluble parts.
Even though malt is made essentially from barley, other cereal grains can be malted (wheat, sorghum, buckwheat, rye) depending on the availability of raw materials in the country. Wheat malt is used mainly in making "white" beers (Weiβenbier in Germany).
Following a harvest of malting barley done at a stage of complete physiological maturity (moisture < 14.5 %), storage must be able to ensure maintenance of satisfactory sanitary and technological quality. That means that malting barley must be stored in clean, watertight installations equipped with ventilation allowing the grain to be cooled in successive stages, thus avoiding the proliferation of insects and the development of microflora and maintaining the barley’s germinating power.
The term “whisky” refers to any alcohol distilled from fermented grains, whether or not the grain is malted.
Malting consists in causing the grain to germinate and set in motion the transformation undergone naturally by the plant during its growth, and then halting that transformation more or less rapidly depending on the characteristics desired.
A complete approach to malting barley procurement must take into account these six key areas and deploy pragmatic, multi-faceted solutions keyed to situations and customer needs in each region.
In a worldwide context in which malting barley is becoming scarce, geographical imbalances and mismatches between cereal-grain production zones and beer consumption zones are increasing. Securing supplies of raw materials now requires skills in six key areas. To deal with this complex situation, Malteurop deploys different organizational and procurement-chain management models.
To adapt as well as possible to the expectations and imperatives of brewers and respond to the varied demands of a diversified international clientele, Malteurop offers several modes of commercial collaboration, as well as consulting, engineering, and training services.
Working together with grain growers is a natural approach for Malteurop. Firstly because growers are at the very origin of Malteurop and because they are part of the Group’s shareholding structure via their cooperatives.
