;){kind=link}
Barley Malts
Malt Constituents
Malt is largely made up of carbohydrates, which are composed of insoluble cellulose, soluble hemicellulose, dextrins, starch, and sugars. Cellulose constituents do not contribute to fermentable extract or desirable flavors in the malt. Hemicellulose is a constituent of the endosperm cell walls, which consist largely of beta-glucan. Dextrins are residual, unfermentable fractions of amylopectin. Starch, accounting for about 60 to 65% of the malt’s weight, is composed of amylose, which is reduced to maltose and maltotriose and amylopectins that decompose into glucose. Glucose, a monosaccharide, accounts for about 1 to 2% of the total starch found in a barley kernel. Maltose, a disaccharide or double-sugar, is most closely associated with brewing and is formed by two molecules of glucose. Another disaccharide present in malt is sucrose. The only significant trisaccharide or triple-molecule sugar in brewing is maltotriose. Maltotriose is slowly fermentable by most strains of brewing yeast.
Click on the following topics for more information on barley malts.