http://www.brewershilllifestyle.com/beer-barley/
Malt and Barley – a Little Taste of England
It doesn’t matter whether you are drinking a pint of beer in Ireland, America, Europe, Japan or Australia the chances are the malt used to produce that beer came from Stanstead Abbotts, Ware in Hertfordshire England.
This little area of England has been the biggest UK cereal producer for hundreds of years as its soil, which is chalk or clay based, is ideal for growing crops such as Barley.
With its close proximity to London, the River Lea as an ideal form of transport, and the huge supply of readily available Barley, a massive industry grew up in the nineteenth century brewing beers to quench the thirst of London’s ever growing population.
At one point in London’s history it was actually better to drink beer rather than the water as this was so unhealthy it was more likely to kill you!
Malt which is used to give the beer its flavour as well as its colouring is produced by allowing the Barley to reach a certain point in its germination and then stopping it from germinating any more through the use of heat. The brewer will then mash the milled malt to produce sugars which feed the yeast to produce alcohol.
This process can be traced back over more than four thousand years and up until the last 50 years or so the process had hardly changed at all.
Now the modern brewer, having a greater knowledge of the physical and chemical changes that take place during the malting process, has managed to develop techniques to gain a greater control over the malting process.
They are now able, with skillful use of water, air, heat and time, to produce a wide range of malts that can add different flavours and colours to beers from the dark stouts of Ireland to a golden coloured lagers of Australia.
Unfortunately the huge industry that once was has dwindled over the years but there are still some Malting companies in this area of Hertfordshire still producing malts that are exported throughout the UK and all over the world.
So no matter where you are in the world, next time you put a glass of cold beer to your lips rest assured you can probably taste a little part of England in your glass.
I hope you found this article interesting, whether you are into brewing your own beers or just someone who enjoys drinking beer.
For more information on beer why not click onto http://makeabetterhomebrew.blogspot.com/
About the Author
How to Home Brew Barley Wine : Siphoning Home Brewed Barley Wine
|
|
Norpro Grain Grinder $42.59 Grind oats, wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat, soy, rice, millet, peas, alfalfa, and any other dry seeds or legumes. Clamp chrome finish. High tempered steel rollers. Instruction book included. Dimensions: 6.5” H. x 8.5” W. x 6.75” D…. |
|
|
Grizzly H7775 Cast Iron Corn / Grain Mill $24.95 … |
|
|
Barley Crusher MaltMill w/ 15 lb Hopper $149.99 The Original Barley Crusher MaltMill, is the Home Brewers Best Friend that has proven to be just that. A high quality grain mill constructed using materials that will last a lifetime, 1018 Cold Rolled Steel for the rollers, 6061 Aluminum for the mill body and hopper, tool steel for the axles with oil-impregnated bronze bushings. Precision machining with Quality Control and a Lifetime Warranty assu… |
|
|
Beer and Polkas – 24W x 18H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Malz – 36W x 27H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $58.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Beer Brewing Ingredients: Hops and Barley – 60W x 40H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $87.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
|
|
Original Beer Shampoo – Brewed with Elysian Brewing Company’s Stout Beer! – 8oz $15.99 Duffy’s Brew Original Beer Shampoo uses the nourishing benefits from Elysian Brewing Company’s Dragonstooth Stout to strengthen and revitalize your hair and scalp. The bitter Cascade and Centennial hops, roasted barley, and rich malt found in this beer provide a restorative coat of vitamin B, proteins, and minerals to each strand, adding volume and body to your hair. The maltose and sucrose used i… |
|
|
Original Beer Conditioner – Brewed with Elysian Brewing Company’s Stout Beer! – 8oz $16.99 Duffy’s Brew Original Beer Conditioner uses the nourishing benefits from Elysian Brewing Company’s Dragonstooth Stout to strengthen and revitalize your hair and scalp. The bitter Cascade and Centennial hops, roasted barley, and rich malt found in this beer provide a restorative coat of vitamin B, proteins, and minerals to each strand, adding volume and body to your hair. This rich conditioning for… |
|
|
BRÖÖ Citrus Pale Ale Shampoo $14.79 BRÖÖ YOUR DO! Yes, we BRÖÖ’d a premium shampoo with beer. Now, we’ve hopped up the citrusy aroma of our handcrafted pale ale by adding a “slice” of citrus scent, extracted from natural plant sources, to our classic BRÖÖ salon-level shampoo. For ages women have poured this luscious libation on their thirsty tresses for home-brewed body and shine! Turns out, this barley beverage is hopping… |
|
|
Barley Malt Powder, 1 lb. $2.89 (100% barley) Barley malt powder is sometimes called flour as it is made from grain that is fermented, then dried and ground. The process turns the grain’s starch into sugar…. |