The Ancient Magic of Malt: Making Malt Sugars and Ale from Grain Using Traditional Techniques

Abstract

The transformation of grain into malt, malt sugars and ale is a three step process. First, the controlled germination (malting), then ‘mashing in’ and collecting a sweet liquid known as wort and finally, the fermentation by pitching the yeast which converts the sugary wort into an alcoholic beverage. Each step requires different conditions for the process to work. They cannot be combined. Understanding these processes enables us to interpret the archaeological evidence for ale and beer brewing. This article considers how malt sugars are made and discusses a range of ‘mashing in’ techniques from a practical, technical, and scientific point of view. The process of ‘mashing in’ is done in a vessel called a mash tun. This is where the crushed malt and hot water are mixed together at about 65 – 67°C. The mixture is left for about an hour or an hour and a half, keeping a constant temperature throughout, to allow the conversion of grain starch into malt sugars by enzymes in the germinated grain. In some parts of Lithuania, Estonia, and Russia the completed mash is then baked in an oven to condition it (see figures 39, 40, 41). The high temperatures cause the sugars, amino acids and proteins to combine to create rich flavours, a process called the Maillard reaction. It is perhaps similar to ancient Egyptian or Sumerian techniques of making ‘beer bread’ in an oven. Keptinis could be a rare survival of this ancientmashing technique and might explain the wide variety of ancient Egyptian beers.

Keywords

• beer
• neolithic
• chalcolithic
• bronze age
• iron age
• roman era
• viking age
• early middle ages
• late middle ages
• newer era