Malt Sensory Evaluation: The Hot Steep Method

From a homebrewer to a professional on the largest scale, anyone who has ever brewed beer has nearly chipped a tooth when chewing on a specialty malt, trying to taste the flavor. It only took until the 21st century, but there is a better way: the ASBC Hot Steep Malt Sensory Evaluation Method.

The hot steep method was developed as a standardized way to more uniformly identify and convey malt flavor. It is a quick, affordable way to learn specifics about a malt’s flavor, whether that be the complexities of specialty malts or the nuances of comparing base malts from different providers or batches.

The American Society of Brewing Chemists certified the hot steep method in 2016. It was developed by scientist Cassie Poirier, who co-authored the written method with fellow scientist Lindsay Barr.

By: Living a Stout Life

Why Do We Need the Hot Steep Malt Sensory Evaluation Method?

Prior to development of the hot steep method, flavor evaluation for malt was not easily done on a small, inexpensive scale. And let’s face it, while fun, chewing malt isn’t exactly an ideal way to compare the flavors that are released upon mashing.

Brewers have long prepared pilot batches when developing a recipe. That will certainly continue. But the hot steep method addresses a need prior to the pilot batch. It is a tool for assessing and learning the nuanced flavors of different malts for consideration in recipes.

In a nutshell, the hot steep method is essentially making a tea (or simple wort) from malt for sensory sampling. The key to its usefulness is a standardized process. It is a process that mimics a mash to one degree or another, though it is primarily a sensory tool used to discern the aroma, taste, and color that a malt might impart to a recipe.

Hot Steep Method Ingredients

The ingredient list for the hot steep method is simple. You need whole kernel malt, the amount of which depends upon how many samples you’ll be making. You also need enough deionized water to accommodate the number of samples.

Hot Steep Method Equipment List

While the ingredient list is simple, there are a few items you need in regard to equipment to properly process the samples.

– Insulated Stainless Steel Bottle (at least 24 ounces in volume)

– Standard Thermometer (if water heater can’t display temperature)Water Heating Apparatus (such as a kettle, which can heat to 149 degrees Fahrenheit / 65 degrees Celsius)

– Funnel

– Filter Paper (coffee filters will work, though slower than lab filters)

– Electric Grinder that can handle 3 ounces (such as a coffee mill)

– 500 mL Graduated Cylinder

– 600 mL Glass Beaker

– Analytical Balance (capable of weighing 50.0 grams at ± 0.1 grams.

– Timer

Hot Steep Method Step-By-Step Instructions

This is the basic process for base malt samples. For light to medium roasted specialty malt samples, the malt ratio should be 50% base malt (25 g) to 50% specialty malt (25 g). For dark roasted specialty malt samples, the malt ratio should be 85% base malt (42.5 g) to 15% dark roasted specialty malt (7.5 g).

Grind 52 grams of malt for about 10 seconds until it becomes a coarse flour.
Weigh 50.0 grams (±0.1 g) of malt flour and pour it into the insulated bottle.
Heat water to 149°F / 65°C, measure 400 mL, and pour into the insulated bottle.
Seal the bottle and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Let rest for 15 minutes.
Assemble the filter and funnel (wetting the filter with deionized water to reduce flavor contamination). Place the funnel over the glass beaker for wort collection.
After the wort has rested for 15 minutes, vigorously swirl the bottle for 20 seconds.
Pour wort into the filter until the beaker has collected 100 mL. Pour steadily, but be careful not to pour so aggressively that a hole forms in the bottom of the filter.
Pour the 100mL of collected wort back into the stainless steel bottle. Swirl the wort, then pour it steadily, but gently into the filter until the full sample is collected in the beaker.
There should be about 300 mL of wort in the beaker, though specialty malt samples will result in slightly less collected wort. This is enough for roughly 6 to 8 taster-sized samples.

Hot Steep Method Best Practices

When milling different malts with the grinder, clean the grinder with a dry rag between samples.
The entire contents of the wort (including grist) should be poured into the filter at once so that the grain can settle without being disturbed.
If you need to produce a larger amount for sampling, maintain a ratio of 8 parts water to 1 part malt. When producing larger amounts, blend the resulting worts together for a homogenous sample for all sensory participants.
The sensory evaluation should be performed within four hours of sample collection. The samples should be served at room temperature.

Click here to watch the ASBC and Brewers Association’s collaborative video explaining the Hot Steep Evaluation Method.

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About Malteurop Malting Company (MMC)

Malteurop Malting Company (MMC) is based in North America—specializing in growing and producing quality malts for the beer, whiskey, and food processing industries. With local farms and Malthouses spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Malteurop’s commitment to excellence is fully ingrained into every batch it produces, ensuring businesses of any size can create the finest beverages and food products on the planet.

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