You\u2019ve probably heard it a thousand times: read your certificate of analysis! At Malteurop, we believe total transparency is the foundation of consistency. Every batch of grain you receive from us comes with an accessible, highly accurate malt analysis sheet.<\/p>\n
Malt is an agricultural product subject to environmental changes. A standard sales sheet gives you baseline targets, but a true malt certificate of analysis (COA) provides the exact specifications of the crop sitting on your loading dock.<\/p>\n
Bookmark this page because we\u2019ve updated this guide to serve as a permanent reference for your brewery.<\/p>\n
Below is a breakdown of:<\/p>\n
Looking for information on your recent order? Find Your COA Here.\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n When a maltster crafts the malts that let a beer shine, they keep more than flavor, aroma, color, and mouthfeel in mind. They\u2019re also tracking several key elements of the malt that dictate its quality not only regarding its potential for maximum malt extract, but also for providing consistent results.<\/p>\n The analysis of these elements is relayed via a malt analysis sheet. It doesn\u2019t simply tell you the flavors and color to expect from a malt; it\u2019s also your roadmap to brewhouse performance, quality, and consistency. You\u2019ll know how much malt extract to expect and the necessary brewhouse adjustments to achieve your desired results.<\/p>\n Malt has been a fairly stable ingredient for years. For the most part, brewers know what they are getting and don\u2019t have to be overly concerned about large swings in consistency.<\/p>\n Malt, however, is made from barley. Barley is an agricultural product that can vary because of environmental inconsistencies. Your malt COA helps identify these inconsistencies, large or small, so you can adjust in your brewhouse to get the most out of your malt and keep your beer as consistent as possible.<\/p>\n Not all malt analysis is created equal. There is a tremendous difference between a malt COA and the typical analysis of a malt on a website or that malt\u2019s sales sheet specifications.<\/p>\n The malt you receive comes with a COA that tells you what to adjust in the brewhouse. Adjustments can maximize malt extract, reduce lautering times, more accurately target color and gravity, improve head retention, improve yeast activity, correctly develop mouthfeel, and more.<\/p>\n Yes! We produce highly accurate malt COAs for every batch of malt that we deliver, so you have all the information you need! We lab-test all that information and present it in a standardized format so you can always find what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n Our barley comes from hard-working farmers across many areas of North America. Agricultural differences naturally occur not only by region, but also from one growing season to the next.<\/p>\n Note: <\/strong>These analyses are most directly applicable to base malts.<\/a> Specialty malts<\/a> <\/strong>are more readily used to augment a beer’s flavor, aroma, color, and mouthfeel, while not being major contributors to other elements noted on most COAs.<\/p>\n As you know, extract measures the maximum amount of starch that can be converted into fermentable and non-fermentable sugars.<\/p>\n Both are usually expressed on a dry basis to remove moisture variables.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Typical Malteurop Range:<\/strong> For a well-modified base malt, the Fine-Coarse Difference typically falls between 0.5% and 1.5%.<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Protein provides the crucial enzymes needed for starch conversion, yeast health, and foam stability. Total Protein is the overall protein content in the kernel, while Soluble Protein is the portion that successfully dissolves into your mash water. They help the malt make available components that support starch conversion into fermentable and non-fermentable sugars. They also enable the elements necessary for lautering, filtration, and yeast metabolization.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range<\/strong><\/p>\n The key protein data points on a malt COA are Soluble Protein, Total Protein, and the Kolbach Index or S\/T Ratio (they are the same).<\/p>\n An ideal amount of Total Protein is generally in the 9.5% to 12.5% range.<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Other Percentages to Watch For<\/strong><\/p>\n Free Amino Nitrogen measures the amino acids that serve as nutrients to keep yeast happy and effective during fermentation. It is a critical metric of yeast nutrition.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range.<\/strong> 190 to 230 ppm<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Diastatic Power is an indicator of enzyme activity in a malt. In a base malt, it needs to be high enough to convert starches into fermentable and non-fermentable sugars in itself and in any accompanying specialty malts or unmalted adjuncts.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range.<\/strong> ~115 \u00b0Lintner or higher for standard base products. When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A companion to Diastatic Power, Alpha-Amylase is the specific enzyme that breaks down starches into smaller, soluble dextrins.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range.<\/strong> 50 DU or greater.<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Assortment evaluates kernel size, measured by how much grain remains on different-sized screens in a sieve analysis. Plumper kernels mean more starch and better extract.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range.<\/strong> This is expressed as the percentage of total malt that remains on different-sized screens of a sieve analysis<\/a><\/strong>, commonly 7\/64\u201d, 6\/64\u201d, and 5\/64\u201d.<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The percentage of water retained in the kernel after kilning. All malts contain a small amount of moisture. Higher moisture content can cause gumminess, reduce brewhouse yield, and increase the risk of mold or infection. If moisture content is too low, husks shatter, increasing dust during milling.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range<\/strong>. 4% to 5% for typical North American base grains.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Color doesn\u2019t affect efficiency, but it is one of the first things a beer drinker notices, so it matters. The key thing to note in malt is color consistency, so your recipe\u2019s final color reflects the style you want to achieve. Keep in mind that factors such as boil length directly affect the beer’s final color.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range.<\/strong> Strictly dependent on the style (e.g., Pilsners run lighter; Pale profiles run slightly darker).<\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments<\/strong><\/p>\n Viscosity measures the components that can negatively impact lauter performance. High levels result in a thick, sticky mash that refuses to lauter. Beta-Glucans are one of these components and are also represented separately on the COA.<\/p>\n Typical Malteurop Range<\/strong><\/p>\n When to Make Brewhouse Adjustments\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n As you can see, your malt certificate of analysis provides a lot of information about your malt. It matters in many ways.<\/p>\n COAs tell you your malt’s quality, so you know what you\u2019re getting is what you expect. They help you track down malt extract efficiency<\/a><\/strong> issues, which is key to efficient production. But it can also help narrow down other specific brewhouse issues, such as lautering, filtration, under-attenuation, etc.<\/p>\nYour COA Informs Product and Process<\/h2>\n
Why You Need to Read Your Malt Certificate of Analysis<\/h3>\n
COAs vs Sell Sheets<\/h3>\n
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Does Malteurop provide a COA?<\/h3>\n
Extract (Fine Grind, Coarse Grind, & Fine-Coarse Difference)<\/h3>\n
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Protein<\/h3>\n
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Free Amino Nitrogen (FAN)<\/h3>\n
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Diastatic Power (DP) \/ Enzymes<\/h3>\n
Higher diastatic power supports increased attenuation, processing higher levels of adjunct additions, and higher-gravity brewing.<\/p>\n\n
Alpha-Amylase<\/h3>\n
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Assortment (Kernel Size)<\/h3>\n
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Moisture<\/h3>\n
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Color<\/h3>\n
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Viscosity & Beta-Glucans<\/h3>\n
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Putting Your Malteurop COA Information to Use<\/h2>\n