Relationships Among Wort β-Glucan, Malting Conditions, and Malt Analysis. John G. Smart, Bryce K. Lukes, Erica Tie, and Anthony T. Ford, The Canterbury (N.Z.) Malting Company Limited, P.O. Box 19-630, Christchurch, New Zealand. J. Am. Soc. Brew. Chem. 51:0088, 1993.

The effects of malting conditions, particularly temperature and moisture, on wort β-glucan content and its relationship to other malt analysis parameters were investigated. Four samples of barley were malted in a micromalting plant at four different temperatures (12, 16, 20, and 20/12° C) and five moisture levels (41, 43, 45, 47, and 49%) and analyzed using recommended EBC methods. Wort β-glucans were measured using the fluorimetric flow-injection analysis method. The results showed that the higher the moisture and temperature applied, the lower the wort β-glucan content. The effect of differences in commercial malting plant design and operation on wort β-glucan was investigated. Adjustments to commercial malting conditions gave results consistent with micromalting trials. A significant correlation was found between wort β-glucan and other modification indices, such as coarse/fine extract difference, wort viscosity, friability, and the soluble/total protein ratio (Kolbach Index) in both micromalted and commercially produced malts.

Keywords: β-Glucan, Flow injection analysis, Malt, Malting conditions