The Mini Malthouse

Malting is one of the most important aspects of brewing beer, making the sugars bio-available as fermentables for the yeast. Malting is a process by which harvested grain is dried thoroughly, then re-introduced to water and warmth in order to encourage the grain to germinate and sprout. This causes the grain seeds to release their sugars to aid in growth of the sprouts. Just as sprouting begins, the grain is heated and dried in an oven, kiln, or in the case of many areas of medieval Europe, in a malthouse.

The establishment of the malthouse as a central community structure or business became necessary in ancient and medieval cultures (Egypt, Mesopotamia, the British Isles, even Rome) to malt grain in large quantities. This implies that mass production became important based on the quantity of ale being produced.

My upcoming project is to build a miniature version of a malthouse than can be actually used to malt grain, but can be taken to events, classes, and demonstrations as an educational tool.