Malt is a grain product made from cereal grains, most commonly barley, though rye, wheat, rice, and corn can also be used. Malt serves as a base for fermentation, adding flavor and nutrients to foods and beverages. To create malt, the grain undergoes controlled germination by adding moisture, which is then halted by removing the moisture before the plant outgrows its seed covering. The malting process involves steeping, germination, and kilning. Steeping involves hydrating the grain, which awakens the embryo inside. Germination allows the grain to sprout, activating enzymes that break down starch. Kilning halts germination by drying the grain with heated air, influencing the malt's flavor and color.

How is malt made from grain?

Malt is a grain product made from cereal grains, most commonly barley, though rye, wheat, rice, and corn can also be used. The malting process consists of three stages: steeping, germination, and kilning.

Which types of grains are commonly used to make malt?

Malt is a grain product that results from the partial germination of cereal grains, modifying their natural food substances. While any cereal grain can be malted, barley is most commonly used. Less frequently, rye , wheat , rice , and corn are also used. The malting process involves steeping the grain in water to initiate germination, which activates enzymes that convert starches into sugars. Kilning then halts the germination process by drying the grain. Malt is used in brewing beer, making distilled alcohol, and in food products for flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content.

Why is malt important in food and drink production?

Malt is important in food and drink production because it serves as a basis for fermentation, adding flavor and nutrients. It's made from cereal grains, mainly barley, through partial germination to modify the grain's natural substances. Malt is key in brewing beer, with its flavor largely determined by the malt used. It is also used to make distilled alcohol for whiskey and other beverages. Malt extracts enhance flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content in foods like flour, malt vinegar, breakfast cereals, baby foods, confections, and baked goods. During germination, enzymes activate, breaking down starch into simpler carbohydrates, mainly maltose. In brewing, malt enzymes convert cereal starches into maltose, which yeast then ferments into alcohol and carbon dioxide, giving beer its distinctive qualities. Maltose also helps create a smooth, chewy texture in baked goods, candies, and syrups and contributes to browning and complex flavors through the Maillard reaction.

How does malting change the grains' properties?

Malting is a process that modifies the natural food substances of grains through partial germination. While any cereal grain can be malted, barley is most commonly used. During malting, the grain is steeped in water to initiate germination, which activates enzymes that break down starches into simpler carbohydrates, mainly maltose. These enzymes also convert the grain's hard outer wall into a softer, more soluble form, giving it a characteristic malty flavor. The germination process is halted by kilning, where the grain is dried with heated air, influencing the malt's flavor and color.

What are some products that use malt, and how does it affect their taste or texture?

Malt, derived from cereal grains like barley, is a grain product used in various beverages and foods. The largest use of malt is in beer , where it significantly influences the flavor. Malt extracts are also used in malt vinegar , breakfast cereals, baby foods, confections, and baked goods for flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content. Maltose, a disaccharide formed during starch breakdown, is a key component of malt. It contributes to the flavor and browning of foods through the Maillard reaction, producing complex flavors and golden-brown colors in products like bread and cakes. Maltose also helps create a smooth, chewy texture in baked goods, candies, and syrups, and it aids in moisture retention and softness.

Malt

Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

A stainless steel scoop filled with pale malt barley grains, used as an ingredient for brewing beer.

Behind the scenes: How Samuel Adams beer is made

At a Glance

malt summary

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: Barley; boza; malt wine; malting; malt extract

See all related content

Malt

grain product

Written and fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 11, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is malt?
Malt is a grain product made from cereal grains, most commonly barley, though rye, wheat, rice, and corn can also be used. Malt serves as a base for fermentation, adding flavor and nutrients to foods and beverages.

To create malt, the grain undergoes controlled germination by adding moisture, which is then halted by removing the moisture before the plant outgrows its seed covering. The malting process involves steeping, germination, and kilning. Steeping involves hydrating the grain, which awakens the embryo inside. Germination allows the grain to sprout, activating enzymes that break down starch. Kilning halts germination by drying the grain with heated air, influencing the malt's flavor and color.
2 Britannica Sources
1. malt
2. beer: Germination
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How is malt made from grain?
Malt is a grain product made from cereal grains, most commonly barley, though rye, wheat, rice, and corn can also be used. The malting process consists of three stages: steeping, germination, and kilning.
1. Steeping Grains are placed in a tank with water to absorb moisture, which awakens the embryo inside the kernel.
2. Germination The dampened grain is allowed to sprout, and tiny rootlets grow out from the kernel. Enzymes are activated that break down the starch in the kernel, converting it into a softer, more soluble form with a characteristic malty flavor.
3. Kilning The germination process is halted by drying the germinated grain, called green malt, with heated air. The timing and heat intensity affect the malt’s flavor and color development.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Which types of grains are commonly used to make malt?
Malt is a grain product that results from the partial germination of cereal grains, modifying their natural food substances. While any cereal grain can be malted, barley is most commonly used. Less frequently, rye, wheat, rice, and corn are also used.

The malting process involves steeping the grain in water to initiate germination, which activates enzymes that convert starches into sugars. Kilning then halts the germination process by drying the grain. Malt is used in brewing beer, making distilled alcohol, and in food products for flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why is malt important in food and drink production?
Malt is important in food and drink production because it serves as a basis for fermentation, adding flavor and nutrients. It's made from cereal grains, mainly barley, through partial germination to modify the grain's natural substances.

Malt is key in brewing beer, with its flavor largely determined by the malt used. It is also used to make distilled alcohol for whiskey and other beverages. Malt extracts enhance flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content in foods like flour, malt vinegar, breakfast cereals, baby foods, confections, and baked goods.

During germination, enzymes activate, breaking down starch into simpler carbohydrates, mainly maltose. In brewing, malt enzymes convert cereal starches into maltose, which yeast then ferments into alcohol and carbon dioxide, giving beer its distinctive qualities. Maltose also helps create a smooth, chewy texture in baked goods, candies, and syrups and contributes to browning and complex flavors through the Maillard reaction.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How does malting change the grains' properties?
Malting is a process that modifies the natural food substances of grains through partial germination. While any cereal grain can be malted, barley is most commonly used.

During malting, the grain is steeped in water to initiate germination, which activates enzymes that break down starches into simpler carbohydrates, mainly maltose. These enzymes also convert the grain's hard outer wall into a softer, more soluble form, giving it a characteristic malty flavor. The germination process is halted by kilning, where the grain is dried with heated air, influencing the malt's flavor and color.
2 Britannica Sources
1. malt
2. beer: Germination
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are some products that use malt, and how does it affect their taste or texture?
Malt, derived from cereal grains like barley, is a grain product used in various beverages and foods. The largest use of malt is in beer, where it significantly influences the flavor. Malt extracts are also used in malt vinegar, breakfast cereals, baby foods, confections, and baked goods for flavor, enzyme activity, and starch content.

Maltose, a disaccharide formed during starch breakdown, is a key component of malt. It contributes to the flavor and browning of foods through the Maillard reaction, producing complex flavors and golden-brown colors in products like bread and cakes. Maltose also helps create a smooth, chewy texture in baked goods, candies, and syrups, and it aids in moisture retention and softness.
2 Britannica Sources
1. malt
2. maltose
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Malt, grain product that is used in beverages and foods as a basis for fermentation and to add flavour and nutrients. Malt is prepared from cereal grain by allowing partial germination to modify the grain’s natural food substances. Although any cereal grain may be converted to malt, barley is chiefly used; rye, wheat, rice, and corn are used much less frequently.

The largest quantities of malt are used in the brewing of beer, and the flavour of beer is predominantly the result of the malt from which it was made. From 11 to 22 kg (25 to 50 pounds) of malt are used to make a barrel (31 U.S. gallons) of beer. The next most important use of malt is to make distilled alcohol for whiskey and other beverages. Malt extracts are also used for flavour, enzyme activity, and starch content in such food products as flour, malt vinegar, breakfast cereals, baby foods, confections, and baked goods.

The controlled germination of cereal grains that results in malt is initiated by adding moisture and is arrested by removing the moisture before the young plant grows out of its seed covering. The malting process itself consists of three stages: steeping, germination, and kilning. In steeping, the grain is placed in a tank with water and absorbs moisture, awakening the embryo within the kernel. The dampened grain is then allowed to germinate, or sprout, and tiny rootlets grow out from the bottom of the kernel. During germination, enzymes are activated that the embryo plant uses to break down the starch in its kernel and build it into root and stem structures. These starch-splitting enzymes also permeate the seed’s hard, brittle outer wall, converting it into a softer and more soluble form and giving it a characteristic malty flavour. The germination process requires that cooled and moistened air move through the mass of sprouting grain, which must be gently moved to prevent matting of the rootlets. In modern malting procedures, germination usually takes place in revolving drums or in tanks equipped with agitators. This process has largely replaced floor malting, in which the moistened grain was spread on concrete floors and turned by shoveling.

Britannica Quiz

Beer and Brewing

When the desired biological modification in the grain has been attained, the germination process is stopped by kilning. In this stage, the germinated grain, called green malt, is dried by currents of heated air entering through perforations in the floor of the kiln. The timing and heat intensity applied in kilning affect the malt’s flavour and colour development. The malt intended for Scotch whisky is dried over a fire to which peat is added, its smoke being absorbed by the malt.

The enzymes produced within the barleycorn during germination break down the starch stored in the seed kernel to simpler carbohydrates, chiefly malt sugar (maltose). Other enzymes are also produced in the grain that can break down proteins to simpler nitrogenous compounds. In brewing, malt is added to a cereal mash in order for the former’s enzymes to convert the latter’s starches into maltose. The maltose is subsequently fermented by yeast, resulting in the alcohol and carbon dioxide that give beer its distinctive qualities.

Malt extract is produced by mashing malt, removing the solids, and then using an evaporator to concentrate the aqueous fraction. The resulting product is a thick syrup containing sugars, vitamins, and minerals. Early British beers were made from successive extracts of a single batch of brown malt in a top-fermentation process. The first and strongest extract gave the best-quality beer, called strong beer, and a third extract yielded the poorest-quality beer, called small beer. London brewers departed from this process in the 18th century.

Specialized malts for enhancing the colour and flavour of beers are produced by controlled heating of wetted or dry malt (e.g., crystal malt and “chocolate,” or black, malt).

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.

Malt

Thank you for signing up!