lanlanonearth
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- Apr 28, 2021
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Hello, I posted a question in the beginner's section, and it turned out that it is more advanced and complicated than I thought, and one of the forum members suggested that I move the thread here. Here's a link to the previous discussion: Wheat berry vs. wheat root?
Basically, I recently familiarized myself with a method of making wheat malt syrup that's popular in China, which I thought to be very similar to the beer malting process, EXCEPT that the malt syrup uses wheat sprouts grown to be wheat grass that's 4-5CM TALL and sometimes it's used by cutting off just the grass part DISCARDING the kernels (though in most cases it's used with the sprout in its entirety), and the end product is made with the addition of cooked sticky rice.
As I had understood it (and the others from the original thread), I thought that the enzymatic activity should've been max when the sprout just emerges from the kernel slightly and the longer sprouts would deplete the enzymes as well as starch storage. With a bit further research, I found one video for wheat malt syrup explaining that alpha-amylase is not produced until many days into germination, and although beta-amylase is available from the very beginning, it can not convert sugar until alpha-amylase does its job first, hence the necessity of well grown wheat grass. But this again becomes contradictory to the beer malting process. How are beer malts mashed if alpha-amylase is not even there?
If someone can come along and make this easier to understand, I would really appreciate it!
Basically, I recently familiarized myself with a method of making wheat malt syrup that's popular in China, which I thought to be very similar to the beer malting process, EXCEPT that the malt syrup uses wheat sprouts grown to be wheat grass that's 4-5CM TALL and sometimes it's used by cutting off just the grass part DISCARDING the kernels (though in most cases it's used with the sprout in its entirety), and the end product is made with the addition of cooked sticky rice.
As I had understood it (and the others from the original thread), I thought that the enzymatic activity should've been max when the sprout just emerges from the kernel slightly and the longer sprouts would deplete the enzymes as well as starch storage. With a bit further research, I found one video for wheat malt syrup explaining that alpha-amylase is not produced until many days into germination, and although beta-amylase is available from the very beginning, it can not convert sugar until alpha-amylase does its job first, hence the necessity of well grown wheat grass. But this again becomes contradictory to the beer malting process. How are beer malts mashed if alpha-amylase is not even there?
If someone can come along and make this easier to understand, I would really appreciate it!