Shell-removed barley with germinated wheat grains

Abstract

The invention provides a hulled barley with germinated wheat grains, having the following combination of features: a moisture content of no more than 10 wt.%; a color value of less than 22 EBC; the alpha-amylase activity is less than 58 dextrinized units (DU) per gram of dry matter; the extract content (CE) of the solid adjuvant is a dry matter of at least 79% by weight; klason lignin content (CL) is a dry matter of less than 1.8% by weight; an ash content (CA) of less than 2.2% by weight of dry matter; wherein CE / (CL * CA) is greater than or equal to 25 and less than or equal to 160. The malt of the invention may be produced by a grain germination process (i) comprising a step of at least partially hulling barley grain prior to grain germination, and (ii) employing a shortened germination period.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to hulled barley with germinated grains, which has the following characteristic combination:

[0002] ·The moisture content does not exceed 10wt.%;

[0003] The color value is less than 22EBC;

[0004] α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter;

[0005] · Extract content of solid auxiliary agent (C E ) is at least 79% by weight of dry matter;

[0006] Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight;

[0007] Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0008] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0009] The present invention also relates to the use of the above-mentioned malted hulled barley in the production of malt beverages. Background of the Invention

[0011] Malt is germinated cereal grain produced in a process called "malting".

[0012] Malting is the process of soaking, germinating, drying and derooting the grains to convert them into malt. The main purpose of the malting process is to develop the endogenous enzymes alpha-amylase and beta-amylase. These enzymes catalyze the conversion of starch into fermentable sugars when the malt is used to produce wort (i.e. the liquid extracted from the mashing process during the brewing of beer or whiskey). Various grains are used for malting; the most common are barley, sorghum, wheat and rye. The malted grains obtained by germinating barley or rye kernels still contain the husk.

[0013] Steeping is the beginning of the kernel germination process and involves adding steepwater to cover the grain to increase the moisture content of the grain to between 40% and 45%. In a modern pneumatic malt house, the grain is alternately soaked (wet rest) and then drained (air rest) for one, two or three cycles to achieve the target grain moisture content and desired sprout count. Sprouts are the first sign of rootlet germination. At the end of the steeping, the grain is soaked for germination.

[0014] The purpose of germination is to germinate the grain. During germination, maltase is activated and these enzymes begin to modify the structure of the barley endosperm by breaking down the cell walls and protein matrix. Germination generates a large amount of heat. The grain bed is maintained at a constant temperature between 10°C and 16°C by a continuous supply of fresh humidified air, and tumblers are moved through the grain bed to keep it loose to allow adequate air flow. Germination typically takes 4-6 days and produces what is known as "green malt".

[0015] Kiln drying reduces the grain moisture content of green malt and stops the germination process. In the first stage, the free drying stage, the air temperature is kept cool to dry the grain without causing enzyme denaturation. As the grain dries, the air temperature can be increased (second stage or forced drying stage) to further dry the grain without inactivating the amylases. The target malt moisture after kiln drying is about 5% by weight. During the last few hours of kiln drying, the air temperature is increased to above 80°C (curing stage). In the final drying stage, color and malt aroma are developed through the Maillard reaction.

[0016] Derooting is the term used for the removal of small roots from the malt. Derooting is usually done soon after transfer from the kiln.

[0017] "Short malt" is a special type of malt, which differs from ordinary malt in that short malt is obtained by a process with a shortened germination period, typically 1-2 days. The alpha-amylase activity of short malt is quite low compared to ordinary malt. The alpha-amylase activity (EBC 4.13) of ordinary malt is typically about 64 dextrinizing units (DU) / gram dry matter, and the alpha-amylase activity of short malt obtained after 1 day of germination is typically less than 58 DU / gram dry matter.

[0018] Dugulin et al. (Overcoming technical barriers to brewing with green (non-kilned) malt: a feasibility study, Journal of the Institute of Brewing (2020), Vol. 126, No. 1, pp. 24-34) examined the main quality issues associated with the use of non-kilned green malt in brewing.

[0019] US 4,004,034 describes a process for making wort, which comprises subjecting barley to at least one treatment cycle comprising soaking in water and then exposure to air, the temperature conditions and duration of the various stages of the cycle being selected to cause germination of the barley to form short malt and promote the development of maximum enzymatic potential, rolling the short malt, drying the rolled short malt to stop the development of biological processes occurring therein while maintaining its enzymatic potential, grinding the dried and rolled short malt and extracting it with a mixture of hot water and malt, the amount of malt being from 10% to 40% by weight of solids based on the dry weight of the mixture of ground malt and malt, and separating the wort thus produced.

[0020] EP-A 1 630 225 describes a process for producing a malt-based beverage, which process comprises fractionating germinated dry barley according to tissues and using the fractionated fractions in a malt-based beverage. The tissue fractions described in the European patent application are an endosperm fraction, an endothelial cell layer fraction, a husk fraction, a spiral sprout fraction and a malt rootlet fraction.

[0021] US 3,896,001 describes a process for producing malt, the process comprising removing at least a portion of the hull of barley in a manner that pierces the pericarp and seed coat and renders the aleurone layer of the barley accessible to externally applied gibberellic acid, soaking the barley in an aqueous medium, leaving the soaked barley to stand in air, re-soaking the barley in an aqueous medium, treating the barley with an aqueous mineral acid during or at the end of the re-soaking step, applying at least 0.1 ppm of gibberellic acid, germinating the re-soaked barley for a period of 35-45 hours based on the weight of the barley at or before the completion of the re-soaking operation, and then terminating the germination before visible growth of microorganisms occurs.

[0022] US 3,708,002 describes a method for germinating cereal grain kernels, wherein a portion of the outer layer of the untreated grains is removed by mechanical treatment prior to germination of the grains, but the amount of outer layer removed is not sufficient to significantly reduce germination of the grains.

[0023] US 3,647,473 describes a process for preparing germinated cereal grains comprising the following steps:

[0024] · dehulling the grain by dry mechanical means which damages the grain sufficiently to prevent the growth of numerous rootlets but leaves the aleurone layer substantially undamaged, and

[0025] The hulled grain kernels are germinated.

[0026] DE-C 555 162 describes a process for preparing beer colorants starting from naked barley, hulled barley or hulled malt, which process comprises a roasting step.

[0027] DD-A 122 690 describes a process for malting naked barley kernels to produce melanized and caramelized malt.

[0028] Viking TM Pearl black malt is a commercially available malt produced from pearled barley before the kernels are malted and roasted. This malt has no amylolytic activity and is low in fermentable extracts. It is used in dark beers such as stout and porter, primarily because of its strong coloring power.

[0029] In order to reduce the overall carbon footprint of malting, it is desirable to increase malt house productivity and improve the efficiency of transport and storage. Summary of the invention

[0030] The inventors have developed a new type of malt which has the aforementioned benefits and which can be suitably used to replace at least a portion of the conventional malt used in, for example, beer production.

[0031] The malt of the present invention can be produced by a malting process which (i) comprises a step of at least partially removing the husks from the barley grains prior to germinating the grains, and (ii) employing a shortened germination period. Due to the removal of the husks prior to germinating the grains, the soaking time can be shortened and / or the total amount of water absorbed by the grains can be reduced. Due to faster mass transfer and / or reduced water absorption, the amount of energy required to remove water during drying is also significantly reduced.

[0032] Due to the removal of the hulls, the bulk density of the malted hulled barley kernels is significantly increased. Therefore, the transportation and storage of the malted hulled barley kernels requires less space and energy than conventional malt.

[0033] The malted hulled barley of the present invention is characterized by low alpha-amylase activity, low hull content and high extract content. The low hull content of the malted hulled barley is evident from the low lignin content and low ash content of the malted hulled malt. Since the endosperm of barley, in contrast to the hull, does not contain lignin, the removal of the hull from the barley necessarily leads to a reduction in the lignin content. Likewise, since the hull contains almost no starch, the removal of the hull also necessarily leads to an increase in the extract content.

[0034] Therefore, a first aspect of the present invention relates to a malted barley kernel with hulls removed, which has the following combination of characteristics:

[0035] ·The moisture content does not exceed 10wt.%;

[0036] The color value is less than 22EBC;

[0037] α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter;

[0038] · Extract content of solid auxiliary agent (C E ) is at least 79% by weight of dry matter;

[0039] Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight;

[0040] Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0041] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0042] Requirement C E / (C L *C A ) ≥ 25 reflects that the malted hulled barley of the present invention combines a high extract content with a low lignin content and a low ash content. Requirement C E / (C L *C A )≤160 indicates that a non-negligible amount of husk is still present. Complete removal of the husk is economically unattractive since it is inevitably accompanied by a loss of starch.

[0043] Another aspect of the invention relates to a process for producing malted barley kernels, the process comprising:

[0044] Provide barley grain;

[0045] Mechanically removing the husk from the grain, thereby producing hulled grain and husk material;

[0046] soaking the hulled grains with an aqueous liquid to produce soaked hulled grains having a moisture content of at least 20 wt.%;

[0047] germination of the soaked, dehulled grains over a period of 12-72 hours; and

[0048] • Drying the germinated grains to reduce the water content to 10 wt.% or less.

[0049] The malted hulled barley of the present invention provides the advantage that its production requires considerably less time and energy than the production of conventional malt, since the germination period is reduced from 5-6 days to 12 hours to 3 days. In addition, since most of the hull has been removed from the malt of the present invention, the required transport volume and storage volume are greatly reduced.

[0050] By using the malt of the invention, efficiency gains can also be obtained in the production of wort. By using a malt blend containing hulled barley from malted kernels of the invention, the application of excess hulls in the lautering step can be avoided and the yield and capacity of the brewery can be improved.

[0051] The inventors have realized that in the production of wort, there is no problem in using malt with low α-amylase activity if such malt is combined with a sufficient amount of ordinary malt, because today's ordinary malt contains excessive amylase activity. In addition, or alternatively, the loss of α-amylase activity can be compensated by using added α-amylase during the saccharification process. Therefore, in the production of wort, the malted hulled barley of the present invention can be appropriately used to replace at least a part of the ordinary malt without any adverse effect on the quality of the wort or the quality of the malt beverage obtained after fermentation of the wort.

[0052] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a malt blend comprising:

[0053] 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter; and

[0054] · 2-50 wt.% of hulled barley kernels malted according to the invention.

[0055] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising:

[0056] providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled barley from malted kernels according to the invention;

[0057] saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and

[0058] - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The present invention provides hulled barley with germinated grains, which has the following characteristic combination:

[0060] The moisture content does not exceed 10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2 (moisture content of malt);

[0061] A color value less than 22 EBC as determined by EBC method 4.7.2;

[0062] α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13 (α-amylase content of malt);

[0063] Extract content (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.4 (Extractable content of solid adjuvants; De Clerck method);

[0064] Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight as determined by standard method TAPPIT 222om-02;

[0065] Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight;

[0066] Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

[0067] As used herein, the term "barley" refers to hulled grains from the species Hordeum vulgare. As used herein, the term "barley" does not encompass hullless barley or "naked" barley (Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum).

[0068] As used herein, the term "malt" refers to germinated barley grains that have been dried.

[0069] As used herein, the term "husk" refers to the outer layer of the barley grain surrounding the pericarp layer.

[0070] As used herein, the term "hulling" refers to the application of abrasion and / or friction to remove the husk from the barley grain. For example, hulling can be accomplished by using a husker / sheller in which the grain is passed between rotating rollers, or by using pearling equipment that typically employs grinding stones to strip the husk from the grain.

[0071] As used herein, the term "hulled barley" refers to barley grains from which at least a portion of the original hull has been mechanically removed.

[0072] The term "malted hulled barley" refers to hulled barley that has been malted to produce malt.

[0073] As referred to herein, "aleurone" refers to the layer of living endosperm cells surrounding the outer surface of the starchy endosperm of a grain.

[0074] As used herein, the term "steeping" refers to a procedure in which the grains are covered with soaking water to increase their moisture content ("wet rest"). The wet rest may be interrupted by a so-called "dry rest", during which the water is drained off and fresh air may be supplied to remove excess carbon dioxide.

[0075] As used herein, the term "germination" refers to a process in which a soaked grain bed is allowed to germinate under moist conditions.

[0076] As used herein, the term "beer" refers to a yeast-fermented malt beverage that has optionally been hopped. Beer is typically produced by a process that includes the following basic steps:

[0077] saccharifying a mixture comprising malted grains, preferably malted barley, optionally supplementary grains and water to produce a mash;

[0078] Separation of mash into wort and spent grains;

[0079] · boiling the wort to produce boiled wort;

[0080] · fermenting the boiled wort with live yeast to produce fermented wort;

[0081] subjecting the fermented wort to one or more further process steps (e.g. maturation and filtration) to produce beer; and

[0082] ·Pack the beer in sealed containers such as bottles, cans or kegs.

[0083] Whenever a standard method (e.g., an EBC method) is referred to herein, the standard method means the last version of the standard method published before May 5, 2022.

[0084] Hops or hop extracts are typically added during the wort boil to create a hoppy beer. The hopping method and timing employed may vary depending on the beer style and brewing facility.

[0085] Common malt contains a core consisting of the starchy endosperm (distal end) and the germinating embryo (proximal end). The outside of the starchy endosperm, not adjacent to the scutellum that separates the starchy endosperm from the germinating embryo, is covered by the aleurone layer, the seed coat, the pericarp, and the husk (from the inside to the outside).

[0086] The malted hulled barley kernels according to the present invention have preferably been dried to a moisture content of less than 9 wt.%, more preferably a moisture content of 1 to 8 wt.%, even more preferably a moisture content of 2 to 7 wt.%, most preferably a moisture content of 3 to 6.5 wt.%, as determined by EBC 4.2.

[0087] The alpha-amylase activity of the germinated hulled barley kernels is preferably 1-50, more preferably 2-35, even more preferably 3-32, most preferably 4-30 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0088] The extract content of the malted hulled barley kernels of the invention as determined by EBC method 6.4 is preferably at least 80% by weight of dry matter, more preferably 81-86% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably 82-85% by weight of dry matter.

[0089] According to particularly preferred embodiments, the Klason lignin content of the malted hulled barley kernels is less than 1.5% by weight of dry matter, more preferably less than 1.2% by weight of dry matter, even more preferably less than 1.1% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably less than 1.0% by weight of dry matter.

[0090] The ash content of the malted hulled barley kernels is preferably less than 2.1% dry matter by weight, more preferably less than 2.0% dry matter by weight, even more preferably less than 1.9% dry matter by weight, and most preferably less than 1.8% dry matter by weight.

[0091] Ratio C E / (C L *C A ) is preferably in the range of 28 to 150, more preferably in the range of 32 to 120, and most preferably in the range of 35 to 100.

[0092] The beta-amylase activity of the malted dehulled barley kernels is preferably at least 2 units / gram dry matter, more preferably at least 4 units / gram dry matter, most preferably 6-40 units / gram dry matter, as determined using the beta-amylase assay kit (Betamyl-3) of Megazyme. Preferably, the beta-amylase activity of the malted dehulled barley kernels does not exceed 30 units / gram dry matter, more preferably does not exceed 20 units / gram dry matter, most preferably does not exceed 15 units / gram dry matter.

[0093] The ratio of the beta-amylase activity of the germinated hulled barley (expressed in units / gram dry matter) to the alpha-amylase activity of the germinated cereals (expressed in DU / gram dry matter) is preferably in the range of 1:10 to 2:1, more preferably in the range of 1:5 to 1.5:1, and most preferably in the range of 1:4 to 1:1.

[0094] According to a preferred embodiment, the Koolbach Index of the malted hulled barley kernels is 5%-35%, more preferably 8%-30%, most preferably 10%-25%, as determined by EBC method 4.9.3 (Soluble Nitrogen of Malt: Dumas Combustion Method).

[0095] The final fermentation degree of the malted hulled barley is preferably more than 30% as determined by EBC 4.11.1. More preferably, the final fermentation degree is in the range of 35% to 80%, even more preferably in the range of 40% to 70%, and most preferably in the range of 52% to 65%.

[0096] The pH of the malted hulled barley of the invention is preferably at least 4.9, more preferably at least 5.0, as determined by EBC 8.17 (pH of wort). Typically, the pH does not exceed 6. The optimum pH is about 5.4. At a pH below 4.9, both alpha-amylase and beta-amylase are inactivated.

[0097] The color of the malt can be determined according to EBC 4.7.2 (Color of malt: visual method). Preferably the color of the malted hulled barley kernels is 1-10 EBC, more preferably 1.5-8 EBC, most preferably 2-4 EBC.

[0098] The color contribution of malt to beer can also be determined using MEBAK R-205.07.110 [2016-03] (A). Preferably, the color value of malted hulled barley as determined by this method is at least 2.0, more preferably 2.0 to 3.2, and most preferably 2.1 to 3.0.

[0099] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the malted hulled barley of the present invention is very similar to conventional malt in terms of the flavor and color contribution it provides to the final beverage. This is why the kilning step used to remove water from the green malt is preferably carried out under conditions similar to those used in the production of conventional malt. The kilning step has an important influence on both the flavor and color of the malt, as it typically employs high temperatures that promote Maillard reactions, oxidation reactions, caramelization.

[0100] The thiobarbituric acid value or TBZ value indicates the content of carbonyl compounds, including aldehydes (e.g. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural) and ketones, which is affected by the heat load applied during malt drying. Typically, the TBZ value of the malted hulled barley of the present invention is at least 2, more preferably at least 3, even more preferably 5 to 12, and most preferably 5.5 to 10, determined using the American Society of Brewing Chemists "Thiobarbituric Acid Index 2009" analytical method. The Thiobarbituric Acid Index method is applied to wort prepared using the European Brewery Convention (EBC) method 4.5.1 (Extract of malt: Congress Mash).

[0101] For malt aroma, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3 (2H) -furanone (HDMF) is an important contributor to the formation of Maillard reaction during kiln drying. The malted hulled barley of the present invention preferably contains at least 0.3 mg / kg HDMF, more preferably at least 0.5 mg / kg HDMF, even more preferably 0.8 to 20 mg / kg HDMF, still more preferably 1 to 15 mg / kg HDMF, and most preferably 1.5 to 10 mg / kg HDMF. The HDMF content can be suitably determined using the method described by Mackie and Slaughter (Formation of 4-hydroxyfuranones and their precursors during production of worts and beers, J. Inst. Brew. (2002) 108, 336-343).

[0102] Preferably, the S-methylmethionine content of the malted hulled barley kernels (expressed as dimethyl sulfide equivalents) is less than 100 μg / g dry matter, more preferably 0.01-10 μg / gram dry matter, most preferably 0.05-1 μg / gram dry matter. The S-methylmethionine content can be suitably determined by LC-MS / MS.

[0103] Preferably, the dimethyl sulfide content of the malted hulled barley kernels is less than 10 μg / gram dry matter, more preferably less than 6 μg / gram dry matter, most preferably less than 0.2 μg / gram dry matter, as determined by GC-MS / MS.

[0104] During germination, the root germ of the barley grain secretes a plant hormone called gibberellic acid, which initiates the synthesis of alpha-amylase. In some kernel germination operations, gibberellic acid is sprayed onto the barley to accelerate germination. Bromate is sometimes used to inhibit rootlet growth and kernel germination losses. The kernel-germinated dehulled barley of the present invention has preferably been obtained by a kernel germination process in which gibberellic acid or bromate has not been applied.

[0105] It is known to use hydrogen peroxide or ozone during steeping to promote the growth of barley spiralling sprouts.The germinated hulled barley of the present invention has preferably been obtained by a kernel malting process in which no hydrogen peroxide or ozone was applied.

[0106] It is known to add enzymes (e.g. amylolytic enzymes, proteolytic enzymes and / or alpha-glycanases) during the production of short malt to enhance enzyme activity. The malted hulled barley of the present invention preferably contains no enzyme activity originating from microbial sources, more preferably no enzyme activity originating from sources other than barley.

[0107] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the malted hulled barley of the invention has been milled. The milling of malt offers the advantage that the malt can be introduced directly into the mash in the brewery. In addition, the milling of the malted hulled barley can be used to increase the bulk density of the malt, thereby reducing the volume required for transportation and storage. Unlike ordinary malt, the malted hulled barley of the invention can be milled without generating a large amount of dust.

[0108] Preferably, the bulk load density (free standing) of the milled malt according to the invention is at least 54 kg / hl, more preferably at least 58 kg / hl, most preferably 60-67 kg / hl. The bulk load density of the milled malt may suitably be determined by a chondrometer.

[0109] Preferably, the particle size distribution of the ground malt, as determined using a set of sieves, is as follows:

[0110] Less than 20wt.%>1.0mm

[0111] ·No more than 15wt.%≤0.15mm

[0112] More preferably the particle size distribution of the milled malt is as follows:

[0113] Less than 15wt.%>1.0mm

[0114] ·No more than 10wt.%≤0.15mm

[0115] Most preferably the particle size distribution of the milled malt is as follows:

[0116] Less than 10wt.%>1.0mm

[0117] ·No more than 5wt.%≤0.15mm

[0118] The grinding of malted hulled barley kernels also offers the advantage that particle size variation can be minimized, especially if fines are removed after grinding. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the ground malt contains less than 2 wt.%, more preferably less than 1 wt.% fines, with a particle size not exceeding 0.15 mm.

[0119] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the milled malted barley is packaged in bags or containers for transportation. Typically, the bag or container contains at least 50 kg of milled malted barley.

[0120] The malted hulled barley kernels of the present invention may suitably be produced by a process as described below.

[0121] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for preparing malted barley kernels, the process comprising:

[0122] Provide barley grain;

[0123] Mechanically removing the husk from the grain, thereby producing hulled grain and husk material;

[0124] soaking the hulled grains with an aqueous liquid to produce soaked hulled grains having a moisture content of at least 20 wt.%;

[0125] germination of the soaked, dehulled grains over a period of 12-72 hours; and

[0126] • Drying the germinated grains to reduce the water content to 10 wt.% or less.

[0127] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the process of the invention produces malted hulled barley kernels as described herein before.

[0128] Preferably, the process of the invention is an industrial process, wherein at least 10 tonnes, more preferably at least 30 tonnes, even more preferably at least 50 tonnes, most preferably at least 70 tonnes of malted hulled barley kernels are prepared within 1 week.

[0129] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, the barley grains are not completely husked before the grains are germinated. Complete husking may damage the embryo and aleurone layer of the barley grains, making the barley grains lose their germination ability. In addition, complete husking is inevitably accompanied by starch loss.

[0130] The moisture content of the hulled barley in the process of the present invention preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 12 wt.%, and most preferably 2 wt.% - 10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0131] The extract content of the hulled barley in the process of the invention is preferably no more than 81% dry matter by weight, more preferably no more than 80% dry matter by weight, and most preferably 72%-79% dry matter by weight, as determined by EBC method 6.4.

[0132] The hulling step preferably increases the extract content of the barley by at least 1%, more preferably at least 1.5%, and most preferably between 2% and 10% (extract content determined by EBC method 6.4). Here, the percentage increase is calculated as:

[0133] 100% x([EC 后 ]-[EC 前 ]) / [EC 前 ]

[0134] in

[0135] [EC 前 ] indicates the extract content after removing the shell;

[0136] [EC 后 ] indicates the extract content before removing the shell.

[0137] The lignin content of the barley provided in the process of the invention is preferably in the range of 1.5%-4.0% by weight of dry matter, more preferably in the range of 1.6%-3.5% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.7%-3.0% by weight of dry matter, as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

[0138] In the dehulling step, preferably at least 25 wt.%, more preferably at least 35 wt.% and most preferably at least 40 wt.% of the lignin is removed (lignin content determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02).

[0139] Since it is not practically possible to remove all lignin without also removing starch, thereby reducing the extractive content of the barley grain, it is preferred not to remove all lignin present in the barley. Preferably, no more than 90 wt.%, even more preferably no more than 80 wt.% of the lignin is removed by hulling in the process of the invention.

[0140] The ash content of the hulled barley in the process of the invention is preferably above 1.6% dry matter by weight, more preferably above 1.8% dry matter by weight and most preferably in the range of 1.9-3.0% dry matter by weight.

[0141] During the hulling step, the barley preferably undergoes a weight reduction of 2%-15%, more preferably 3%-12%, most preferably 5%-10%.

[0142] The hulling of the barley is preferably achieved by passing the barley through a grain hulling machine comprising one or more rotatable grinding rollers. Preferably, the hulling machine comprises two or more rotatable grinding rollers, which rotate at different speeds to apply friction to the grain passing through the gap between these rollers.

[0143] The process of the invention preferably does not comprise the addition of gibberellic acid, bromate, hydrogen peroxide or ozone.

[0144] In a further preferred embodiment, the process of the invention does not comprise the addition of amylolytic enzymes, proteolytic enzymes or alpha-glycanases. Even more preferably, the process does not comprise the addition of enzymes.

[0145] Typically, the process of the present invention employs a soaking period of from 3 to 30 hours, more preferably from 4 to 26 hours, most preferably from 5 to 25 hours.

[0146] The germination period employed in the process of the present invention preferably ranges from 15 hours to 60 hours, more preferably from 18 hours to 48 hours, most preferably from 20 to 40 hours.

[0147] Typically, during germination at least 85%, more preferably at least 90% and most preferably at least 93% of the barley grains produce visible sprouts.

[0148] During germination of the hulled barley, the temperature is preferably maintained at 15 to 25°C, more preferably 16 to 22°C.

[0149] The moisture content of the hulled barley grains is preferably maintained at 30 wt.%-40 wt.%, more preferably 33 wt.%-35 wt.% during germination.

[0150] The germinated grains are preferably dried to reduce the water content to 9 wt.% or less, more preferably to a water content of 1 to 7.5 wt.%, even more preferably to a water content of 2 to 7 wt.%, and most preferably to a water content of 3 to 6.5 wt.%, as determined by EBC 4.2.

[0151] Drying of the germinated grains is preferably carried out by contacting the germinated grains with hot air.

[0152] Preferably, during drying of the germinated cereals, the temperature in the cereals rises to at least 50°C, more preferably to a temperature of at least 60°C, even more preferably to a temperature of 65-100°C, and most preferably to a temperature of 70-98°C.

[0153] The present invention also provides a malt blend comprising:

[0154] 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13;

[0155] · 2-50 wt.% of hulled barley kernels malted according to the invention.

[0156] The malt blend can be suitably used in the production of wort because the blend provides sufficient starch, amylolytic activity and husk (filter bed material) to produce high quality wort without the use of any adjuvants.

[0157] The malt blend preferably contains 60 wt.% to 95 wt.% of common malt and 5 wt.% to 40 wt.% of malted barley kernels. More preferably, the malt blend contains 65 wt.% to 92 wt.% of common malt and 8 wt.% to 35 wt.% of malted barley kernels. Most preferably, the malt blend contains 70 wt.% to 90 wt.% of common malt and 10 wt.% to 30 wt.% of malted barley kernels.

[0158] The combination of conventional malt and malted hulled barley preferably constitutes 80-100 wt.%, more preferably 90-100 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% of the malt blend.

[0159] The moisture content preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 10 wt.%, and most preferably does not exceed 8 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0160] The moisture content of the common malt contained in the malt blend preferably does not exceed 15 wt.%, more preferably does not exceed 12 wt.%, and most preferably 2-10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2.

[0161] The alpha-amylase activity of common malt is preferably at least 58 DU / g dry matter, more preferably in the range of 60-120 DU / g dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 62-100 DU / g dry matter, as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0162] The extract content of common malt present in the malt blend is preferably less than 84% by weight of dry matter, more preferably less than 81% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably 76-80% by weight of dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.5.1.

[0163] The lignin content of common malt in the malt blend is preferably in the range of 0.8-4% by weight of dry matter, more preferably in the range of 1.0-3.5% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.2-3.0% by weight of dry matter, as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

[0164] The ash content of ordinary malt is preferably over 1.6% by weight of dry matter, more preferably over 1.8% by weight of dry matter, and most preferably in the range of 1.9-3.0% by weight of dry matter.

[0165] Conventional malt and malted hulled barley may be present in the malt blend in the form of milled or non-milled malt. Preferably, both malt components are present in the same form, i.e. milled or non-milled. Most preferably, the malt blend contains conventional malt and malted hulled barley in non-milled form.

[0166] The alpha-amylase activity of the malt blend of the invention is preferably at least 44 dextrinizing units (DU), more preferably 46 to 100 DU, and most preferably 48 to 80 DU per gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0167] Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising:

[0168] providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is dehulled barley from malted kernels according to the invention;

[0169] saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and

[0170] - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter.

[0171] Preferably at least 50 wt.%, more preferably at least 75 wt.%, most preferably 100 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is barley malt.

[0172] Preferably at least 2 wt.%, more preferably at least 5 wt.%, even more preferably at least 8 wt.% and most preferably at least 10 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is dehulled barley from malted kernels according to the invention.

[0173] Typically, no more than 50 wt.%, more preferably no more than 40 wt.% and most preferably no more than 35 wt.% of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water is malted dehulled barley kernels of the present invention.

[0174] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water contains at least 90 wt.%, more preferably at least 95 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% of a combination of malted dehulled barley kernels of the present invention and conventional malt, as defined above.

[0175] The alpha-amylase activity of the malt employed in the process of the invention is preferably at least 44 dextrinizing units (DU), more preferably 46 to 100 DU, and most preferably 48 to 80 DU per gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13.

[0176] The combination of conventional malt and malted hulled barley preferably constitutes 80-100 wt. %, more preferably 90-100 wt. % and most preferably 100 wt. % of the malt in the mixture comprising malt and water.

[0177] The process of the invention preferably does not include the addition of enzyme preparations before or during saccharification.Herein, the term "enzyme preparation" refers to a preparation containing enzyme activity other than malt (including the malted hulled barley of the invention).

[0178] According to a preferred embodiment, the saccharification is soaking saccharification. Compared with other saccharification methods (such as decoction saccharification), soaking saccharification is more energy-saving and time-saving.

[0179] The mixture comprises malt and water, preferably without adjuvants.

[0180] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the solid-liquid separation of the mash comprises filtering the mash through a filter bed, the mash comprising at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.% and most preferably 100 wt.% insoluble material from malt.

[0181] Examples of apparatus that may be used for such filtration include lauter tuns, mash filters, and mash / filtration vessels.

[0182] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the process according to the invention produces a wort based on 100% malt.

[0183] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the wort is further processed to produce a malt beverage in the form of beer or whiskey, said further processing comprising the step of subjecting the wort to a yeast fermentation. Preferably the fermentation is a bottom fermentation.

[0184] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

[0185] Examples

[0186] Example 1

[0187] Barley (two-row spring barley, origin France) was dehulled in a Satake test mill (TM05C(2)-T) in batches of 100 g. The total amount of material removed during dehulling was 6.7 wt.%.

[0188] The barley and hulled barley were analyzed to determine moisture content, lignin content and ash content. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0189] Table 1

[0190]

[0191]

[0192] Example 2

[0193] Using a 24 hour germination period, malt was produced from the barley of Example 1 and the malted barley. A micro malting apparatus was used and the malting conditions employed were as follows:

[0194] 500 g of barley and hulled barley were soaked for 8 hours. After a 24 hour germination period, both samples were dried after a 22.5 hour program.

[0195] The malt thus obtained was analyzed. The results of the analysis are summarized in Table 2.

[0196] Table 2

[0197]

[0198] Example 3

[0199] Two single malt beers were produced using the same brewing process, the only difference being that beer A was produced using 100% normal malt, whereas beer B was produced using an 80:20 (w / w) blend of the normal malt of Example 2 and malted dehulled barley.

[0200] The beers thus obtained were subjected to a differential control test using a panel of 12 trained beer testers. The results showed that the two beers were indistinguishable.

[0201] Example 4

[0202] Three different short malts (Malts A, B and 1) were prepared from RGT Planet barley which had been mechanically dehulled as described in Example 1 to remove approximately 6 wt.% of the material.

[0203] The dehulled barley was steeped, germinated and dried using the procedure summarized in Table 3.

[0204] Table 3

[0205]

[0206] The short malt thus obtained was analyzed. The results of the analysis are shown in Table 4.

[0207] Table 4

[0208] Malt A Malt B Malt 1 <![CDATA[β - amylase activity 1 > 196 225 486 <![CDATA[Wort color 2 > 1.9 1.7 2.0 pH(EBC 8.17) 4.8 4.8 5.1 Final fermentation degree (EBC 4.11.1) 26.1％ 20.5％ 53.0％

[0209] 1 MEBAK R-200.22.111[2016-03](A)

[0210] 2 MEBAK R-205.07.110[2016-03](A)

Claims

1. A hulled barley with germinated kernels, which has the following combination of characteristics: A moisture content of less than 10 wt.%, as determined by EBC method 4.2 (moisture content of malt); A color value less than 22 EBC as determined by EBC method 4.7.2; α-amylase activity less than 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13 (α-amylase content of malt); Extract content (C E ) is at least 79% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.4 (Extractable content of solid adjuvants; De Clerck method); Klason lignin content (C L ) is less than 1.8% dry matter by weight as determined by standard method TAPPI T222om-02; Ash content (C A ) is less than 2.2% dry matter by weight; Where 25≤C E / (C L *C A )≤160.

2. The malted hulled barley kernels of claim 1, wherein the malt has a β-amylase activity of at least 2 units / gram dry matter as determined using the β-amylase assay kit (Betamyl-3) from Magzyme.

3. Malted hulled barley kernels according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the extract content of the malt is at least 82% dry matter by weight as determined by EBC method 6.

4.

4. Malted hulled barley kernels according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the malt has a Klason lignin content of less than 1.5% by weight of dry matter as determined by standard method TAPPI T 222om-02.

5. Malt according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ash content of the malt is less than 2.0% dry matter by weight.

6. The malted barley kernels according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alpha-amylase activity of the malted barley kernels is less than 50 dextrinizing units (DU) / gram dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13 (alpha-amylase content of malt).

7. Malted hulled barley kernels according to any one of the preceding claims, having a color value of less than 10 EBC as determined by EBC method 4.7.2 (Color of malt: visual method).

8. The malted hulled barley kernels according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the aleurone layer of the barley grains is not damaged; and wherein 28≤C E / (C L *C A )≤100.

9. Malted hulled barley according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the final degree of fermentation of the malted hulled barley exceeds 30% as determined by EBC 4.11.

1.

10. A process for producing malted hulled barley kernels according to any one of the preceding claims, the process comprising: Provide barley grain; Mechanically removing the hulls from these grains, thereby producing hulled grains and hull material; soaking the hulled grains with an aqueous liquid to produce soaked hulled grains having a moisture content of at least 20 wt.%; allowing the soaked hulled grains to germinate over a period of 12-72 hours; and - The germinated grains are dried to reduce the water content to 10 wt.% or less.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein mechanical removal of the hull reduces the weight of the barley grains by 2% to 18%.

12. The process according to claim 10 or 11, wherein at least 25 wt.% of the lignin present in the barley grain is removed by mechanical removal of the hull.

13. The process according to any one of claims 10-12, wherein the dehulled barley grains are not treated with gibberellic acid or bromate.

14. A malt blend comprising: 50 wt.% to 98 wt.% of common malt having an alpha-amylase activity of at least 58 dextrinizing units (DU) / g dry matter as determined by EBC method 4.13; · 2-50 wt.% of malted hulled barley kernels according to any one of claims 1-9.

15. A method of producing a malt beverage, the method comprising: providing a mixture comprising malt and water, wherein at least 1 wt.% of the malt is hulled barley from malted kernels according to any one of claims 1 to 9; saccharifying the mixture to convert starch into fermentable sugars and produce a mash containing fermentable sugars; and - The mash containing fermentable sugars is subjected to solid-liquid separation to separate the wort from the insoluble matter.

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