The illustrious Pivní Philosof took me oto Ferdinand brewery (pivovar) today, and we got to see the traditional method of preparing malt. Once, Ferdinand made 200,000 hectos of beer and now they make 25--but still they make enough malt to supply Weyermann and others. But the malting/brewery is still seriously old school. Have a look.
(Sorry, my Bligger app again puts them out of order).
1. (a). Farmers deliver raw barley to the brewery.
2. (c). Malters turn the wetted barley so it doesn't rot.
3 (f). Primary fermentation in open vessels.
4 (b). Malters spread out the freshly-soaked barley.
5 (e). The steam punk aging cellars.
6 (d). "Chitted," or sprouted grain.
7 (g). Tasty beer from the tank.
I *THINK* there's still quite a bit of floor malting done at smaller German Mälzereien, but this is based purely on recollections of others saying so and quick bits I've seen on TV. It is interesting to consider how *many* maltings there are though; I drive 40 km or so to pick up my organic malt at Weyermann in Bamberg. There are at least two or three much closer to home -- two within just a few km. But I like Weyermann. And I like organic.
ReplyDelete(Well, it's interesting to me, anyway.)
I could have it delivered, perhaps for even less than the gas costs to drive up there, but I like being able to say I drive up to Bamberg to pick up sacks of malt at Weyermann.