Malt House Research Articles

Role of total polyphenol content in seed germination characteristics of spring barley varieties amidst climate change

The amount of total polyphenol content (TPC) in the grain could provide insights into the conditions during maturation and might also serve as an indicator of the grain’s ability to germinate in the malting process or as seeds in the field. Varieties with higher natural TPC content might exhibit better germination parameters both in the field and in the malt house. This study investigates the relationship between TPC and seed germination characteristics i.e. seed vigour in four spring barley varieties over two years, considering diverse environmental conditions and exposure to drought conditions. The evaluation of seed germination characteristics in barley, with a focus on the root length and average diameter under drought conditions (−0.5 MPa) and suboptimal temperature (10 °C), was conducted. Drought conditions were induced using polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000). After durations of seven and fourteen days, the germinated seeds from the Petri dishes were scanned and subjected to analysis using WinRHIZO software following the metrics: Len 7, Len 14 (root length after seven and fourteen days in cm) and AvgD 7, AvgD 14 (root diameter after seven and fourteen days in mm). The findings support our initial hypothesis, indicating a variety-specific relationship between seed germination characteristics and increased TPC, where higher germination parameters might be associated with elevated TPC levels in some barley varieties.

Beyond the Malting House School Susan Isaacs: a life freeing the minds of children

Beyond the Malting House School Susan Isaacs: a life freeing the minds of children

Sladovna means malt house

Sladovna means malt house

Historie brněnského pivovarnictví od zrušení propinace do první světové války

The study attempts to identify the basic factors that shaped the development of the brewing industry in Brno from the second half of the 19th century to the First World War. The abolition of the propination law in 1869 is particularly important, as it freed up the market and allowed investors to freely establish new breweries. In particular, the study analyses the development of První brněnský akciový pivovar a sladovna [First Brno Stock Brewery and Malt House], which is known today as the Starobrno brewery, the only industrial brewery still operating in the city. A significant part is also devoted to the competing Moravia brewery and others within the territory of today's city. The history of the Brno brewing industry was shaped by founding fever on the one hand and by competitive pressure tempered by cartelization on the other.

Problems and possibilities concerning the concept of psychoanalytic pedagogy in the light of the work of Susan Isaacs in the malting house school.

In the first decades of the 20th century, high hopes were raised of the adaptability of psychoanalysis into the pedagogical field. According to this new discourse, the possibilities of educational application became one of the most important research areas within the psychoanalytical community. However, several definitional and technical questions have remained unexplained. The aim of this article is to highlight the theoretical and methodological difficulties and opportunities regarding the concept of the so-called "psychoanalytically informed pedagogy" through the examination of the Malting House School, a unique and well-documented nursery in British educational history. This article focuses on Susan Isaacs' educational practice from 1924 until 1927 and its connection with psychoanalytic theory. Isaacs' critical reflections concerning her work at the Malting House School can offer a different perspective not just to the historical examination of psychoanalytic pedagogy, but generally to the scientific relationship between theory and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Use of Unconventional Malts in Beer Production and Their Effect on the Wort Viscosity.

The aim of this study was to use unconventional malts in beer production and observe their effect on the wort viscosity. Six malts were analysed in this study—barley, black barley, oat, wheat, rye, and corn. Firstly, the parameters of cereals were measured after the malting process in an experimental malting house and wort production. Samples were analysed in each phase of the mashing process. Carbohydrate contents and viscosities were analytically determined from the samples. The resulting values of the dynamic viscosity were significantly higher than the values obtained by other authors, ranging from 3.4 up to 35.5 mPa·s−1. This study also confirmed the hypothesis that states that the breakdown of carbohydrates leads to a decrease in viscosity. Values measured in the black barley malt sample were higher when compared with light barley malt. Unconventional malts had a higher viscosity and were thus more difficult to filter. If these types of malts are used it is recommended to add barley malts or malts with a higher enzyme activity to them.

Quality attributes for barley malt: "The backbone of beer".

Malting is the process of preparing barley for brewing through partial germination followed by drying. This process softens the grain cell wall and stimulates the production of diastatic enzymes, which convert starch into malt extract. The suitability of a barley grain for malt production depends upon a large number of quality parameters that are crucial for the identification and release of high-quality malt varieties. Maintaining tight control of these quality attributes is essential to ensure high processing efficiency and final product quality in brewery and malt house. Therefore, we have summarized the basic malting process and various physiological and biochemical quality parameters that are desirable for better malt quality. This study may provide an understanding of the process, problems faced, and opportunities to maltsters and researchers to improve the malt efficiency by altering the malting process or malt varieties.

Proteomics reveals commitment to germination in barley seeds is marked by loss of stress response proteins and mobilisation of nutrient reservoirs

Germination is a critical process in the reproduction and propagation of flowering plants, and is also the key stage of industrial grain malting. Germination commences when seeds are steeped in water, followed by degradation of the endosperm cell walls, enzymatic digestion of starch and proteins to provide nutrients for the growing plant, and emergence of the radicle from the seed. Dormancy is a state where seeds fail to germinate upon steeping, but which prevents inappropriate premature germination of the seeds before harvest from the field. This can result in inefficiencies in industrial malting. We used Sequential Window Acquisition of all THeoretical ions Mass Spectrometry (SWATH-MS) proteomics to measure changes in the barley seed proteome throughout germination. We found a large number of proteins involved in desiccation tolerance and germination inhibition rapidly decreased in abundance after imbibition. This was followed by a decrease in proteins involved in lipid, protein and nutrient reservoir storage, consistent with induction and activation of systems for nutrient mobilisation to provide nutrients to the growing embryo. Dormant seeds that failed to germinate showed substantial biochemical activity distinct from that of seeds undergoing germination, with differences in sulfur metabolic enzymes, endogenous alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors, and histone proteins. We verified our findings with analysis of germinating barley seeds from two commercial malting facilities, demonstrating that key features of the dynamic proteome of germinating barley seeds were conserved between laboratory and industrial scales. The results provide a more detailed understanding of the changes in the barley proteome during germination and give possible target proteins for testing or to inform selective breeding to enhance germination or control dormancy. SignificanceGermination is critical to the reproduction and propagation of flowering plants, and in industrial malting. Dormancy, where seeds fail to germinate upon steeping, can result in inefficiencies in industrial malting. Our DIA/SWATH-MS proteomics analyses identified key changes during germination, including an initial loss of proteins involved in desiccation tolerance and germination inhibition, followed by decreases in lipid, protein and nutrient reservoir storage. These changes were consistent between laboratory and industrial malting scales, and therefore demonstrate the utility of laboratory-scale barley germination as a model system for industrial malt house processes. We also showed that dormant seeds that failed to germinate showed substantial biochemical activity distinct from that of seeds undergoing germination, consistent with dormancy being an actively regulated state. Our results provide a more detailed understanding of the changes in the barley proteome during germination and give possible target proteins for testing or to inform selective breeding to enhance germination or control dormancy.

К РЕШЕНИЮ ЗАДАЧ ДИАГНОСТИРОВАНИЯ ВАЛОВОГО РЕСУРСА ЛАКРИЧНОГО КОРНЯ И ЕГО ДОБЫЧИ В ВОЛГО-АХТУБИНСКОЙ ПОЙМЕ

The article reflects the results of many years of research on the study of the root system of naked licorice (Glycyrrhiza glаbra L.). The formation of this valuable plant occupies significant areas of the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. The work was carried out in order to establish the regularities of the formation and accumulation of roots in local populations of licorice in order to diagnose their reserves with subsequent scientific substantiation of technological regulations for the industrial production of licorice, which guarantee self-restoration of cenopopulations. Based on the totality of morphological and ecological features, the diversity of adaptability of architectonics, the root system of licorice can be regarded as ecologically universal and, in some respects, unique. The multivariance of its structure for a number of typical habitats of this plant is explained by the influence of different regimes of surface waters during floods and subsurface waters during the growing season, in conditions of a wide variety of alluvial deposits along the profile of the soil aeration zone, their physical and chemical characteristics. The floodplain formation of naked licorice includes a large number of communities of various species composition, which, with varying degrees of its participation, are among the seven most frequently encountered associations. The most productive are clean malt houses formed in the central (insular) part of the lower floodplain and delta under conditions of annual flood moistening of soils. Licorice acquires the most intensive productive development, settling on non-saline floodplain alluvial meadow and meadow dark-colored granular soils of light granulometric composition, as well as on alluvial meadow sandy loam soils formed on middle flood relief elements. In these habitats, the root mass (total, wet) in the soil layer of 0.40 m can reach 22 ... 25 tons per hectare in some areas. Most often, the root mass of licorice naked along the soil profile is distributed as follows: 90% of all roots and rhizomes - in a layer of 1.0 ... 1.2 m, including 60% - in a layer of 0 ... 0.3 m, 20% - in layer 0.3 ... 0.5 m

Time and Continuity: An Ancient Inn Endures

Time and Continuity:An Ancient Inn Endures David H. Lynn (bio) Smiling and clearly nervous, Caroline Cheffers steps through the low threshold and down onto the floor of the Malt House. Only on special occasions does she typically draw the bolts on this great and dark room for airing and, if necessary, heating. And now the reason, the special occasion, does emerge immediately behind her: Queen Elizabeth II, serene and regal, pocketbook in the crook of her elbow, steps down as well and makes her way toward the video camera. Even on the small computer screen, I recognize the passage from which they've just emerged. It seems unlikely. Narrow, dustladen surely, even after a thorough wash, the route is filled with the moldy residue of centuries. It extends between the Malt House and a stone cellar where casks of various ales reside. This is the Bridge Inn's inner and most ancient terrain, a route typically frequented only by staff. Yet Her Majesty is smiling in perfect order, seemingly indifferent to primeval grime. Her predecessor, the original Elizabeth, no doubt exhibited a similar sangfroid. That would have been [End Page 276] some four hundred years ago, when this inn's timbers were already timeworn and weathered. I'm studying the video from four-thousand miles away and nearly two decades after the Queen paid her call. Friends have long regaled me with stories of the Royal Visit, but it has only just occurred to me that with a little searching online, I might be able to conjure a visual record. As it happens, my wife Wendy and I are about to return to Topsham, the small town in Devon, for another academic year. As so often in such a moment, I'm worried about all that may have changed in my absence. I'm aware, too, of course, of my own trajectory of change and of the memories and stories that go with it. Clutching her black patent-leather handbag paired with sensible shoes and gloves, the Queen continues to beam as if reviewing a parade. Clearly, she has long understood that every gesture, every wince will be noted. Now the moment arrives for her to approach the bar that stands just inside the main door. At his post stands Norman Cheffers, Caroline's father, ready to greet his sovereign. White-haired, jovial, and a bit portly, Norman alone of those present actually belongs to Elizabeth's generation. As a token of his fealty, the patriarch presents her with a small brown bottle of ale. Even if the label's not quite visible, I know it features 101 in bold print and a hand-drawn sketch of the old inn. Dark and rich, the special ale has been brewed to hallowed recipe; it also celebrates the century and more his family have served as custodians here. Norman's is the third generation, though family tradition has seen actual management pass from mother to daughter. Too often have the menfolk wandered off to fight their wars or to ply their trades or simply to dawdle. It's Caroline who sees to the day-to-day operations, with her mother Phyllis having passed some years ago. Norman is beaming, his magnificently bulbous nose rampant. Accepting the tribute, his Queen hefts the bottle appreciatively in [End Page 277] her gloves. She is gracious and deliberate. Yet I sense her momentary conundrum. What is to be done? What if the gift is bobbled? What if it explodes? Her diplomatic mien—her poker face—gives nothing away. Yet as soon as courtesy allows, the monarch conveys her trophy to a discreet adjutant. Elizabeth's teeth remain fixed and visible, her thin, firm lips ever smiling. If some twenty years earlier, in 1976, my own introduction to English pubs took place right here at the Bridge, so too does this occasion represent the Queen's first official visit to such an establishment. But of course, it's no accident. In the wake of the roiling debacle of Princess Diana's life and sudden death, Buckingham Palace has scripted this event as part of a new initiative. Once again, it has been left to Elizabeth, the...

Investigating the Potential of an In-Situ Method for Monitoring the Malting of Barley Using Solid Phase Microextraction with a Portable Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Instrument

An improved understanding of the malting process could have a significant impact on the efficient production of quality malt for the brewing industry. Analysis of volatile organic compounds produced during the malting process is one approach towards achieving this goal. In-situ methods avoid the possibility of contamination and chemical changes occurring during sample transport and storage. This paper describes the investigation of an in-situ sampling method for the detection of volatile organic compounds produced during the malting of barley. Solid Phase Microextraction Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS) was used to identify compounds. The investigated method involved the direct exposure of an SPME fiber in the kiln during barley malting. Using this method, compounds including aldehydes, ketones, and esters were detected. Some changes in volatile organic compound composition were observed during the production of pale malt at a commercial malting house.

Vermicomposting of sludge from a malt house

Malting sludge is waste that could be used as a good soil conditioner after proper treatment. In the current study, the feasibility of vermicomposting malting sludge and its mixtures with straw pellets on the basis of physico-chemical and biological properties was verified. A vermicomposting system with continuous feeding of earthworms Eisenia andrei was used. The greatest number and biomass of earthworms was found in the variant with 25% malt house sludge + 75% straw pellets (on average of all layers: 320 earthworms/kg and 35 g/kg, respectively), followed by a variant with 50% malt house sludge + 50% straw pellets (on average of all layers: 47 earthworms/kg and 13 g/kg, respectively), indicating that a minimum of 50% (vol.) straw pellets is necessary for successful vermicomposting of malting sludge. Most earthworms lived in the youngest upper layer (42% and 52% of total number and earthworm biomass, respectively). On the contrary, the oldest bottom layers (final vermicomposts) after 180 days of vermicomposting were characterized by maturity, indicating lesser contents of microorganisms and enzyme activity. These vermicomposts had favorable agrochemical properties (pH = 7.8, EC = 1.2 mS cm−1, C/N = 11, Ptot = 1.23%, Ktot = 2.55%, Mgtot = 0.42%). The proportion of the available contents in the total contents were 10%, 59%, and 19% for P, K, and Mg, respectively.

Changes in malt quality during production in two commercial malt houses

This investigation presents a holistic and comprehensive assessment of the stepwise changes in barley quality during the malting process for multiple batches of two Australian malting varieties (Buloke and Gairdner), in two modern, commercial scale pneumatic malthouses. The study sought to analyse and compare malting plant and variety with respect to basic changes in malt quality for protein (total protein and free amino nitrogen), fermentability (apparent attenuation limit and diastatic power), extract yield, along with filtration indicators (lautering efficiency, viscosity and β-glucan). Overall, comparing the two malt plants, it was observed that although malt batches and varieties followed different malting pathways, the finished and kilned malt was of satisfactory quality in terms of FAN, viscosity, friability, fermentability and extract. © 2020 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Changes of enzymatic activity during a large-scale vermicomposting process with continuous feeding

Abstract The presented experiment determined the enzymatic activity of eight different enzymes in three types of aged vermicomposts (from household biowaste; malt house sludge mixed with agricultural waste; grape marc). The vermicomposting was conducted in the large-scale systems of heaps with continuous feeding of the earthworms, which is applicable in practice. All vermicomposting heaps were divided into five layers of different depths, depending on the age of these layers. In all heaps, the highest number and biomass of earthworms occurred in the youngest layers, as did the highest activity of bacteria or fungi. The highest activity of all eight measured enzymes occurred in the vermicomposting process with household biowaste. The lowest activity of all enzymes showed the arylsulphatase, which did not exceed 66 μmol 4-methylumbellyferyl sulphate potassium salt. g−1.h−1. The highest enzyme activity was detected for lipase, where all values were higher than 5382 μmol 4-methylumbellyferyl-caprylate.g−1.h−1. There were marked differences between the layers in all vermicomposting heaps.

Studium technologických vlastností historické odrůdy ječmene Proskovcův hanácký

Proskovcuv hanacky belongs to the famous, historically significant Czech malting barley varieties. For its excellent qualities, this variety was widely used in breeding and today it is the basis of the pedigree of many modern European varieties. The aim of this work was to study the technological, analytical and sensory properties of malt and beer made of this variety and to evaluate its potential for current beer production. Pilsner-type malt made in a floor malt house was characterized by high protein content (13.9%) and very low cytolytic, proteolytic and amylolytic modification. Beer was made from the malt from two craft breweries using a two-mash decoction process and Saaz hops. The beers were lowly fermented (apparent attenuation 67 and 69%) and had a high content of dextrins, betaglucans, arabinoxylans and polyphenols. Sensory evaluation of the beers was similar to current conventional lager-type beers. Beer brewed from this variety using the traditional malting and brewing technology could contribute to an interesting diversification of the offer of smaller breweries.

Piwne ślady w Uniejowie

Piwo na przestrzeni wieków było jednym z najczęściej produkowanych trunków. Uniejów, dzięki swojemu strategicznemu położeniu, przyciągał kupców i handlarzy, ponadto odwiedzany był przez znaczną liczbę duchowieństwa. Miasto musiało być wyposażone w karczmy, w których przyjmować można było licznych podróżnych, oraz słodownie i browary, wytwarzające na ich potrzeby oraz potrzeby mieszkańców, tak chętnie pijane piwo. Zwyczaj jego produkcji, początkowo w żaden sposób niekontrolowany odgórnie, z czasem stał się przywilejem, nad którym czuwały miejskie cechy. Wiele zapisków dotyczących dziejów Uniejowa, świadczy o tym, że piwo obecne było w całych jego dziejach. Burzliwa historia miasta to również wzmianki o produkcji piwa, jego cenach oraz zapleczu technicznym powstającym w mieście.

The liberal playground

The Cambridge Malting House, an experimental school, serves here as a case study for investigating the tensions within 1920s liberal elites between their desire to abandon some Victorian and Edwardian sets of values in favour of more democratic ones, and at the same time their insistence on preserving themselves as an integral part of the English upper class. Susan Isaacs, the manager of the Malting House, provided the parents – some of whom were the most famous scientists and intellectuals of their age – with an opportunity to fulfil their ‘fantasy’ of bringing up children in total freedom. In retrospect, however, she deeply criticized those from their milieu for not fully understanding the real socio-cultural implications of their ideological decision to make independence and freedom the core values in their children’s education. Thus, 1920s progressive education is a paradigmatic case study of the cultural and ideological inner contradictions within liberal thought in the interwar era. The article also shows how psychoanalysis – which attracted many progressive educators – played a crucial role in providing liberals of all sorts with a new language to articulate their political visions, but, at the same time, explored the limits of the liberal discourse as a whole.

Rapid cultivar identification of barley seeds through disjoint principal component modeling.

Classification of barley varieties is a crucial part of the control and assessment of barley seeds especially for the malting and brewing industry. The correct classification of barley is essential in that a majority of decisions made regarding process specifications, economic considerations, and the type of product produced with the cereal are made based on the barley variety itself. This fact combined with the need to promptly assess the cereal as it is delivered to a malt house or production facility creates the need for a technique to quickly identify a barley variety based on a sample. This work explores the feasibility of differentiating between barley varieties based on the protein spectrum of barley seeds. In order to produce a rapid analysis of the protein composition of the barley seeds, lab-on-a-chip micro fluid technology is used to analyze the protein composition. Classification of the barley variety is then made using disjoint principle component models. This work included 19 different barley varieties. The varieties consisted of both winter and summer barley types. In this work, it is demonstrated that this system can identify the most likely barley variety with an accuracy of 95.9% based on cross validation and can screen summer barley with an accuracy of 95.2% and a false positive rate of 0.0% based on cross validation. This demonstrates the feasibility of the method to provide a rapid and relatively inexpensive method to verify the heritage of barley seeds.

Biogas Production from Algal Biomass from Municipal Wastewater Treatment

The paper describes the anaerobic digestion of biomass of microalgae and bacteria from the treatment of wastewater from municipal sources and malt house. During the three series of experiments the influence of primary sludge addition, type of biomass and the substrate to inoculum ratio on anaerobic digestion and biogas production was investigated. The results showed that the composition of the substrate plays an important role. Digesters with added primary sludge reached stationary phase faster than without added sludge digesters but the specific biogas production was not higher. Regarding the suitable substrate to inoculum ratio the most suitable ratio is 2:1 (inoculum:biomass). Biomass from municipal wastewater treatment produced up to 186 L kg−1 OM at 2:1 ratio of inoculum to biomass. Substrate from malt house wastewater treatment produced less biogas, 126 L kg−1 OM at 2:1 ratio of inoculum to biomass. Methane content in the gas at the end of the experiment varied between 60 and 75 %.

Malt house wastewater treatment with settleable algal-bacterial flocs.

This paper deals with biological treatment of malt house wastewater using algal-bacterial flocs. During three months of testing, optimisation of growth conditions and biomass separation leads to maximisation of biomass production, improved flocs settleability and increased pollutant removal efficiency while maintaining low energy demand. At a high food to microorganism ratio (0.16 to 0.29 kg BOD5 kg(-1) TSS d(-1)), the biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), total phosphorus (Ptot) and total suspended solids (TSS) removal efficiencies were all higher than 90%. At a food to microorganism ratio of 0.06 kg BOD5 kg(-1) TSS d(-1), BOD5, CODCr, total nitrogen (Ntot), Ptot and TSS removal efficiencies of 99.5%, 97.6%, 91.5%, 97.8% and 98.4%, respectively, were achieved. The study also proved a strong dependence of removal efficiencies on solar radiation. The results suggest the algae-bacteria system is suitable for treatment of similar wastewater in locations with available land and sufficient solar radiation and temperature during the whole year.