Malt
German: Malz Also known as: Braumalz, Gerstenmalz
Germinated and dried grain, usually barley, which provides sugar, colour and flavour for beer.
Malt is made by letting grain, usually barley or wheat, germinate and then halting the process by kilning (drying). During germination enzymes form that later, during mashing, convert starch into fermentable sugar.
Depending on kilning time and temperature, pale malts (pilsner malt), caramelised malts and dark roasted malts result. They determine colour, body and flavour: pale malts taste bready and mild, caramel malts sweetish, roasted malts of coffee or chocolate. The bulk of the grist is usually a pale base malt, with specialty malts added in small amounts.