what is malted barley

Malted barley, or malt, is a type of barley that has been allowed to germinate by soaking the grain in water, which prepares the starches to be converted into fermentable sugars. Malting is the process of converting barley or other cereal grains into malt for use in brewing, distilling, or foods, and takes place in a maltings, sometimes called a malthouse, or a malting floor. Barley is the most commonly malted grain, though wheat, rye, oats, rice, and corn are also used. The process of malting involves three main steps: steeping, germination, and kilning. During steeping, the barley is soaked in water for two to three days, which allows the grain to sprout. Sprouting the grain generates the enzymes necessary to convert starches into sugars during brewing. The barley is then transferred to a room where it is aerated, turned regularly, and held at around 60 F to encourage the grain to germinate to make it more open to the fermentation process in which the starches are converted to the sugars that become alcohol. At this point, it is called "green malt". Finally, heating or kilning the barley produces its final color and flavor. Malted barley is used to make beer, whiskey, malted milkshakes, malt vinegar, confections such as Maltesers and Whoppers, flavored drinks such as Horlicks, Ovaltine, and Milo, and some baked goods, such as malt loaf, bagels, and rich tea biscuits.