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Malt houses in Italy

Malterie in Italia - EFW
Written by EFW Staff

Malt houses in Italy: competences and professionalism

What are malt houses and what are them for?

Beer is a well-known beverage, appreciated all over the world that hasn’t experienced great changes during the years. Its production has always been the same and it is divided in different phases: malting, mashing, filtering, cooking, fermentation (first and second) and pasteurization. Not all the beers are pasteurized, some can be further filtered before being bottled and other has a last phase called bottle fermentation. The first phase of the brew process is the malting.

Malted barley comes from one of the many malt houses in Italy, and then it will be grinded and mixed with hot water to become must. Malting process is really important because barley can’t be used directly. It needs some changes. After having selected barley and other grains necessary for the beer production, these are washed and soaked in maceration tanks at a temperature between 12 and 15 degree Celsius. Then, the grains should be transferred in the germination tanks. In each grain there is an enzyme that plays an important role. It reduces the long insoluble sugar chains that can be activated only through the germination process.

When barley reach the desired germination level (the germ has to grow until its size reaches the two thirds of the total length), the process has to stop (removing the humidity) then, there are the toasting and drying phases. Malted barley has to be grinded before entering in the second phase of the production. The final colour of the beer depends on the type of malt.

The main malt houses in Italy

Malterie in Italia e birra

To make beer it is important to know some companies that produce malt, the main ingredient. Some of these are: Agroalimentare Sud S.p.A in S. Nicola in Melfi (PZ), Saplo S.p.A in Pomezia, the farm La Chioma in Spello (PG), Euromalto Srl in Acquapendente (VT) and the farm La Vallescura Piozzano (PC). The first two are the bigger able to transform more than 80.000 thousands of barley in 65.000 tons of malt. In Italy there is also the Consorzio Italiano di Produttori dell’Orzo e della Birra – COBI (in English: Italian Consortium of Barley and Beer producers) made of more than 90 barley or beer farmers. COBI aims to support and encourage this growing sector and to safeguard both farmers and consumers.

The consortium manages one of the most important malt houses of our country that supply malt to the craft beer production. If we take into account that almost the 66% of malt used to produce Italian beer comes from abroad, it is clear the potential market at disposal of the raw materials on the territory. The internal work of these companies clearly shows the high quality of Made in Italy and make important the name of the Italian craft beer. In addition there are the micro-malt houses, those small realities that contributes to the craft beer production with their work. Some of these realities are able to enter perfectly the production chain of craft beer.

The opening of malt houses in Italy is a wise way to face the difficult economic situation

The market of beer production in our country is one of the few growing sectors and this is encouraging. For a small beer producer it is easier to be related with a micro malt house located in his/her own area. One’s can even produce malt on one’s own instead of rely on the big industries such as Saplo or Agroalimentare Sud. The new laws gave a great help to open a malt house. Anyway, it is necessary to have a great brew culture, solid knowledge of microbiology, agriculture, meteorology and use a chemical laboratory properly equipped.

Grain producers can give detailed information and it is even possible to look for a collaboration with a microbrewery, better if it is in the neighbourhood. With a lot of work and a special attention to all the small details, the success will arrive quickly.

 

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EFW Staff