# US 2003/0148012 A1 · Treatment of germinating malting grain > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2003/0148012 A1 - Document ID: US20030148012A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/149,044 - Filed: 2002-10-03 - Published: 2003-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 1999-12-03 - Inventors: Lionel Scott - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20030148012A1 ## CPC - C12C 1/18: Preparation of malt extract or of special kinds of malt, e.g. caramel, black malt (malt products for use as foodstuffs A23L) - C12C 1/047: Influencing the germination by chemical or physical means - C12C 1/067: Drying - C12C 1/125: Continuous or semi-continuous processes for steeping, germinating or drying - C12C: BEER; PREPARATION OF BEER BY FERMENTATION (ageing or ripening by storing C12H1/22; methods for reducing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H3/00; methods for increasing the alcohol content after fermentation C12H6/00; venting devices for casks, barrels or the like C12L9/00); PREPARATION OF MALT FOR MAKING BEER; PREPARATION OF HOPS FOR MAKING BEER ## Abstract A method of treating malting grain, in which the grian is subjected to a water restriction stress after commencement of germination under normal conditions. The grain is germinated in a grain-germinating environment but before completion of germination is subjected to said water-restriction stress by reducing the amount of water available to the grain within said environment. This is done for at least one time-interval sufficient to modify, as compared with normally-germinated grain, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars in a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (iii) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; as determined in the germinated and thus-treated grain. Preferably the water restriction stress is imparted by lowering the relative humiditity of air flowing around the grain within a germination environment to below 95%. The invention also relates to grain treated by such methods and malt produced from such grain. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of treatment of malting grain, in which the grain after commencement of germination under normal conditions within a grain-germinating environment but before completion thereof is subjected to water-restriction stress by reducing the amount of water available to the grain but maintaining an adequate oxygen supply to the grain within said environment for at least one time-interval sufficient to modify, as compared with conventionally germinated non water stressed grain, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars in a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (iii) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; as determined in the germinated and thus-treated grain. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the grains are permitted to begin germination in an environment conducive to germination, and wherein the ambient conditions are subsequently altered to subject the grains to the water restriction stress. ### Claim 3 A method of treatment of malting grain comprising the steps of: a) treating the grain at a first relative humidity of at least 95%, at a temperature in the range from 12 to 25° C. for at least a first period of time; and b) on at least one occasion during this treatment reducing the relative humidity to less than 95% and continuing to treat the grain at the said reduced relative humidity for at least a second period of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the moisture content of the malting grains before step b) is in the range from 42 to 50%. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3, 4) A method as claimed in any of claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the moisture content of the grain, after completion of step b) is maintained at a level no lower than 30%, and preferably is maintained within the range from 32% to 45% by weight of the seed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3, 4, 5) A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the second time period is in the range from 24 to 96 hours, preferably from 24 to 72 hours, and most preferably from 24 to 48 hours. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3, 4, 5, 6) A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 6, wherein the first period of time is in the range from a few hours to 6 days, and preferably from 1 to 4 days ### Claim 8 (depends on 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 7, wherein at completion of step a) the relative humidity is reduced by lowering the water vapour content of the ambient environment. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 8, wherein during step b) the germinating grain is held at a temperature within the range from 0° C. to 25° C., preferably within the range from 0° C. to 18° C., and most preferably from 10° C. to 18° C. ### Claim 10 A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the grains are held in a germination chamber and the process is carried out therein. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the relative humidity is reduced by re-circulating the air in the germination chamber thereby withholding additional water from the grain, but ensuring that an adequate oxygen supply to the grain is maintained. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein a drying stage is performed between steps a) and b). ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the drying stage uses conventional drying methods to dry back the germinating grain relatively quickly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12, 13) A method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the moisture content of the malting grains is reduced by up to 10% during the drying stage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12, 13, 14) A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the moisture content of the malting grain is reduced by 0.5% to 5%, and preferably by 2% to 5% during the drying stage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12, 13, 14, 15) A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15, wherein the moisture content of the malting grain after the drying stage is in the range from 30 to 35%, preferably about 32%, by weight of the grain. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16) A method as claimed in any of claim 12 to 16 wherein, during the drying stage, the malting grain is subjected to a temperature in the range from 0° C. to 25° C., and at a relative humidity in the range from 30% to 90%. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12, 17) A method as claimed in any of claim 12 to claim 17, wherein drying is carried out at 20° C., at a relative humidity of 40%. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18, wherein the malting grain is dried to an overall water content which permits metabolic processes to continue but is sufficiently below that of germinating grain such that rootlet growth is substantially inhibited. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 19, wherein the water content of the malting grain lies in the range from 30% to 55%, and more preferably in the range from 35% to 50% by weight of malting grain during step b). ### Claim 21 (depends on 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20) A method as claimed in any of claims 12 to 20, wherein after the drying stage, the malting grain is transferred to an environment wherein moisture loss is prevented ### Claim 22 (depends on 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21) A method as claimed in any of claims 3 to 21, wherein the first and second time periods are separated into a plurality of discrete phases of from 6 to 12 hours in length, and the process conditions are alternated between those of step a) and those of step b). ### Claim 23 A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the malting grain is selected from barley, wheat, sorghum, maize and rye. ### Claim 24 A method of arresting rootlet growth in germinating grain including the step of incubating the grain in a grain germinating environment In which the amount of available water is controlled so as to subject the grains to a mild water restriction stress for a time interval suitable to inhibit metabolic process directed to rootlet growth but which does not substantially inhibit other vital metabolic processes in the grain. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) Germinated and treated grain in which, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars In a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (111) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; has been modified in comparison to conventionally germinated non water stressed grain, when produced by a method according to any of claims 1 to 23. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) Germinated grain according to claim 25, wherein the soluble sugars content is increased in the range from 3% to 500%. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25, 26) Germinated grain according to claim 25 or claim 26, wherein the soluble sugars content is increased by 3% to 350%, preferably 3% to 200%, and more preferably from 3% to 190% as compared to germinated grain produced by conventional techniques. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) Germinated grain according to claim 25, wherein the alpha-amylase levels are increased by up to 250% as compared to germinated grain produced by conventional techniques. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) Germinated grain according to claim 25, wherein the alpha-amylase levels lies in the range from 30% to 140%, and preferably from 35% to 125% above those found in germinated grain produced by conventional techniques. ### Claim at position 30 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) 30 Treated green malt in which, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars in a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (iii) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; has been modified in comparison to conventionally germinated non water stressed green malt when produced by germinating grain by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) A method of malting grain comprising the steps of (i) cleaning and sizing the grain; (ii) steeping the grain; (iii) germinating the grain by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 23; and (iv) kilning the grain. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) Dried malted grain produced by a process according to claim 31, and suitable for storage, the dried malted grain having a moisture content of from 4 to 8% ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) Dried malted grain according to claim 32, wherein the moisture content is in the range from 4 to 6%. ### Claim 34 Dried treated malted grain in which, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars In a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (iii) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; has been modified, in comparison to conventionally germinated non-water stressed malt grain. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The use of malt prepared according to claim 31, in the production of beers, lagers, ales, stouts, barley wines, whiskies, malt vinegar, malt extracts, diastase, gin, vodka, corn syrups and alcohol. ### Claim 36 (depends on 31) Malt extract derived from malted grains produced by a method according to claim 31. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32, 33) The use of malted grains according to claims 32 or 33 in the preparation of wort for the manufacture of whisky, beers, lagers, ales, stouts, and barley wines or corn liquor for manufacture of corn syrups. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23) The use of germinated grains produced according to the methods of claims 1 to 23 in the preparation of wort for the manufacture of whisky, beers, lagers, ales, stouts, and barley wines. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) A method of malting grain comprising the steps of (i) cleaning and sizing the grain; (ii) steeping the grain; (iii) germinating the grain by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 28; and (iv) kilning the grain. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38, 39) Dried malted grain produced by a process according to claim 38 or claim 39, and suitable for storage, the dried malted grain having a moisture content of from 4 to 8% ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) Dried malted grain according to claim 40, wherein the moisture content is in the range from 4 to 6%. ### Claim 42 Dried treated malted grain in which, at least one of the following parameters, namely: (i) the amount of soluble sugars in a hot water extract; (ii) the alpha-amylase level; (iii) the degree of root and shoot growth; (iv) the total nitrogen content and the soluble nitrogen ratio; and/or (v) the diastatic power; has been modified, in comparison to malt grain which has been normally germinated and is untreated. ### Claim 43 (depends on 38, 39) The use of malt prepared according to claim 38 or 39, in the production of beers, lagers, ales, stouts, barley wines, whiskies, malt vinegar, malt extracts, diastase, gin, vodka, corn syrups and alcohol. ### Claim 44 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) Rootlets separated from germinated grain germinated by a method according to any of claims 1 to 28. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) Rootlets as claimed in claim 44, for use in the preparation of growth media or maintenance media for micro-organisms or in the preparation of animal feedstuffs. ### Claim 46 (depends on 38, 39) Malt extract derived from malted grains produced by a method according to claim 38 or claim 39. ### Claim 47 (depends on 40, 41) The use of malted grains according to claims 40 or 41 in the preparation of wort for the manufacture of whisky, beers, lagers, ales, stouts, and barley wines or corn liquor for manufacture of corn syrups. ### Claim 48 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28) The use of germinated grains produced according to the methods of claims 1 to 28 in the preparation of wort for the manufacture of whisky, beers, lagers, ales, stouts, and barley wines.