Germination index as an indicator of malting potential

Abstract

The malting industry requires malt with a high extract yield, high levels of enzyme activity, and good modification to manufacture beer of excellent quality. The basic raw material for the beer production is the malting barley whose quality is of primary significance. Therefore, barley must be able to germinate vigorously and be post-harvest mature to meet these requirements. We find out to what extent barley physiological parameters influence the changes of malt technological parameters during post-harvest storage. The malt technological parameters investigated were the extract, relative extract at 45°C, Kolbach index, apparent final attenuation, friability, and wort β-glucan in relation to the germination energy and germination index. On the basis of the results obtained, it was found out that the germination index is the most suitable physiological parameter in view of the correlations with malt technological parameters, mainly the extract (r = 0.57) and relative extract at 45°C (r = 0.77). The germination index could be therefore used in the malting industry as a suitable indicator of the malting potential.