Barley and wheat (for the Weissbier) are the key raw materials required for beer brewing. Each individual grain contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats and vitamins surrounded by a hard outer covering, the husk. These contents have to be prepared for the brewing process. The grains are soaked in water until they begin to germinate and grow. The maltster controls this natural process simply by adjusting the humidity, temperature and aeration levels – that means a purely biological process, where no chemical additives are used. When the grain has reached the right maturity, germination is stopped by drying. From now on, the grain is called “malt”. The higher the drying temperature the darker the malt; this is crucial later on for the colour and taste of the beer. Hofbräu München uses the following types of malt:
• light barley malt
• dark barley malt
• Caramalt (aromatic barley malt)
• light wheat malt
• dark wheat malt
Hofbräu München consumes 5,000 metric tons of malt per year stored in the ten malt silos of the brewery.
