What is pure malt beer?

You have certainly come across pure malt beers at the supermarket. Judging by the name, we get the impression that this is a more sophisticated style. But do you know where the term pure malt comes from? In this post, we will explain everything about this technical term and how it all relates to the production method and the ingredients used.

• Pure malt beers in Brazil
• The malting process
• Purity laws.

What makes pure malt beer different?

This term was regulated in Brazil through a decree in 1997. The text defines that pure malt beer is one in which the malt is 100% barley. In other words, no cereal other than barley was added during its malting process. Some more popular beers use adjunct ingredients, such as corn or rice, to supplement the sugars released by the malt. This makes them cheaper and, as a result, makes the beer lighter.

However, the pure malt label is not necessarily the only seal of quality for a beverage. Some beers have malt derived from wheat, for example, which is a high-standard cereal for beers. So, even if a beer does not use a mix of cereals or other adjunct ingredients, it can only be called pure malt if the only cereal present in the malting is barley.

In two later decrees, in 2009 and 2019, the original decree underwent some changes. Currently, a regulation from the Ministry of Agriculture establishes the identity and quality standards for brewery products. In the document, the definition of pure malt remains similar: a beer “made from a wort whose original extract comes exclusively from malted barley or malt extract”. The regulation then clarifies that beers that use exclusively a single cereal can be called pure malt beer + the name of the cereal. 

Purity laws

One of the main benefits of pure malt beer is the fact that it has no adjuncts in the composition of the liquid. In Brazil, there is no purity law as strict as in other countries. The Ministry of Agriculture regulation determines that only a beverage with up to 45% brewing adjuncts in its composition (the other 55% being malted barley) is considered beer.

Basically, adjuncts are considered to be the cereals and derivatives added to barley, other plant-based products, such as fruits or sugars, and honey. As a way to cut costs, the more popular beers usually choose to work with the stipulated limit of 45%. The best known is high maltose syrup. This adjunct can be derived from cereals such as corn and rice. This extract yields a cheaper malt and a lighter beer. 

Another standard used to measure the purity of a beer is the Reinheitsgebot. Also known as the German Purity Law, it is a series of regulations that limited beer ingredients in Germany and in the states of the former Holy Roman Empire. The best-known version of this law was adopted in Bavaria, in 1516. According to the legal text, only a beverage containing solely water, barley malt and hops can be considered beer. At the time, yeast was not considered an ingredient, although it was often used.

The quality of pure malt beers in Brazil

It is because of more processed adjuncts, such as high maltose syrup, that pure malt beer is seen as a nobler alternative. However, as we have seen, there are some reasons why the label is not a synonym for quality.

• The quality of a beer is also tied to its production method. If a brewery does not respect the processes and the time needed to make the beverage, it will consequently lose quality (even if it uses only barley malt).
• Adjuncts are not the villains. As we have seen, wheat is considered an adjunct, even though it is a grain that produces a quality malt. In addition, fruits and vegetables can bring special flavors and aromas to beer, enriching the beverage.
• Barley harvested out of season or the use of less fresh malt can also be factors that hurt the quality of the final product.

So, what is malting?

Throughout this text, we have talked about malt and the malting process. For those of you who got lost, let's understand better what all this means. 

Malt is the base of beer. This element is rich in sugars, which are turned into the alcohol in beer after coming into contact with yeast. But then, how does malt come about? The malting process is based on the controlled germination of a cereal, such as barley, for example. For this, a few steps are followed.

• Steeping: hydrating the cereal seeds to make them prone to germinate.
• Germination: the goal is to develop enzymes and modify the starch, making the cereal softer. The process is stopped as soon as the grain starts to develop into a new plant.
• Drying: to preserve the enzymes generated, the germinated grains are exposed to heat so they dry.
• Screening: the moment when the shoots and roots are separated. The final material from this process is the malt.
• Milling: finally, the malt is ground, producing the wort, to which yeast will be added.

Want your customers to get to know this and other types of beer in a single night? Discover myTapp self-pour draft beer! With it you boost your business and waste less draft beer on samples. Request a contact!

I want it!