How to Convert Starch Into Malt Sugar

Unhulled barley is used to make malt sugar.

Barley seeds convert starch into malt sugar when they are sprouted. Once unhulled barley seeds have sprouted, soak them in hot water to pull the malt sugar out of the seeds. Malt sugar water, or wort, is used to make beer and flavor foods. Malt sugar can be used as a natural sweetener. Malt sugar tastes similar to molasses. It is composed of simple sugars that are metabolized slower by your body than other sugars, and has the benefit of being low in calories and carbohydrates.

Things You'll Need

• Unhulled barley seed
• Sprouting jar with screen strainer and lid
• Food-grade thermometer
• Fine mesh strainer
• Mashing tun
• Large pot

Instructions

1. Place 2/3 cup unhulled barley seed into the sprouting jar. Heat 1 1/3 cup water to 70 degrees F. Measure the temperature of the water a food-grade thermometer and once it reaches 70 degrees F, pour it into the sprouting jar.

2. Stir the seeds with a spoon. Put the lid on the sprouting jar. Place the sprouting jar in a room that is 70 degrees F to 72 degrees F in a safe place where it won't come into contact with direct sunlight. Let the unhulled barley seeds soak for 12 hours.

3. Replace the lid with the strainer screen. Drain the water out of the jar. Place the barley in a fine mesh screen strainer and rinse it off with cool tap water. Let the barley sit for 10 minutes to completely drain.

4. Put the soaked barley back into the sprouting jar. Let the barley sit for 12 hours, rinse it off, drain it, and place it back in the sprouting jar. Let it sit another 12 hours, rinse and drain it. Continue rinsing and letting it sit for 12 hours until you see small 1/4-inch roots growing out of the barley. This means that the barley has sprouted. It may take up to 2 days before you see them, so be patient.

5. Place the sprouted barley into a mashing tun. Add 5 1/4 gallons of 154 degrees F water to the barley. Different mashing tuns hold different amounts of water so refer to your mashing tun's manual to find the correct amount to use with your specific model. This will help prevent accidentally overfilling it.

6. Let the water and barley sit in the mashing tun for one hour. The malt sugar will be extracted into the hot water, and you will have malt sugar water or wort sitting on the bottom of the tun. Drain the malt sugar water into a large pot. Bring it to a boil, lower to medium heat and let it simmer for one hour to finish making your malt extract syrup.

References

• Sprout People: Barley Sprouts
• DLD 123: Barley Malt Syrup
• Brew Organic: Boiling the Homebrew
• Brew Beer and Drink It: Home Brew Instructions