GB2405155A

GB2405155A - A process for the production of green malt

Info

Publication number: GB2405155A
Application number: GB0319889A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Nallen
Original assignee: MINCH NORTON Ltd
Current assignee: MINCH NORTON Ltd
Priority date: 2003-08-22
Filing date: 2003-08-22
Publication date: 2005-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 2023-08-22
Also published as: EA004914B1; EA200400297A1; GB0319889D0; GB2405155B

Abstract

A barley germination process to produce green malt on a germination bed having a perforated barley supporting surface is provided. When the process is carried out with the bed full of barley, the last batch of green malt is removed from the distal end of the bed every four to twelve hours, and the rest of the barley moved progressively along the bed. There is measured and recorded the germination capacity of each batch at predetermined time intervals and the profile of the germination capacity of all the batches along the bed is compared to previously recorded data of, what are considered to be, successfully completed germinating processes. In this way, the operator can vary or increase the various operating parameters to take account of the actual situation arising in the bed.

Description

2405 1 55 - 1 "A process for Me production of Green man' Inlroducffon The

present invention relates to a barley germination process to produce green malt on a fixed germination bed having a perforated barley supporting surface. These germination beds are well known.

Heretofore, in the past, the control of germination has largely been one of sWII, exercised by experienced malsters, who examine the barley as it is being germinated and change the operating parameters of the bed on the basis of a general feeling for what is happening and the application of considerable skill. However, this does not necessarily ensure the best production of green malt and in particular, with less skilled staff, can lead to the production of less than adequate quality green malt.

A further problem that has been noticed is that often with such beds, uneven germination is experienced with further deterioration in the quality of the green malt eventually produced.

In summary, while the germination of barley to produce green malt has been conducted successfully heretofore, H has iarqely been conducted on the basis of experience and Reels, rather than scienfffc control.

The present invention is directed towards overcoming the problems inherent in the, , . present production of green malt.

Staternen of Invention, According to the invention, there is provided a barley germination process to produce green mad on a fired germination bed having a perforated barley supporting surface comprising, with the bed full of bariey: rernoving a last batch of green mat from the distal end of the bed every four to twelve hours; moving barley progressively along the bed to allow a first batch to be loaded on the bed at its proximal end, the moving operation comprising lifting the barley off the bed and delivering it back onto the bed distally from its previous position and exposing some of the surface of the bed; cleaning, using the scraper device, the exposed surface of the bed every time the batches are moved along the bed to prevent clogging of the perforated barley supporting surface; Wading the first batch onto the bed and simultaneously checking the moisture level of the first batch as it is loaded onto the bed and spraying the barley fi its moisture level falls below 45%; delivering air having a 100% relative humidity and an air-on temperature of between 12 C and 20 C up through the bed; controlling the air-on temperature and the volume of air delivered so that the barley temperature is between 12 C and 20 C; measuring and recording the germination capacity of each batch at, predetermined time intervals; ' ' ' ,'.: providing a profile of the germination capacity of all the batches along the bed; : '.t' comparing the profile so obtained with the profile of the germination, capacity of similar barleys which resulted in an acceptable green malt, together with the operating conditions under which the green mad was produced; and varying the air-on temperature, as well as the volume of air delivered up through the bed, having regard to the comparison.

By comparing the profile of the germination capacity of all the barley in batches along the bed, as the batches are moving along tine bed, more accurate control of the gemmination process can be achieved. H is possible to reduce air temperature or increase air temperature in order to stew up or speed up the process to achieve the required green mad. Thus, for example, in certain circumstances, the bme between moving the batches on can be varied, while maintaining the overall process cycle time.

This is an essential feature of the invention. By doing this, much more accurate control and acceptable product is produced. Heretofore, most of this was done very much on a trial and error basis by those operating such germination processes.

Further, X has, quite surprisingly, been found that by continuously cleaning the bed by the use of the scraper device, much better results have been achieved than heretofore when the bed was often only intermittently cleaned. The beds are quite susceptible to clogging and it has been found that by cleaning the bed fully every eight hours, much more accurate delivery of air up through the bed was achieved.

In one process of carrying out the invention, the first batch is sprayed with gibberellic add as it is loaded onto the bed. Ideally, this is done at a rate of approximately 0.001 Kg per tonne barley. This ensures that the germination process will be earned out.

The use of gibberellic acid promotes a more even and more homogeneous modification of the green malt.

Ideally, the germination capacity of each batch is measured each time the batch is, moved along the bed. ' ' ' In one embodiment, the gemnination capacity of each batch is measured every 18 to, hours. Ideally, this is of the order of 24 hours. ' ' ., ' In one process of carrying out the invention, the barley temperature is varied if the, profile of the gemnination capacity indicates an unsatisfactory germination capacity for ' the barley on the bed. The modification of green malt can be improved by monitoring and measuring the rate of modification on a daily basis. If modification is slow, then the grain air on temperature can be increased slightly to push on the modification process. If modification is too fast, then the grain air on temperature can be decreased slightly to hold back the modification process.

In one embodiment of the invention, part of a batch of green malt is removed for kilaing approximately every 8 hours. Ideally, approximately one third of a batch is removed.

The time between first loading on the bed and final removal as green malt takes between 4 and 6 days, and this is generally of the order of 5 days.

DetaHed Description of Me Invention

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of a gemnination bed and the process used thereon, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side part diagrammatic view of a germination bed according to the invention, in one position of use, fig. 2 is a side view of the bed in another position of use, Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of portion of the bed and fuming equipment used in Figs. 1 and 2, in an operative position, Fig. 4 is a side view of the fuming equipment of Fig: 3 in a different position, Fig. 5 is a front-on view of the fuming machine of Figs. 2 and 3, and ' ' ' Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a scraper illustrated in Fig. 5. ,; : '..' Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a germination bed, indicated generally by, the reference numeral 1, housed within a building 2 having air outlets 3. The germination bed 1 has a perforated floor 5 mounted above an air chamber 6 in which ' ' is mounted water sprayed 7 and an air heater/oooler 8 which is fed by a fan 9 above an air inlet 10. Infeed is by means of pump conveying with steeped barley and water under pressure of approximately 1 to 2 bar pressure is provided at a proximal end 12 of the bed 1. A takeoff conveyor 13 is provided at a distal end 14 of the bed 1.

There is provided a burning machine, indicated generally by the reference numeral 20, and illustrated in more detail in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. The fuming machine 20 has wheels 21 which ride on rails 15 above the bed 1. The wheels 21 support a carnage 22 which indudes various motors 23 and control equipment. The fuming machine 20 comprises a drive drum 25 and idler chums 26 and 27 which support a conveyor belt 28 on which are mounted buckets 29 and scraper blades 30. H can be seen that the buckets 29 and the scraper blades 30 are in staggered confgurabon. Each scraper blade 30 is of a semi-rigid but flexible material and terminates in a plurality of teeth 31.

Hydraulic rams 32 and 33 are provided which raise and lower the fuming machine, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The buckets and scrapers are partially surrounded by a casing 34 within which is mounted a spray bar 35. Mechanical rams may be used.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shawn the germination bed 1 fug. Then, referring to Fig. 2, when a batch of barley has been converted successfully into green malt at the distal end of the bed 1, the fuming machine 20 is moved to the distal end of the bed 1. The fuming machine 20 delivers a batch of green malt is delivered onto the conveyor 13.

This leaves a gap at the end of the bed. Then, the fuming machine 20 is used to transfer all the batches down the bed 1 progressively until finally, a gap is formed at the proximal end 12 of the bed. Then, as illustrated in Fig. 2, a batch of wet barley is delivered into the bed 1. As K is being delivered into the bed 1, the barley is tested for moisture and if the moisture content is below 45%, a spray of water Can be delivered onto the barley by the fuming machine 20. This first batch then starts to germinate. It should be noted that every time the fuming machine is used, the scrapers 30 will engage the exposed surface of the bed. The scraper blades 30, which are flexible, will dislodge any grain stuck in the perforations of the bed. This will therefore thoroughly clean the surface of the bed to ensure there is no clogging of the slotted or perforated floor and therefore maintaining the optimum airflow.

In many instances, as the first batch is being placed on the bed, the batch will also be sprayed with gibberellic acid at a rate of approximately 0.001 Kg per tonne. With the barley in the bed, air is delivered by the fan 9 through the combined heater/cooler 8 to the air chamber 6 beneath the bed 1. Water is sprayed by the spray bar 7 in a fine mist of droplets onto the air so that the air has a relative humidity of 100% or as near to that as makes little or no difference, it being imperative not to remove moisture from the gemminating barley. The air temperature is generally maintained between 120C and 20 C. This is the air-on temperature. Further, the Flume of air delivered can be varied. It is important to ensure that the temperature of the barley is always within the range 12 C to 20 C for optimum germination. Then, every four to twelve hours, the process is repeated with part of another batch of green mad being removed and part of a fresh batch of barley being delivered onto the bed and all the other batches moved up one position on the bed. Usually one third of a batch is removed and added every 8 hours or so and thus a full batch is removed every 24 hours.

When any barley is taken in for malting, the characteristics of the barley are determined. Obvious characteristics, for example, are the variety, the region from where it came, and so on. Very often, the barley has also been micro-malted in a laboratory so that the optimum malting conditions and the optimum results that could be obtained are determined. Thus, when receiving barley for malting, the malster already has a considerable amount of information regarding the barley and when it comes to being germinated, that information is already known to the malster who will thus have a profile of the germination capacity of previous batches of similar malts taken along the bed during malting. This is absolutely essential with the present invention, namely, that the malster have this profile of the barley prior to it being delivered onto the bed.

Throughout the operation, the geminabon capacity or modification of each batch is measured and recorded at predetemmined time intervals. A profile of the germination capacity for all the batches along the bed is provided. Then, the profile, so obtained, is compared with the profile of the germination capacity of similar barley which resulted in an acceptable green malt, together with the operating conditions under which the green malt was produced. In this way, the operators of the bed will have a record of the operating parameters that were achieved on the particular batches, together with the modification that appears to be occurring. This can be compared with the other results and the amount of air, the air-on temperature or indeed the time between moving the batches can be varied. This is all done against the recorded profile. It will be appreciated that all the results are kept for comparison for future reference.

Ideally, the germination capacity of each batch is measured as the batch is moved along the bed, but the germination capacity will be measured at least every 18 to 30 hours and preferably ever 24 hours.

It will be appreciated that the barley temperature can be increased if the profile of germination capacity indicates a satisfactory germination. Generally, the time taken between first Wading on the bed and final removal of green malt takes between 4 and 6 days and generally of the order of 5 days.

In the specification the terms "comprise, comprises, comprised and comprising" or any variation thereof and the temms Uindude, includes, included and inducing or any variation thereof are considered to be totally interchangeable and they should all be afforded the widest possible interpretation and vice versa.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, but may be varied in both construction and detail within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A barley germination process to produce green rnaK on a feted gernnination bed having a perforated barley supporting surface comprising, with the bed full of barley: removing a last batch of green malt from the distal end of the bed every four to twelve hours; moving barley progressively along the bed to allow a first batch to be loaded on the bed at its proximal end, the moving operation comprising lifting the barley off the bed and delivering it back onto the bed distally from its previous position and exposing some of the surface of the bed; cleaning, using the scraper device, the exposed surface of the bed every time the batches are moved along the bed to prevent cogging of the perforated barley supporting surface; loading the first batch onto the bed and simultaneously checking the moisture level of the first batch as it is loaded onto the bed and spraying the barley if its moisture level falls below 45%; a delivering air having a 100% relative humidity and an air-on temperature of between 1 2 C and 20 C up through the bed;, 25, controlling the air-on temperature and the volume of air delivered so that ' ' the barley temperature is between 1 2 C and 20 C; , . . . measuring and recording the germination capacity of each batch at '' predetermined time intervals; providing a profile of the germination capacity of all the batches along the bed; -9 comparing the profile so obtained with the profile of the gemmination capacity of similar barleys which resulted in an acceptable green malt, together with the operating conditions under which the green malt was produced; and varying the air-on temperature, as well as the volume of air delivered up through the bed, having regard to the comparison.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, in which the first batch is sprayed with gibberellic acid as it is traded onto the bed.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1Or 2, in which the gibberellic acid is added at the rate of approximately 0.001 Kg per tonne barley.

4. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the germination capacity of each batch is measured each time the batch is moved along the bed.

5. A process as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the germination capacity of each batch is measured every 18 to 30 hours.

6. A process as dairned in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the germination capacity is measured approximately every 24 hours.

7. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the barley temperature.

is varied if the profile of the genminabon capacity indicates an unsatisfactory germination capacity for the barley on the bed. ' '

8. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, in which part of a batch of green mad is removed for kilning approximately every 8 hours. ' i

9. A process as claimed in claim 8 in which approximately one third of a batch is removed.

10. A process as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the time between first - 1 0 bading on me bed and final removal as green nlt takes between 4 and 6 days.

11. A process as claimed in claim 10, in which the time taken is of the order of 5 days. . i