J. Inst. Brew. vol.111:3 (2005) The Effect of Steeping Time on the Final Malt Quality of Buckwheat

The Effect of Steeping Time on the Final Malt Quality of Buckwheat

H.H. Wijngaard^1,2, H.M. Ulmer^1,2, M. Neumann³ and E.K. Arendt^1,4
¹ Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, National University of Ireland, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland.
² National Food and Biotechnology Centre, National University of Ireland, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland.
³ University of Applied Sciences, Marquardstraße 35, 36039 Fulda, Germany.
⁴ Corresponding author. E-mail: e.arendt@ucc.ie

J. Inst. Brew. 111(3), 275-281, 2005 | VIEW ARTICLE

ABSTRACT
To determine the effect of steeping time on final buckwheat malt quality, buckwheat was steeped for three different times resulting in three different out-of-steep moisture contents: 7 h steeping (35%), 13 h steeping (40%) and 80 h steeping (45%). An increased steeping time increased malting losses, total betaamylase activity and Kolbach index. On the contrary total nitrogen, friability and viscosity of consequent congress worts were decreased. A maximum alpha-amylase activity was found in buckwheat malted with an out-of-steep moisture content of 45%. Beta-amylase existed in a soluble and latent form in buckwheat. The latent form was solubilised during malting. In addition extra beta-amylase was produced. In general the optimum out-of-steep moisture content for buckwheat is between 35 to 40%, which is a compromise between attaining the desired malt quality and minimising malting loss.

Key words:
Buckwheat, enzyme activity, malting, malt quality, moisture content, steeping time.