An ion that lowers mash and wort pH but also implants a clinging "bite" to
the finished beer.
Malt/Malted Barley
One of the four ingredients of beer. Malt is barley which has been
moistened, allowed to germinate, and then dried. The variety of
barley, the extent to which it is allowed to germinate, and the
temperature at which it is dried all influence the character, the
color, and the flavor of beer.
Malt Liquor
A beer of higher alcohol content than regular beer. On average, it
contains 4.5 to 6.0% alcohol by weight, and by law is deemed
too alcoholic to be labeled lager or beer.
Malting
The process of soaking, sprouting, and then drying barley (or other grain)
to develop its enzyme content and render it suitable for mashing.
Malto-Dextrin
A general name for unfermentable soluble carbohydrates formed by the
diastatic hydrolysis of malt starch.
Manganese
An ion important in trace amounts for proper enzyme action in the mash.
Large quantities impart a metallic taste to beer.
Marzenbier
In Germany, before the advent of refrigeration, beer was brewed
in winter and the last batch, brewed in March, was made
especially strong to survive the many months of maturation before
it was drunk at the end of summer. Now commonly called
Octoberfest.
Mash
Ground malt blended with water.
Mashing
The process of combining the ground malt with water. Mashing is
performed at either a constant temperature, or a series of rising
temperatures, depending on the brewing equipment, the raw
materials being used, and the type of beer being brewed. The
mashing process determines the composition of the wort.
Mash Tun
The first vessel used in the brewing process, the mash tun is used
to combine the ground malt with water and to heat the mash to
the desired temperature.
Maturation
To age the beer so the flavors mellow.
Mealy
A chewy characteristic of the grain, which is attained only when malt is
fully modifid. Maltsters use the bite test as means to test malt for full
modification. If the grain is meal, it is considered to be fully modified.
Mild Ale Malt
British malts kilned at high temperatures that produce beers of golden and
amber colors. Used specifically in the production of mild ales.
Milling
The first step in the brewing process. Barley malt is crushed, not
ground, between pairs of rollers in a mill. This separates the husk
from the meal body and also fractures the meal body, preparing
the malt for mashing.
Modification
Changes in the grain brought about by germination.
A bottom-fermented beer produced in Munich since the
mid-10th century. There are two versions: helles bier, a paler
beer, and dunkel bier, closer to the original dark style. Both styles
are distinctively malty.
