LABORATORY MALTING. I. EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A laboratory malting plant is described which consists of duplicate steep tanks, germination chambers and kilns, each having a capacity of eight 350-gm. samples. The two steep tanks are equipped independently with immersion heaters and thermoregulators and are cooled by a continuous flow of water from a thermostatically controlled supply tank. The two germination chambers are controlled by independent air-conditioning units. The kilns are electrically heated, the controls being adapted to give either stepwise or continuously rising temperatures. The malt in both germinators and kilns is rotated continuously in cylindrical cages. Duplicate sets of equipment were built in order to make possible simultaneous study of different malting procedures. The equipment is discussed in the light of one year's experience with it and various improvements are suggested.