BARLEY 169 



into alcohol by fermentation. The process of changing 

 barley into malt is divided into four stages : steeping, 

 couching, flooring, and kiln-drying. The barley when it 

 comes to the maltster is first cleaned to remove all 

 foreign matter and broken or cracked kernels. It is 

 then steeped or soaked in large tanks for two or three 

 days, or until the kernels may be crushed with the fingers. 

 The grain is then removed to the couching floor, where 

 it is spread out in a layer about 20 inches thick. In 

 from 20 to 36 hours the grain heats and begins to germi- 

 nate. It is then spread out in a layer 10 to 12 inches 

 thick and turned every few hours, the layer being gradu- 

 ally reduced in thickness to about 4 inches. During this 

 time the grain continues to germinate, and when the plu- 

 mule is about three-fourths the length of the grain, the 

 largest amount of diastase is present and the germination 

 is stopped by removing the grain to a large kiln, where it 

 is heated to a temperature sufficient to kill the germ. 

 The sprouts are then removed by a special machine. They 

 are placed on the market under the name of malt sprouts 

 and are used extensively for stock food. After the 

 sprouts are removed, the dry malt is crushed between 

 rollers, and other cereals, principally rice and corn, are 

 added. The barley produces more than enough diastase 

 to change its own starch into sugar, so a small quantity 

 of other cereals may be added to increase the amount of 

 starch. The dry mash together with the other cereals 

 is then placed in the mash tub and when water is added 

 and the mixture is heated to a temperature of 150 Fahr- 

 enheit the diastase rapidly changes the starch into 

 sugar. A liquid known as " wort " results which contains 

 the sugar in solution. The mash tub has a sieve-like 

 bottom upon which the hulls settle, permitting the liquid 



