95 years of the Malting Institute in Brno

The Malting Institute, currently the Brno’s workplace of the Research Institute of Brewing and Malting (further only RIBM), was founded on August 4, 1920. In 1933 a pilot experimental malthouse was put into operation in this Institute. The Institute organized Malting and Brewing Conventions, Moravian School of Malting in Brno and it published a journal Reports of the Institute of Fermentation Industry. In 1942–1945 it published Žila’s edition of brewing papers. In 1952 it became a part of the RIBM. Since 1993 employees of the Brno’s workplace of the RIBM have participated successfully in many tenders in the research area. The RIBM was privatized in 1994. Since 1998 the Barley Year Book has been published, this year book presents results obtained by the Brno’s workplace of the RIBM. In 2001, the RIBM became a certified workplace – the “Analytical Testing Laboratory – Malting Institute Brno”. The workplace closely cooperates with malt producers, barley breeders and universities

The Assessment of Hordein Variability in Czech Spring Barley Varieties

The allele variability of the hordein controlled by Hrd A, Hrd B, and Hrd F loci was investigated in Czech spring barley varieties using starch gel electrophoresis. The studied set included landraces, old varieties and modern varieties. A total of 34 hordein alleles were detected in the set of 70 barley varieties. Identifi ed hordein alleles created totally 43 electrophoretic patterns. Hordein allelic variability of the complete set expressed as an index of genetic variability (H) was 0.941. The genetic variability index (H) of modern barley varieties was 0.946 while in landraces and old varieties on average lower variability was recorded H=0.870. On the contrary, landraces and old varieties were characterized by much higher intra-varietal polymorphism than modern varieties

Progress in Breeding of Spring Barley for Malting Quality in the Breeding Station Hrubčice

The study assesses the quality of spring barley malting varieties bred in the Breeding Station in Hrubčice. After 60 years of breeding, extract content, the level of relative extract at 45 °C, and Kolbach index increased by 2.2, 2.4, and 4.2 percentage points respectively. Diastatic power increased by 60.6 WK units. Wort quality improved by 2.8 percentage points and the friability level by 6.8 percentage points; β-glucan content in wort reduced by 23.0 mg/l but this was not statistically signifi cant. The varieties contributed to the improvement of extract content in wort from 12.34%, to the level of relative extract at 45 °C from 4.84% and Kolbach index from 2.35%. The value of diastatic power was affected by the variety from 23.44% and wort quality from 11.25%. The degradation of cell walls was affected by the variety from 11.42% while β-glucan content from 6.36%

Quality of malting barley grain in the Czech Republic, crop 2023

The quality parameters of 243 malting barley samples were evaluated according to the standard ČSN 46 1100-5 from the 2023 harvest. The quality of the 2023 harvest can generally be characterised by a lower nitrogen content in the grain with a relatively wide range of values from 7.8 % to 13.7 % and lower values of sieving fractions above the 2.5 mm sieve, which averaged 87.2 %. The lower content of grain admixtures unusable for malting is favourable. Unfortunately, some of the barley was affected by precipitation, which came in the form of thunderstorms prior to harvest, but mainly by the rainfall that fell in the first decade of August and interrupted the harvest. This rainfall led to microbiological infestation of the barley and to the risk of reduced or lost germination due to the presence of sprouted grains, as confirmed by 54 % of the samples in which hidden sprouting was identified

Brewing Trials of Barley Varieties Registered in the Czech Republic

Though detailed analysis of malt provides information on the characteristics suitable for its processing in the brewery, the unequivocal relationship between the quality characteristics of the malt and the fi nal, especially sensory, quality of the beer does not exist. The article summarizes the results of three-year pilot brewing tests with the barley varieties recommended for the production of beer with the protected geographical indication “Czech beer” Blanik, Bojos, Francin, Laudis 550, Malz, Petrus and Vendela and varieties for the production of export malts Kangoo, Sebastian, Sunshine and Xanadu. The results showed some specifi c characteristics of the varieties and contributed to the knowledge of the relations between the quality features of the malt and the sensory quality of the Czech lager beer. The analysis of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the sensory quality of beers partly differentiated varieties for "Czech beer" from the varieties for export malts. The color of beers is affected by decoction mashing, the prediction from malt color is inaccurate. A lower attenuation reduces bitterness and sourness of beers. The palate fullness of the beers was positively infl uenced by the total polyphenols and the bitterness of the beers, the bitterness correlated with beer carbonation

Classifi cation of barley varieties for “České pivo” using discriminant analysis

Awarding of the Protected Geographical Indication “České pivo“ (i.e. Czech Beer) led to the necessity of targeted breeding of barley varieties. This study investigated the effect of varieties and growing sites on the key indicators of malting quality with the aim to identify the most suitable selection criteria. Relative extract at 45 °C, β-glucan content in wort, and Kolbach Index were identifi ed as the most suitable parameters. As these parameters are also signifi cantly affected by the environment and residual infl uences, a classifi cation function using discriminant analysis was developed. The function classifi ed successfully 94% of samples regardless of the growing site and thus it may be used as a suitable tool for selection of barley lines that meet the qualitative requirements for the varieties recommended for production of beer with the Protected Geographical Indication “České pivo”

Vplyv dlhodobého skladovania na kvalitu zrna sladovníckeho jačmeňa a sladu

In the grain samples of five malting barley varieties harvested in 2011, the amount of basic components as well as physiological characteristics of barley were determined. These samples were micromalted and resulting malt was analyzed mainly according to the European Brewery Convention (EBC) and the Mitteleuropäische Brautechnische Analysenkommission (MEBAK) methodologies. The same samples of malting barley grain and also samples of malt were placed in polyethylene bags, from which the air was exhausted and they were further stored at 4 °C until 2016. In 2016, grain and malt samples were subjected to the same analyses as in 2011. Results were statistically evaluated by t-test of dependent samples. Most of the monitored parameters has remained at the same level as in 2011 or has slightly improved. The exception was statistically very highly significant decrease (P ≤ 0.001) of friability and increase of amount of whole and partly unmodified grains. Under conditions described, long-term storage of malting barley grain has not significantly negatively affected its germination. Long-term storage of malt has had not a significant negative impact on its quality too.Vo vzorkách zrna piatich odrôd sladovníckeho jačmeňa, zozbieraných v roku 2011, bolo stanovené množstvo základných obsahových látok a stanovené boli tiež fyziologické znaky jačmeňa. Vzorky zrna boli zosladované a následne vyrobený slad bol analyzovaný najmä podľa metodík EBC a MEBAK. Tie isté vzorky zrna jačmeňa a vzorky sladu boli uložené do polyetylénových vreciek, z ktorých bol odsatý vzduch a boli ďalej skladované pri teplote 4 °C až do roku 2016. V roku 2016 boli vzorky zrna jačmeňa a sladu podrobené rovnakým analýzam ako v roku 2011. Výsledky boli štatisticky spracované pomocou párového t-testu. Väčšina sledovaných znakov zostala na rovnakej úrovni ako v roku 2011 alebo sa mierne zlepšila. Výnimkou bolo štatisticky veľmi vysoko preukazné zníženie (P ≤ 0,001) hodnoty friability a zvýšenie množstva sklovitých a polosklovitých zŕn. Dlhodobé skladovanie zrna sladovníckeho jačmeňa nemalo za popísaných podmienok štatisticky preukazne negatívny vplyv na jeho klíčivosť. Taktiež dlhodobé skladovanie sladu nemalo výrazne negatívny dopad na jeho kvalitu

Einkorn Wheat Malting Quality

Standard malting technology was adapted for malting of einkorn wheat. The aim was to find the optimal variant of malting while maintaining traits decisive for high quality of malt made from einkorn wheat. Basic characters of wheat grain were assessed and the sample was malted. Three different malting times (120, 144, and 168 hours) and three degrees of steeping (43, 45, and 47%) were applied. Besides basic traits decisive for einkorn wheat malt quality, a number of special parameters were also studied. Wheat samples were evaluated with the method used for the evaluation of malting barley. In some quality parameters, einkorn wheat achieved comparable results as malting barley

Grain Quality of Spring Barley from the Testing Sites in the Czech Republic, Crop 2014

Samples of three spring barley varieties from 20 testing sites were analyzed according to the standard ČSN 461100-5. Contents of nitrogenous substances (10.5% –11.4%) and starch (61.1%–64.7%) in spring barley caryopses were favorable. Grain harvested in 2014 was bigger and even in sizes. Sieving fractions over 2.5 mm varied on average around 91.3%. Year 2014 was favorable in terms of barley grain quality, without problems with sprouting. The occurrence of admixtures was adequate and was formed by the admixtures partly usable for malting (grains without hulls, with black tips and grains with awns)

Quality of Winter Barley Grain from the Testing Localities in the Czech Republic, Harvest 2014

Samples of two studied winter barley varieties from 13 testing localities were analyzed according to the standard ČSN 46 1100-5. Based on the standard, sieving fractions over 2.5 mm, total admixtures, admixtures non-usable for malting, admixtures partly usable for malting, grains without hulls, grains with black tips and grains with the awn were assessed. Contents of nitrogenous substances and starch were 10.8 % and 63.9 %, respectively. Grain harvested in 2014 was bigger and even in size. Sieving fractions over 2.5 mm moved on average around 91.6 %. The year 2014 in terms of barley grain quality was very favorable, there was no problem with sprouting, the occurrence of admixtures was the lowest in last three years and the admixtures were mostly partly usable for malting