Effect of varied period of germination during malting of sorghum grain on the physicochemical characteristics of its mash.

ABSTRACT

The effect of different period of germination of sorghum grain during malting on the physicochemical properties of the mash obtained from such malted sorghum grain was investigated. Germination was allowed to take place for 1, . ' 2, 3, 4 and 5 days respectively after steeping in water, and all sprouted grains . . . were dried at 50°C for 8 hours. The overall sprouting of the sorghum grains were commendable as 92% germination rate was obtained at the 5h day of termination of germination during the malting process. In obtaining the mash, the samples (malt} were mashed at 650C water without the addition of exogenous enzymes and chemicals used in industrial brewing. In all, mash was allowed to saccharify. Statistical analysis on the physicochemical properties of the mash determined for the respective number of days that germination took place indicated significant differences (p0.05) in density which had values ranging from 0.9879 to 1.0053g/cm? and specific gravity which varied from 0.9921 to 1.0045. For optimal brewing which would enable the extraction of maximum amount· of nutrients and also the attainment 'of ideal brewing characteristics, the malting process which had the sorghum germinated for 3 days was the best option. However, sorghum malt is characterized by considerable dry matter losses resulting from malting. This was apparent in the course of this study as the V weight of the malt obtained after drying was decreasing with increasing number of days of germination.