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 5th day of termination of germination during the malting process; In obtaining the mash, the samples (malt) were mashed at 65°C 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 (p<0.05) for alcohol by volume which varied from 0.0500 to 0.2300%, alcohol by weight 0.0380 to 0.1770%, colour 2.3500 to 8.5000 EBC, original gravity 1.2950 to 3.6000 °P and potential of hydrogen which had the range of values from 5.0200 to 6.3050. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in density which had values ranging from 0.9879 to. 1.0053g/cm3 and specific gravity which varied frojn 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 i weight of the obtained ai«.er drying was decreasing with increasing number of days of germination.