By Dave Thomas – Brewer Emeritus, Dostal Alley Brewery
A large regional brewer noticed that recent brewhouse yields were down and fermentations were hanging up. The brewer blamed malt from the recent crop year of a single growing area and padlocked the bin containing this malt, planning to dispose of it.
After sampling the bin it was observed that malt cleaning dust & chaff had inadvertently been put in the same bin as the suspect malt. After cleaning the entire bin, 100% test brews were done. Brewhouse yield went back to normal, fermentations completed and the padlock was removed. It wasn’t the malt.