As a result of this malt often gets overlooked as an ingredient, despite a great deal more of it being used to create a beer in comparison to hops. Many people refer to malt as the “backbone” of a beer, but I don’t think this description gives malt the credit that it truly deserves. Malt is the heart and soul of a beer. In Pilsner Urquell, the triple decoction brewing method, which we will learn more about in the next chapter, causes some of the malt to caramelise during the brewing process. This is what gives the beer its characteristic sweetness that balances out the bitter flavours imparted by the Saaz hops.

Traditionally, malt is created by Maltsters and then sold to a brewery for use in brewing. Most small breweries these days will buy pre-crushed grains, so that they can extract as much sugar as possible for a happy fermentation. Larger breweries will have their own mills so that they can crush grains to their own exacting specifications. This ensures greater freshness in their malt, as once a husk is cracked the grain begins to deteriorate.