Barley has been malted for over 7 000 years and today production of 1t of malt requires, on average, 1.27 t barley, 1.18 mwh of energy and 5 m3 wate.

Malt is made from malting grade cereals, usually barley or wheat, although occasionally other cereals such as rye may be used. The grain is soaked in water, and then allowed to germinate under carefully controlled conditions.  However, when the changes inside the grain are sufficient for the maltsters' requirements, heat is applied in the final stage in the malting process, using a specially designed kiln. The resultant product, malt, has a moisture content of below 6.5%.

The first process of malting is very similar to what occurs in nature when the grain is sown in the earth.

The soaking or steeping in water of the malting barley takes around one to two days with the objective of raising the moisture content to about 44%.

The germination lasts for about five days. During this stage, grain produces valuable enzymes and liberates starch.
The malt kilning lasts one to two days.  Heat is used to stop germination, brings moisture to about 5% develops flavour and colour and produces a stable product.

Finally, the rootlets, naturally produced during germination, are removed from the finished malt, and are a valuable animal feed.

A smoke reek can be used during kilning to produce smoky (phenolic) flavours.

It is the kilning process that gives flavour and colour to the malted grain from which a wide range of European malts differing in flavour, colour and many other qualities are produced.

There are five product groups:

• White malts
• Peated malts or smoked
• Coloured malts (such as crystal and caramel malts)
• Roasted malts (range including both light and dark roasts)
• Roasted barley