Phospates in malt
Phosphate is a mineral and compared to the other compounds of barley is the amount
of minerals pretty low. But the minerals are important for the metabolism of plants (very useful while malting) and for some brewing technical matters later on. Zinc, for instance, is responsible for a healthy and active yeast, oxalates for beerstone and especially the phosphates are involved with the pH-value in mash, wort and final beer. Minerals in wort are almost completely influenced by the malt and neglectable by the brewing liquor. Admitted, the brewing process itself has a certain influence to the mineral content in wort (eg amount of sparge liquor), but it still depends mainly on the malt. Phosphates have the property to accept or to donate, up to a certain point of course, H+-ions or other protons. That means, they can react both as an acid as well as a caustic. This function is also called buffer effect.
Submitted by nick on 3. December 2009 - 2:08
Phosphate is a mineral and compared to the other compounds of barley is the amount
of minerals pretty low. But the minerals are important for the metabolism of plants (very useful while malting) and for some brewing technical matters later on. Zinc, for instance, is responsible for a healthy and active yeast, oxalates for beerstone and especially the phosphates are involved with the pH-value in mash, wort and final beer. Minerals in wort are almost completely influenced by the malt and neglectable by the brewing liquor. Admitted, the brewing process itself has a certain influence to the mineral content in wort (eg amount of sparge liquor), but it still depends mainly on the malt. Phosphates have the property to accept or to donate, up to a certain point of course, H+-ions or other protons. That means, they can react both as an acid as well as a caustic. This function is also called buffer effect.
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