Our Week at Boortmalt HQ where we became 'Masters of Malt'

Last week, we had the incredible opportunity to attend the annual malting course hosted by Boortmalt at their headquarters in Antwerp, Belgium.

Boortmalt, renowned for their exceptional malting expertise, provided us with invaluable insights into flavours and the intricate processes that will define our product development journey.

The course brought together industry professionals from brewing, distilling, and, for the first time, as they tap into the food industry, we were also lucky enough to be invited to join them.

Throughout the week, we delved into the world of malt, guided by experts who shared their knowledge on various subjects:

Raw Barley: We visited Bertinchamps and got to hear directly from the farmers what it takes to grow the perfect foundational grain, and how the climate and soil health can have a huge knock on effect.

The Malting Process: We were lucky enough to get a full tour of the biggest malting plant in the world, and guided through the step-by-step process from germination to kilning.

Whisky Production: Malt is so versatile and so we even got to taste first hand how malt is used in distilling.

Barley Market: Importantly, we got an overview of market dynamics affecting barley supply and demand.

Craft Beers and Malt Innovation: Aligned with what we are doing, it was great to understand the role of malt in creating unique flavours in craft brewing and the cutting-edge advancements in malt production and application.

Sustainability: Finally, it was crucial we could learn about the Sustainability Practices Boortmalt undergo to ensure environmentally responsible malting processes.

Transforming Our Coffee Without the Coffee Bean

The insights we gained, particularly in the areas of craft beers, malt innovation, and sustainability, will be pivotal in developing our coffee without the coffee bean:

One of the highlights was learning about the entire journey of barley, starting from the fields. We explored how different weather and soil conditions impact barley growth, influencing the quality of the final product. This field-to-kiln approach provided a holistic understanding of the malting process, emphasising the importance of each stage in creating superior malt.

Malt plays a crucial role in defining flavours, aromas, and textures. By understanding the nuances of how different malts contribute to these sensory experiences, we can apply similar principles to our coffee product. We learned how specific malting techniques can enhance sweetness, bitterness, and mouthfeel, which can be translated into creating a rich and satisfying coffee experience without traditional coffee beans.

Boortmalt's innovations in malt production are game-changers for our product development. As we explored advanced malting techniques that produce unique flavours and textures, we understand how we can use malting to allow for a greater range of taste profiles, enabling us to experiment and develop a coffee substitute that mimics the complexity and depth of real coffee.

Finally, sustainability is at the heart of Boortmalt's operations, and their practices have inspired us to continue to integrate eco-friendly approaches into our production.