Barley abrasion process (nonfiction)

The barley abrasion process is a technique used in beer making to improve yield by abrading the barley.

The process was invented by Godfrey Palmer (nonfiction) and patented in 1969.

An article by Dr. Paul Jenkins observes:

In 1968 Godfrey began working at the Brewing Research Foundation in Surrey, specializing in the science and technology of barley. Barley is converted into malt by the process of malting in which the grains are first germinated, and the germination is then halted by drying with hot air. Malting releases the enzymes which convert the starch in the grain into sugars and other enzymes, which can be used by yeast in the fermentation process. Godfrey Palmer discovered that when barley grains are subjected to mechanical abrasion the malting process is far more efficient. This discovery is called the Barley Abrasion Process which was patented in 1969 and immediately used by the British Brewing Industry. The key innovation in this discovery was the use of an electron microscope to observe the effect of abrasion on the barley grain.

• Oration for Professor Sir Godfrey Palmer @ University of Leicester

• Geoff Palmer (scientist) @ Wikpedia