Editing Malt (section)

==Malts==
===Diastatic and nondiastatic===
As all grains sprout, natural enzymes within the grain break down the [[starch]] of which the grain is composed into simpler sugars, which taste sweet and are easier for yeast to use as food. Malt with active enzymes is called "diastatic malt". Malt with inactive enzymes is called "nondiastatic malt". The enzymes are deactivated by heating the malt.

===Base and specialty===
{{See also|Mash ingredients}}
Malt is often divided into two categories by brewers: base malts and specialty malts.

'''Base malts''' have enough diastatic power to convert their own starch and usually, that of some amount of starch from unmalted grain, called [[adjuncts]].

'''Specialty malts''' have little diastatic power, but provide flavor, color, or "body" ([[viscosity]]) to the finished beer. Specialty [[caramel]] or crystal malts have been subjected to heat treatment to convert their starches to sugars nonenzymatically.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} Within these categories is a variety of types distinguished largely by the kilning temperature.

===Two-row and six-row===
In addition, barley malts are distinguished by the two major cultivar types of barley used for malting, two-row, and six-row.<ref>Goldhammer, Ted (2008), ''The Brewer's Handbook'', 2nd ed., Apex, {{ISBN|0-9675212-3-8}}, p. 31 ff.</ref><ref>"[https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/zymurgy/zymurgy-extra-2-row-vs-6-row-barley/ Two-Row vs Six-Row Barley]". ''Zymurgy'', 1 May 2013, American Homebrewers Association. Retrieved 7 October 2020</ref>