A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is a quality document provided for each batch of malt. It outlines key analytical values that help brewers and distillers assess the consistency, performance, and suitability of the malt for their process.
READING AND COMPARING COAS ALLOWS YOU TO:
If you have questions about interpreting your COA or applying it to your brewing process, feel free to contact us!
Indicates the amount of residual water in the malt at the time of packaging.
Brewing Impact: High moisture reduces shelf life and increases the risk of microbial spoilage. It can also dilute the concentration of extractable materials, reducing brewhouse efficiency.
Target Range: 4.0–5.0% for most base malts.
Represents the total soluble material that can be extracted under ideal laboratory conditions.
Brewing Impact: Higher extract values mean more sugars are available for fermentation, increasing brewhouse yield and alcohol potential. Brewers using high-efficiency systems aim for malts with high extract.
Target Range: 77–84%
Measures extractable materials using a coarser grind that better represents brewhouse milling.
Brewing Impact: Usually slightly lower than fine grind values. This is the more realistic predictor of brewhouse extract yield, as most breweries do not mill as finely as laboratory conditions.
Target Range: Typically 1–2% lower than fine grind (75–82%)
Compares extract yield from fine-ground malt to that of coarse-ground malt.
Brewing Impact: A small F/C difference indicates uniform kernel modification, which improves mash consistency and predictability. Larger differences suggest under-modified kernels, potentially leading to uneven starch conversion and lautering issues.
Target Range: 0.5–1.5%
Refers to the malt’s contribution to beer colour, measured using the ASBC Standard Reference Method (SRM).
Brewing Impact: Influences both appearance and flavour. Pale base malts yield light straw-gold beers, while darker kilned or roasted malts impart amber through deep brown hues along with toast, caramel, or roast notes.
Typical Range: <3 SRM for Pilsner malt up to 500+ SRM for roasted malts.
Beta-glucans are complex polysaccharides found in cell walls.
Brewing Impact: High beta-glucan levels increase wort viscosity and can cause slow lautering or haze in finished beer. Keeping this low improves filterability and process flow.
Target Range: <180 mg/L for base malts; <120 mg/L ideal for high-performance brewhouses.
Measures the total protein content in the malt.
Brewing Impact: Protein affects foam stability, mouthfeel, and yeast nutrition. Lower protein often yields higher extract, while higher protein supports head retention and enzyme activity. Excessive protein, however, can lead to haze and filtration problems.
Target Range: 9.5–13.0%, depending on malt type and intended use.
Represents the portion of protein that dissolves into wort during mashing.
Brewing Impact: Indicates how much protein is available for yeast nutrition and foam-positive compounds. Too little can limit fermentation, while too much may cause haze.
Target Range: 3.5–6.5%
Also called Soluble/Total Protein Ratio (S/T ratio).
Brewing Impact: A key measure of malt modification. Higher values indicate more soluble nitrogen, meaning better modification. Too low = under-modified, leading to slow conversion. Too high = over-modified, risking thin body and poor foam stability.
Target Range: 36–50% for balanced brewing performance.
Measures the total enzymatic strength of the malt, especially its ability to convert starch into sugar.
Brewing Impact: Critical in adjunct brewing where supplemental starch sources (like corn or rice) are used. Higher DP means more enzymatic reserves to support full conversion
Target Range: 90–250 °Lintner; specialty malts will be lower.
Represents the enzymatic activity of alpha-amylase, responsible for breaking starch into dextrins and maltose.
Brewing Impact: Supports rapid starch conversion during mashing. Especially important in adjunct-heavy grists or high-attenuation brewing.
Target Range: 40–100 DU for most base malts.
The measured mash pH when the malt is mashed alone in distilled water.
Brewing Impact: Indicates the natural acidity of the malt. Mash pH affects enzyme activity, wort fermentability, and final beer flavour.
Target Range: 5.6–6.0 (malt in distilled water).
Measures the thickness (resistance to flow) of wort.
Brewing Impact: Higher viscosity leads to lautering problems, stuck sparges, and filtration issues. Influenced by beta-glucans and protein content.
Target Range: ≤1.55 cP.
FAN is the portion of amino acids and peptides available for yeast assimilation.
Brewing Impact: FAN is critical for healthy yeast growth, efficient fermentation, and flavour stability. Insufficient FAN can cause slow or incomplete fermentation, while excessive levels may lead to the formation of off-flavours and increased colour pickup during the boil.
Target Range: 150–250 mg/L, depending on yeast strain and fermentation demands.
Measures how easily malt breaks apart under mechanical stress.
Brewing Impact: High friability suggests good endosperm modification, which allows for even milling and improved extract recovery. Poor friability can lead to husk damage, poor runoff, or incomplete extraction.
Target: ≥85% for well-modified base malts.
Assesses the uniformity of modification within a malt batch.
Brewing Impact: Higher homogeneity ensures consistent mash performance. Low values mean unevenly modified kernels, which can cause unpredictable lautering and fermentation behaviour.
Target: ≥95%
These represent the kernel size distribution from sieve analysis.
Brewing Impact: Kernel size affects milling consistency. Too many small or thin kernels can reduce extract and create lautering problems, while a high percentage of large kernels ensures even milling and predictable mash performance.
Target:
On 7/64”: ≥70% (large, plump kernels)
On 6/64”: 10–20%
On 5/64”: ≤5%
Through 5/64”: ≤1.5%
Extract values indicate the maximum amount of fermentable sugar available from the malt, directly impacting your brewhouse efficiency and the potential alcohol content of your final product.
Diastatic power (DP) measures the enzymatic strength of the malt, telling you how effectively it can convert starches into sugars during the mashing process.
While some protein is essential for yeast health and head retention, excessive levels can lead to haze issues and lower extract yields.
Beta-glucans are cell wall components that, if too high, can make your wort overly viscous, leading to slow run-offs and stuck sparges in the brewhouse.
By reviewing the modification and enzyme levels on your Certificate of Analysis (COA), you can decide whether a simple single-infusion mash is sufficient or if a multi-step mash is needed to optimize sugar conversion.
Together, these metrics tell the story of modification: Friability measures physical “crunchiness” or breakdown, while the Kolbach Index measures protein breakdown. High scores in both suggest a highly modified malt that’s very easy to process.
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