Date of Award

2021

Degree Type

Capstone Project

Abstract

Malting refers to the process of steeping, germinating, and drying of grain in order to release enzymes and open starch reserves to make the grain’s resources available for fermentation. Malted grain is the main base ingredient used in the production of beer and whisky as well as many other types of malt beverages. The quality of the malt is influenced by the environment in which it is allowed to steep, germinate, and dry.

This team of engineers, in collaboration with the local spirits company Sons of Liberty, has been tasked to design a system capable of malting grain to produce relatively small batches of processed malt from grains such as barley. The three sub processes of malting are steeping, germination, and kilning. The ability to control temperature, air flow, and agitation throughout these processes is vital to the quality of the resulting product. The ability to change these factors in a controlled manner allows the operator to customize the final taste and presentation of the beverage.

The goal of this report is to present the final prototype of this system as well as the processes used to achieve it. The team generated 120 total concepts that were ultimately boiled down into one main design after all considerations. An in-depth explanation of concept generation, various design analyses, testing results, and financial analyses is presented to provide a full understanding of the system design.

Comments

Team Name: Team 20, Malt Men

Sponsor: Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.

Sponsor Representative: Dr. Michael Sullivan

Document Reference: MCE-402-020-2021

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