Kaffircorn malting and brewing studies. V.—Occurrence of β‐amylase in kaffircorn malts

Abstract Contrary to commonly accepted views, sorghum (kaffircorn) malts have been found to contain β‐amylase in considerably more than traces, 18–39% of the saccharifying activity being due to the β‐amylase. The α‐ and β‐amylases have been found to develop at approximately the same rate during germination. Sorghum β‐amylase has been prepared free from the α‐enzyme and its properties studied for the first time. Since the β‐amylase of sorghum closely resembles those of barley malt and wheat, the low diastatic power of kaffircorn malts compared with those of wheat and barley is attributed only to the lower proportion of β‐amylase and not to any fundamental difference in its properties.