An evaluation of the aroma characteristics of malted barley by free‐choice profiling

Barley malt was sampled at six stages during the kilning process. The malts, ranging from green malt to crystal malt, were subjected to odour assessment, by a minimally trained panel, using free‐choice profiling, a descriptive sensory technique. The panel successfully discriminated between the samples. Their descriptions reflected the changes in odour profile of the malt during kilning. Green malt was described as having ‘fruity’, ‘hay‐like’ and ‘damp‐straw’ characteristics. The ‘fruity’ odours disappeared during kilning, as odours typical of dried grass or straw became apparent. These, and the ‘haylike’ odours, diminished as kilning temperature and time increased, being replaced by the ‘burnt’, ‘bready’, ‘malty’ and ‘chocolate‐like’ odours typical of the final crystal malt.