Degree Lintner
A unit measuring malt's ability to convert starch to sugar.
Degrees Lintner (°L) is a unit that measures the diastatic power of malt, specifically its ability to reduce starch to sugar. It is an intensive unit, independent of the quantity of malt used, and generally refers to the combined α-amylase and β-amylase activity in brewing. The term is also applied to diastatic malt extracts and separately prepared brewing enzymes.
- Definition by
- JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives)
- Definition
- A malt has a diastatic power of 100 °L if 0.1 cc of a clear 5% infusion of the malt, acting on 100 cc of a 2% starch solution at 20°C for one hour, produces sufficient reducing sugars to reduce comple
- Conversion to iu
- 100 °L is equivalent to 1160 IU per gram of malt (or 526,176 IU per pound).
- Typical range barley malts
- 110–160 °Lintner (385–520 °WK)
- Minimum for efficient conversion
- Total grain bill should have at least 40 °L
- Peak efficiency temperature
- Around 66 °C
Lore & Background
The degree Lintner is defined by JECFA, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, based on a specific laboratory procedure using Fehling's solution. The measurement is independent of the quantity of malt, making it an intensive property. While applicable to any amylase, in brewing it typically refers to α-amylase and β-amylase. The abbreviation °L is official but may conflict with °L used for degrees Lovibond in brewing applications. In Europe, diastatic activity is often stated in Windisch–Kolbach units (°WK), which are related to degrees Lintner by the formulas: °Lintner = (°WK + 16) / 3.5, and °WK = (3.5 × °Lintner) − 16.
Reader's Guide
The degree Lintner is significant in brewing as a standard measure of a malt's enzymatic power to convert starches into fermentable sugars. The article notes that evaluation of malt or extract is usually performed by the manufacturer rather than the end user. As a rule of thumb, the total grain bill of a mash should have a diastatic power of at least 40 °L to guarantee efficient conversion of all starches. The most active barley malts available have a diastatic activity of 110–160 °Lintner (385–520 °WK). The definition can be converted to international enzyme units (IU), yielding 1160 IU per gram of malt for 100 °L, which is useful if alternatives to Fehling's reaction are used to determine amylase activity. The amylases used in brewing reach their peak efficiencies around 66 °C.
Did You Know?
- 100 °L is equivalent to 1160 IU per gram of malt.
- The abbreviation °L may conflict with degrees Lovibond in brewing applications.
- A total grain bill should have at least 40 °L for efficient starch conversion.
- The most active barley malts range from 110 to 160 °Lintner.
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