Draft:The Swaen

The Swaen (formerly De Zwaan, Mouterij Menu and Mouterij Kloosterzande) is a family owned malt house, located in Kloosterzande in the Netherlands.

Process
Malting is the procedure of steeping, germinating and kilning grain to convert it into malt. The maltster stops germination when the required enzymes are optimal. These enzymes convert starch to sugars such as maltose, maltotriose and maltodextrines, hence the name malt.

First, grain is received at the malt house. There, a quality check is done to confirm suitability for malting. Next the grain is cleaned to remove foreign matter (straw, chaff, and dust), leaving only the kernels most likely to become good malt. Steeping is the start of the actual malting process, to achieve the right moisture level for germination. The aim of germination is to naturally grow the grain. This allows the development of malt enzymes, and these enzymes modify the structure of the endosperm by breaking down the cell walls and the protein matrix.

After this step, there are various ways to achieve different kinds of malt. It can be kilned to reduce the grain moisture content and stop the germination process, creating base malt – also suitable to roast. The wet malt (called green malt) can also be transferred to the roaster directly for caramelization.

Products
The Swaen produces and supplies malt to the brewing, distilling, and food industry across the globe. The company focusses on specialty malts, like caramelized and roasted malt. Barley is the most utilized grain, but wheat, rye, oat, and spelt are also used.

Base malt
Base malts have enough diastatic power to convert their own starch and usually, that of some amount of starch from unmalted grain, called adjuncts. They can be used as the main ingredient for all beer styles. This line is known as Swaen©.

Caramelised malt
Most maltsters produce caramelized malt (or crystal malts in the United States and United Kingdom) in a kiln. The Swaen uses a Probat drum roaster, creating more intense colors and flavors.

After germination, the wet green malt, is transferred to this roaster. In the roaster, the malt is heated to 60-80 degrees Celsius (140-176 degrees Fahrenheit) to break down the starches into sugars with the help of naturally occurring enzymes. Once all starches have been converted, the heat is intensified to above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit), initiating the caramelization process. This results in a colour spectrum ranging from light golden to dark brown, depending on the time and temperature applied. Caramelized malts impart a subtly sweet flavor profile, with hints of caramel and toffee. This line of caramelized malts is known as Gold Swaen©.

Roasted malt
Roasted malts are, like the name suggests, roasted. The roasting process is done after kilning, meaning the malts are already dried. This also means that there is no sugar or caramel created in this process, and all colors and flavors can be attributed to the Maillard reaction. Roasted malts range from light-coloured biscuit malts, to intense dark black malts purely meant for coloring. This line is known as Black Swaen©.

Organic malt
Unlike conventionally grown grains, organic malt is cultivated without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilisers. Instead, it relies on organic farming practices that promote soil health, biodiversity, and ecological balance. This line is known as Green Swaen©.

Local brewery and malt house
On 12 May 1906 Jos Buysrogge and Alois Adriaanse started brewery De Zwaen at Hoek en Bosch in Kloosterzande. The region had encountered several floods, so the farmlands were destroyed. Barley is the only grain that grows well in salty soil, and it has the ability to clean the ground. That meant Buysrogge and Adriaanse had plenty of barley suppliers around. Like many brewers at that time, they decided to add a malt house. This was for own use, but the malt was also sold to other local breweries.

In 1923 the brewery was sold to Joos Menu. This marked the company becoming a family-owned business for more than 75 years. During World War II copper was a much-wanted material for the weapons industry, so the brewing installation was demounted by the German occupiers. When the war was over, the Menu family decided not to reopen the brewery. Their main focus would be the malt house, under the name Mouterij Menu. During the 1950s and 1960s the malt production grew, making Mouterij Menu a leading Dutch commercial malt house. The facilities and infrastructure were upgraded and improved. New silos and steep houses were constructed. A completely new malt house was constructed in the 1970s, allowing further expansion of the export business.

Royal Grolsch
In 1999 Grolsch Brewery took over the malt house, renamed to Mouterij Kloosterzande. This meant that the majority of the malt was produced for their beers. In 2013 the De Groen family (former owners of Grolsch Brewery) partnered with malt master Jos Haeck to complete a management buyout to take over the malt house.

The Swaen
The malt house was rebranded as The Swaen. The company put its focus on specialty malts, like caramelised and roasted malt. In 2015 a new germination system, bagging line and a large Probat drum roaster were installed. In 2022 The Swaen invested in a new kiln, nearly doubling the malting capacity.

Production
As of 2023, The Swaen has a yearly capacity of 40,000 tons of base malt and 10,000 tons of specialty malt. The Swaen malts are sold in more than 50 countries.

Awards
The Swaen has won several RMI Brewing Supply Awards at the World Barley, Malt & Beer Conference
 * 2015: Bronze – Maltster of the Year
 * 2017: Bronze – Maltster of the Year
 * 2019: Gold – Maltster of the Year
 * 2022: Silver– Maltster of the Year