Adjuncts
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In brewing, "adjunct" refers to unmalted cereal, such as rice, which can be used in the mash as an alternative to barley.[1] The enzyme potential of the malt is usually sufficient to break down this additional starch during mashing. Adjunct grain is generally less expensive than malt, and therefore it's used as part of the grist in 85-90% of beer produced worldwide.
"Adjunct" may also be used to describe to other sources of fermentable sugars in beer other than barley malt, such as fruit.
Common adjuncts (unmalted):
- Rice
- Corn
- Wheat
- Barley
- Oats
- Rye
- Sorghum
- Triticale
- Buckwheat
- Millet
- Sugars: Corn sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup, Belgian Candi syrup, honey, maple syrup, etc.
- Fruit
When brewing with adjuncts, keep in mind that they generally do not provide adequate nutrition for the yeast.[1] Nutrient supplementation is typically beneficial to ensure a healthy fermentation. Adjucts can constitute up to about 15-20% of the grist without needing additional enzymes.
Fun fact: The "Purity Law" restricts the use of adjuncts in German beer.