Grain Terms
Grain Terms · agronomy and supply chain vocabulary
Grain terminology spans agronomy, supply chain, and food science. These definitions cover the vocabulary used in the grain and malting sections of this site.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Cultivar | A plant variety that has been selected and maintained for specific traits. In sorghum, brewing-relevant cultivars are selected for starch content, protein level, tannin content, and malting performance. |
| Diastatic sorghum | Sorghum varieties with sufficient enzyme activity after malting to support mash conversion. Not all sorghum cultivars produce adequate diastatic power when malted. |
| Food-grade grain | Grain meeting quality specifications for human consumption — moisture, mycotoxin, and foreign material limits. GF beer production requires food-grade grain, not feed-grade. |
| Identity preservation (IP) | A supply chain practice that keeps a specific grain variety or lot separate from other grain. Required for credible GF claims. |
| Inbred line | A genetically uniform plant line produced by repeated self-pollination. The basis for hybrid variety development. |
| Plant Variety Protection (PVP) | A federal IP designation that restricts commercial propagation of a protected cultivar. Does not restrict purchase or use of grain or malt produced from it. |
| Sorghum bicolor | The species designation for cultivated sorghum. Includes grain sorghum (used in food and brewing), forage sorghum, and sweet sorghum. |
| Tannin content | Polyphenolic compounds in grain that affect malt flavor, haze, and mouthfeel. High-tannin (bird-resistant) sorghum cultivars are not suitable for brewing. |
| Waxy sorghum | A sorghum cultivar with very high amylopectin starch content. Gelatinizes more easily and may produce different wort character than standard sorghum. |
Source Notes
Grain term definitions based on USDA crop science publications, sorghum agronomy literature, and GF brewing supply chain practice.