What is the extract level used to measure in malt quality?

The extract level that is used to measure malt quality is primarily considered in terms of fermentable sugars. This is because the extract refers to the total amount of soluble materials that can be extracted from the malt during the mashing process, which includes sugars that can be fermented by yeast. The level of fermentable sugars plays a critical role in determining the amount of alcohol that can be produced during fermentation, as higher levels of these sugars typically lead to higher alcohol yields.

Measuring the extract in terms of fermentable sugars is essential for brewers to predict the potential alcohol content of the beer and to ensure that the malt provides a sufficient sugar source for fermentation. Brewers rely on this measurement to formulate recipes and to understand the efficiency and performance of different malt varieties in their brewing processes.