Saccharification
Saccharification is the conversion, by enzymes, of starches into sugars and dextrins during the mashing process.
Saccharification (Starch conversion) is the most important aspect of mashing. In barley starch makes up 63% - 65% of the dry weight. Starch is a polysaccharide (very large chains of glucose) which is insoluble in water. Brewer's yeast, however, can only ferment monosaccharides (glucose, fructose), disaccharides (maltose, sucrose) and trisaccharides (matotriose). The latter can only be completely fermented by lager yeast strains (s. uvarum).