Acidified malts, known as enzymatic malts, may be made, either by spraying lactic acid solution onto germinating barley, or by inoculating green malt with lactic acid bacteria. The acidified malt is kilned to give a malt with relatively high cold water extract, high soluble nitrogen and free alpha-amino nitrogen and a low wort pH.

In spite of the name, malt enzyme activity is not particularly high. Acidification is said to promote proteolytic activity during mashing when a proportion of enzymic malt is incorporated in the grist. The pH optimum for man of the proteolysis enzymes present in malt lies around 5.3 whereas the pH of unadjusted mashes lies around 5.8.
Low mash pH should enhance extract and improve flavour and stability.