Swedish Spice Bread

Vört is the Swedish word for “wort,” the sweet brown liquid that forms after the first three basic steps in beermaking are completed. The barley is first soaked to facilitate germination. The partially germinated kernels are then dried to stop the enzymes in the process of digesting the starch and to develop the proper color and flavor. Finally, the barley is mashed in warm water, reconstituting the enzymes and producing the wort, or vört. In the old days, this liquid could be