There are Malts and there are Malts...........

[Toper]

Following various advices, together with browsing back through numerous postings, I decided to explore malted grain barley, with a view to possibly using such.

The range of such malted grain is bewildering to say the least. Though, from what I have read to date, for a whisky type recipe, it is a light malt that is preferred by most .

Having said that, and having visited the web sites of major Malt Suppliers, such as Muntons and Bairds, I am, if anything, even more baffled.

These Malters make a pointed difference between 'distilling malt' and 'brewing malt'. Yet, with no exceptions to date, I haven't found a single supplier who describes any of their malts on offer as 'distilling malt'
Is there a difference? Apparently so. The biggest difference appears to be in what is called 'DIASTATIC POWER'. As I understand it, this is the ability of a given malt to convert starches into ferment-able sugars. Judging from the information given by the Malters, the diastatic power of distilling malts is something like three to four times that of brewing malts. To this extent, one of the qualities which the Malters ascribe to their distilling malts is the 'Predicted Spirit Yield' (per tonne), a measure which is never associated with their brewing malts.

Can one buy this distilling malt and, if so, where? Also, when a peated malt barley grain is described as a 'Whisky' grain, is that in fact a distilling malt?

T

[Anavrin]

Hi Toper

I would guess distillers malt is a lower quality than Brewers malt, as we actually drink what's made with Brewers malt, and only distill the result of the other, think members on here have used distillers malt in the past but I can't remember who.

As for all the type to use, I would avoid anything dark, the lighter malts have more starch and more ensymes available to produce more sugar during mashing, the darker the malt the more it's been kiln dried and is less good at producing fermentables during mashing.

[Anavrin]

Ive just found this page in mile high distilling explaining the difference, it seem distillers malt is kiln dried at a lower temperature after germination to ensure maximum preservation of ensymes, it's also treated with some acids to adjust the PH, this is to ensure bacteria doesn't take hold during fermentation, mainly because distillers don't boil the wort prior to fermentation.

See the product description http://www.milehidistilling.com/product ... -malt.html

[Capt-Cudellez]

Distilling malts are bred to ferment to a lower fg (I think they look for the nitrogen content to be in a certain range) as the wort is usually fermented to a much higher ABV that you would for a beer, where with beer you might want it so finish a little sweeter too depending on the style.

Some barleys used in Scotch production that I know of

Golden Promise
Publican
Optic
Oxbridge
Forensic
Concerto
Overture
talisman
moonshine

Some of these are also approved for commercial brewing so you can pick them up, the ones not approved for commercial brewing and only for distilling I doubt you could buy less than a couple of tons.

[Almanac]

I buy Distiller's Malt from the Malting Company of Ireland located in Cork. http://www.maltingcompany.ie/product/ir ... ling-malt/

I enjoy slightly better rates than those quoted on the site.

AM

[Toper]

I appreciate all the information, together with the links.

There does seem to be a sort of overlap between distilling malts and those malts generally available from H.B. Suppliers.

Brupak's malts, whilst bearing their name, are in fact, 'own label' malts from Munstons. Brupak offer a 'Peated Whisky Malt' in light, medium and heavy. These are Munstons malts and, in their (Munstons) product listings, they include the peated malt under distilling malts.

So far as I can see, the essential quality of distilling malt over brewing malt, from the distillers point of view, is that kg for kg it offers a better return spirit-wise and, therefore, commercially beneficial.


Whether or not I will take to mashing my own malt I am not sure but, like all aspects of this pursuit, the more you look into things, the more you realise that nothing is what it seems at first glance.


T

[chill]

The higher diastatic power also means that they can convert non-malt starches. Irish Whiskey, for example, is made with various proportions of malted and unmated grains. It is also delicious!

Chuck

[Admiral Toad]

It's a real struggle to get real peated malt or indeed proper malt for distilling I find (as in whisky)

All the big producers such as Simpsons and Bairds aren't interested in supplying 25kg bags to HBS folk

Hence me p....ing about with smokers etc etc

Another raid to Islay looks likely with boot space to return but oh dear you can't fart or drink a pint and drive in SNP land no more

[Easydrinker]

Yes AT,
the Silly National Party are celebrating their referendum failure by bringing in a different law to the rest of the UK.
Because at the moment they can.
It makes them feel big.
Not that I condone driving drunk.
But I'm know that my bog standard Tesco mouthwash contains alcohol,
I won't be using that as part of my morning routine anymore......

Robert.

[Toper]

Yet another puzzle.

I found on line, a supplier of peated malt (Thomas Fawcett's Crushed Peat Malt) at what appears to be a reasonable price from :

http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/item3015.htm

I have had transactions with Leyland Homebrew in the past and found them totally reliable.

On checking the web site of Thomas Fawcett and looking at their range of malts, they don't list a peated malt as one of their products.

Does this mean that it is a speciality malt not normally made available to the general public?

T

[Anavrin]

I use Leyland home brew quite often, if you give em a call I'm sure they will be very helpful, I've bought 25kg sacks of Maris otter in the past, the guy who owns it, "Joe" is very knowledgable and helpfull.