Barley for Irish Whiskey

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Boda Getta
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Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Boda Getta »

I want to make a batch of triple distilled Irish Whiskey using a grain bill of 50% raw barley and 50% malted barley. Finding the malted barley is, of course, no problem. The raw barley is another matter; I am in the South and none of the brewing stores nor feed and seed stores carry it in affordable 50 lb bags. A local feed store can order "seed" type barley. Is there a difference between "seed" barley and cereal barley? Will this "seed" barley work in my grain bill?
Any help greatly appreciated.

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seamusm53
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by seamusm53 »

While there is a difference between food/cereal rye and grass rye I can find no similar difference for barley. Some varieties most certainly will have better (or different) flavor and/or starch content (alcohol potential) but I cannot see a problem with your proposed recipe. I am in the process of stripping this exact bill.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Pikey »

This is wierd - you can get rye but not barley, we can get all the barley we want - but can only get "Organic Rye" at around £10 a kilo ! Yet the two are very closely related - do they taste that different - does anybody know ?
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Boda Getta »

I am also unable to obtain raw rye in my area as well; I get my cracked corn, sweet feed, rolled oats, from Tractor Supply. Local brew stores supply all the malted grains I need. If it is not commonly used to brew beer or feed livestock It's hard to find. Sam's club will order hard red winter wheat at $49/40 lb pain.

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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by still_stirrin »

boda getta wrote:...A local feed store can order "seed" type barley. Is there a difference between "seed" barley and cereal barley? Will this "seed" barley work in my grain bill?
Be careful with "seed" barley. While it is likely very fresh and healthy and quite possibly a select variety of grain, it also quite possibly has been treated to kill pests (insects) when planted. I know that seed wheat has a noticeable color and smell when treated. Barley, with it's husk, may not be quite as visible.

The chemicals used to treat seed grains would be very toxic to process for brewing. So, I caution you strongly.

Now...you could purchase the bag of seed grain and plant it and raise the crop and then harvest it. You would then have a healthy and sustainable grain source. But you'd be invested in the farming side of the business. Some old timers would relish this aspect of the hobby. In fact, plant wheat and corn too (although the growing seasons are different for wheat, corn, and barley).
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by greggn »

>The raw barley is another matter; I am in the South and none of the brewing stores nor feed and seed stores carry it in affordable 50 lb bags.


Depending on the malt you choose, you could probably use pearled barley in place of the unmalted and not notice the difference.
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Brian Boru
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by seamusm53 »

Brian Boru wrote:Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
Certainly. Enzymes to convert the starch should be sufficient from the malted barley portion of your grain bill.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

Great. Many thanks!
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Snackson
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Snackson »

http://shop.honeyville.com/pearled-barley.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by thecroweater »

Surely you can get barley in a tractor depot or stock food supplier store. Never got more south than near the NC, WV boarder but I did see barley and I wasn't looking for it
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

Snackson wrote:http://shop.honeyville.com/pearled-barley.html

$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.

Is that Pearled barley unmalted?
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

seamusm53 wrote:
Brian Boru wrote:Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
Certainly. Enzymes to convert the starch should be sufficient from the malted barley portion of your grain bill.
I don't trust seed barley. I did go to a feed store and they sell Bowers barley, which I read is not really a malting stock. And then there is the possibility of pesticide use.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by thecroweater »

For sure, a lot of cereal grain specifically for seed is what we call pickled here. That it is coated in a dust that prevents pests and fungus, you can't eat it but I'm sure that would be specified on the sack of it was treated.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

thecroweater wrote:For sure, a lot of cereal grain specifically for seed is what we call pickled here. That it is coated in a dust that prevents pests and fungus, you can't eat it but I'm sure that would be specified on the sack of it was treated.
What do you use for unmalted barley?
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by still_stirrin »

Brian Boru wrote:What do you use for unmalted barley?
How about this: https://wineandhop.com/products/flaked- ... g-of-grain" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Reasonable price for a 25 lb. sack. Pre-gelatinized and flaked, ready for your mash tun. Oughta work.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

still_stirrin wrote:
Brian Boru wrote:What do you use for unmalted barley?
How about this: https://wineandhop.com/products/flaked- ... g-of-grain" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Reasonable price for a 25 lb. sack. Pre-gelatinized and flaked, ready for your mash tun. Oughta work.
ss

p.s. - Looking for feed barley, try this one: https://www.scratchandpeck.com/shop/org ... eset_uuid=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Yep, I can get that at my homebrew store and have them grind it up. I might go 60% malted two-row and 40% flaked just for the enzymes in the malted barley.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Snackson »

Brian Boru wrote:
Snackson wrote:http://shop.honeyville.com/pearled-barley.html

$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.

Is that Pearled barley unmalted?
Regulate ole plain barley. Not malted. And they sell flaked barley for $49/50# bag
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bilgriss
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by bilgriss »

We have a couple bulk food stores which break down barley, oats, wheat, etc by the pound, but will sell full sacks as well. Sometimes health food stores sell that sort of thing, to people who grind their own flours, among other things.

I've also had really good luck with morebeer.com. They ship free over $60 or so, including 10# lots of grain (but not full sacks, which are discounted).
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by pigroaster »

When I was at Jameson's distillery in Ireland the guide checked for me and their mix is closer to 55% malted barley to 45% raw barley for their recipe! It converts fine at this ratio.
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Brian Boru »

Snackson wrote:
Brian Boru wrote:
Snackson wrote:http://shop.honeyville.com/pearled-barley.html

$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.

Is that Pearled barley unmalted?
Regulate ole plain barley. Not malted. And they sell flaked barley for $49/50# bag

Sounds like I can use Pearled or flaked barley and get the desired result. ANy preference for either one?
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Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey

Post by Shine0n »

I'd go flaked as it should be ready to go with the addition of the malt.

I've been lookin at all barley and was going 50/50 But now after seeing a post here I may do 55/45.

Do you plan to age on oak or keep white?
Me- white!

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