Barley for Irish Whiskey
Moderator: Site Moderator
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:39 pm
Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
BG
Any help greatly appreciated.
BG
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 3:29 pm
- Location: At the edge of the Wild Wood
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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 ?
-
- Site Donor
- Posts: 1279
- Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:39 pm
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
BG
BG
- still_stirrin
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 10337
- Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
- Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.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?
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).
ss
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
>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.
Depending on the malt you choose, you could probably use pearled barley in place of the unmalted and not notice the difference.
________________
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
I drank fifty pounds of feed-store corn
'till my clothes were ratty and torn
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Certainly. Enzymes to convert the starch should be sufficient from the malted barley portion of your grain bill.Brian Boru wrote:Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Great. Many thanks!
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.
- thecroweater
- retired
- Posts: 6081
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:04 am
- Location: Central Highlands Vic. Australia
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Snackson wrote:http://shop.honeyville.com/pearled-barley.html
$42 for 50# and $4.99 flat rate shipping.
Is that Pearled barley unmalted?
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.seamusm53 wrote:Certainly. Enzymes to convert the starch should be sufficient from the malted barley portion of your grain bill.Brian Boru wrote:Can you use flaked barley? It is unmalted and available in homebrew shops everywhere.
- thecroweater
- retired
- Posts: 6081
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:04 am
- Location: Central Highlands Vic. Australia
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Benjamin Franklin
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
What do you use for unmalted barley?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.
- still_stirrin
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 10337
- Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:01 am
- Location: where the buffalo roam, and the deer & antelope play
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
How about this: https://wineandhop.com/products/flaked- ... g-of-grain" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollowBrian Boru wrote:What do you use for unmalted barley?
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
My LM/VM & Potstill: My build thread
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
My Cadco hotplate modification thread: Hotplate Build
My stock pot gin still: stock pot potstill
My 5-grain Bourbon recipe: Special K
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
still_stirrin wrote:How about this: https://wineandhop.com/products/flaked- ... g-of-grain" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollowBrian Boru wrote:What do you use for unmalted barley?
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.
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Regulate ole plain barley. Not malted. And they sell flaked barley for $49/50# bagBrian 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?
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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).
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).
-
- Novice
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Sun Oct 29, 2006 5:41 pm
- Location: Canada: Where fish say "Eh"
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 7:45 am
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
Snackson wrote:Regulate ole plain barley. Not malted. And they sell flaked barley for $49/50# bagBrian 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?
Sounds like I can use Pearled or flaked barley and get the desired result. ANy preference for either one?
Re: Barley for Irish Whiskey
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!
Shine0n
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!
Shine0n