types of malted barley

[Kittra]

I want to use malted barley on my next mash. since I have no grinder, can I use malted barley powder ? Will it give the same results? Also, how much to use per # of cracked corn. You read so many different opinions on the net, that it gets confusing. This is my first try and I want to get the best info I can.........Thanks, Kittra

Ps... will be using 14# of corn

[Prairiepiss]

Malt powder is more then likely DME dried malt extract. It's a dehydrated version of LME liquid malt extract. It is just a condensed wort made from malt. Where the sugars have already been converted. It will not have any enzymes in it to convert the starches you extract from the corn.

You will need either a milled malted grain. Or powdered enzymes.

Most homebrew shops you would buy malted grains from will mill it for you. For a small fee if you buy it there.

[snksknr]

I use a blender to crush my grains, works great. Ive read where you might get an astringent taste from the husks being ground up to fine. But I still havnt ran into that problem yet because I always let it settle after fermenting on the grain. Then siphon all the clear liquid into your boiler. I use 2lbs of malted 6 row barley on 8lbs of cracked corn and get full conversion. So maybe 3-3.5lbs should work on 14lbs. Good luck.

[Uncle Jemima]

I usually think of my grain in 10lb increments to make it simpler since I do about 10lb grain to a five gallon container. So I'd personally do 6lb malted barley to your 14lb corn. That's more than you'd actually need to get full conversion but its hard to say not knowing what size containers and therefore how much water you'll use with your 14lb corn. 20lb total grain bill may be way too much depending on your fermenter size.

I think the rule of thumb most people on here use is 2lb barley per 8lb of corn. So 1-4 ratio. Based on that ratio. 3.5lbs of barley would convert your 14lb corn. Of course there are other factors. Is it 2 row or 6 row? Different ones have different amounts of enzymes. Forget if it's DP or LP value. That's why I try to err to the side of more than I need just to be sure.

[Uncle Jemima]

PrairiePiss. Thanks for the run down on malt extract. Didn't realize that's what it was. I thought it was basically ground down malt/enzyme. That will save me a failed attempt at using that for starch conversion.

[Kittra]

thank all of you for the info. so much for barley powder. on to plan b I might get it one day, if I ask enough questions and read enough material. Your answers are simple and to the point and I really appreciate that