Rolled/Flaked Barley

[dean_wales]

Hi guys,

As a farmers son I have unlimited free access to the above grain. I say free, it costs my dad a fiver a sack and if I take five or ten kilos now and then he won't care!

It's not labelled as food grade but I know the farm it was grown on and how it was processed so am more than happy to use it. It's pretty much organic and has about 9 food miles!

Question is what can I use it for in the brew shed?? Happy to experiment!

I am envisaging some hazy wheat beer type recipe?

Dean.

[seymour]

Lucky you! You can very simply replace the unmalted grain portion (plain wheat, torrified wheat, rye, oats, etc) of any ol' recipe you like, or even make up your own, of course. Just be sure to use some malt, and ideally a multi-step mash in order to get the best possible conversion. I use extremely large quantities of unmalted wheat (Bulgur from the grocery store, for instance) when I'm trying to save money, and it has always worked out fine for me.

It's not impossible to malt your own, you know. Might be a fun project with so much free raw material.

[dean_wales]

Can you malt rolled grains? I assumed they would have to be whole?

Either way I will look into it.

So for say a Hoegarden type wheat beer recipe of 50/50 pilsner and flaked wheat I could try it with the barley?

Does is come out lighter or darker? Is the flavour profile similar? I can do a couple of step infusions but have no interest in lengthy decoction/cereal etc mash schedules.

Now that I think about it. I might double check that none of his neighbours grow/supply wheat.

Dean.

[seymour]

You would need to malt whole grains; sorry I didn't clarify. I just assumed, being the farmer's son, you could ask dad to skip the processing step for some raw grain if you're up to the malster challenge.

[dean_wales]

Sorry no my dad buys it in in bulk from a farm nearby who grows/rolls it.

I have access to the finished product only. Just want to use it to make some nice cheap beer this year!

[seymour]

Sorry no my dad buys it in in bulk from a farm nearby who grows/rolls it.
I have access to the finished product only. Just want to use it to make some nice cheap beer this year!

Oh I see, then ignore the malting suggestion, and yes you can certainly use the flaked barley in the place of any recipe calling for unmalted cereal grain.

...So for say a Hoegarden type wheat beer recipe of 50/50 pilsner and flaked wheat I could try it with the barley?
Does is come out lighter or darker? Is the flavour profile similar?...

Exactly. It should come out the same colour. Your all-barley flavour will still be breadier, hazier, and more full-bodied than all malt recipes, but more beery, less wheat beery. Most people describe barley as crisper tasting, wheat as more well-rounded, even seeming mushy at times.

...I can do a couple of step infusions but have no interest in lengthy decoction/cereal etc mash schedules...

That's perfect, exactly what I was suggesting. Just take your time ramping up to your normal mash temp, no big deal.

...Now that I think about it. I might double check that none of his neighbours grow/supply wheat.

Cool. Life's getting cheaper and cheaper all the time.

[Dave S]

Flaked barley is also great in Stout, particularly dry, Guinnessesque stout. The latter uses 1 kg per 23 l brew. It gives a nice grainy taste and helps with head retention.

[dean_wales]

Cool thanks for the suggestions all.

I might do a trial in the summer of a 50/50 pilsner and rolled barley summer ale. Will probably ferment it with WB-06 and add orange/coriander to the boil. Could use some subtle late citrussy hops like Citra or american ones to try and keep it from being too "bready" - I always enjoy the freshness of wheat beers.

Plus a cool serving temperature and a ton of carbonation can hide a multitude of sins!

If you can get hold of regular animal grade cereal that you are happy with for human consumption - the price is awesome. Even somewhere very reasonable like the Malt Miller charges around £1.50 a kilo for wheat (that's £37.50 a 25kg sack) whilst the farmers rolled wheat sells at about £6-£8 a sack!

[Barley Water]

I have seen a pound or so of flaked barley thrown into the grist of German pilsner recipes. Supposedly, it tastes much like so called "chit malt" (whatever the hell that is). Regretably, I have not as yet tried it however that is a project for a bit later in the brewing season this year.

[jmc]

+ 1 for the Belgian Wit suggestions.

Why not also try making a Saison?
Interesting reading: Farmhouse Ales