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  • 1.  Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 12-17-2024 15:44

    Great comments on the positive outcomes from working with Naked Barley (from Black Frost Distilling in Minnesota).

    Hulless (naked) Barley malts clearly offer potentials to please customers (both brewers and distillers). It's time to take advantage of the newest advances in Hulless varieties that excel at meeting requirements of farmers, maltsters, brewers, distillers; and, especially, the needs of today's consumers.
    2-Row Hulless Barley Varieties such as Clear; and, notably, the newly registered CDC Armstrong and CDC Pristine.
    Cheers!

    Naked barley American Single Malt.

    For over 100 years, the @umntwincities was at the forefront of 6-row barley breeding in the United States, helping meet the demands of brewers and distillers alike. Then, seemingly overnight, the industry shifted its preference to 2-row, leaving a century's worth of research in the dust. I remember our transition away from 6-row at Schell's was quick. The slight bump in extract no longer justified the rougher, more astringent flavor profile that came from using 6 row.

    But that was beer. I was excited when I heard that the U had developed a naked 6 row barley variety- MS10S4111-01 that had been malted by our friends @vertical.malt. We produce all of our American Single Malt whiskies with an on grains fermentation, and there is definitely a tannic quality that comes from the extended husk contact time that takes time to age out. Naked barley eliminates that completely. It behaved more like malted wheat during fermentation, and the flavor profile coming off the still was incredible. All the character of malted barley, but softer and silkier with no tannic astringency whatsoever. I'm excited to see how this ages, and definitely see us planting more of this variety in the spring this.



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    Keith Armstrong
    Retired
    Edmonton AB
    (780) 504-4245
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  • 2.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 12-18-2024 16:21
    We malt a naked barley variety, developed by Dr. Pat Hayes at Oregon State University: Buck Naked. Buck is floor malted from a winter naked barley variety well-suited for fall planting in the Sacramento Valley, which is close to our floor maltings. It sheds most of its husk during combine harvesting, with the remainder removed in the cleaning process post-kiln. The result is a malt with higher extract by volume and weight, offering a reduced carbon footprint for transportation and allowing distillers and brewers to achieve the same extract with less malt by weight.

    Buck Naked is an excellent choice for distillers whose single malt whiskey process demands low to no husks and was originally designed for a distiller who can only do on grain mash, fermentation, and distillation. Its versatility also makes it ideal for regular mash applications up to 40% or more, akin to malted wheat, providing approximately 10% more extract per pound used, and a distinctive, less tannic, flavorful profile. This means you get more extract per pound of malt for the same price. 

    We malt ours to a pale ale style.  Buck is a richly aromatic malt with notes of graham cracker and toffee, complemented by nuances of bread crust and breakfast cereal. The flavor profile includes toasted nuts with a hint of dry straw.

    Ron Silberstein
    Co-Founder/Proprietor I Sales I Admiral Maltings
    651A W Tower Ave, Alameda, CA 94501
    mobile: 415.307.1870
    work: 510.849.6173

    pronouns: he, him







  • 3.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 12-23-2024 12:19

    Ron; Great to hear of more positive comments with your experiences noted at Admiral Malt with Hulless barley malts.

    And as the newly registered 2-row Hulless varieties come through the fields; and on into maltster, brewer, and distiller hands; one big difference will be the substantially improved beta-glucan and viscosity outcomes akin to modern 2-row covered varieties; and which should serve to further enhance the respect for working with modern Hulless barley varieties to please customers!

    Cheers !



    ------------------------------
    Keith Armstrong
    Retired
    Edmonton AB
    (780) 504-4245
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 01-02-2025 14:53
    Thank you for your comments, Keith.

    This post sparked an on off line conversation between Dave Thomas, retired Technical Director at Coors and Dr. Pat Hayes, Flavor Project, barley breeding scientist at Oregon State University. Dave was wondering if we'd see case hardening in our Buck Naked, resulting in low friability and high beta glucans.  Pat responded that during harvesting and handling, the hulless varieties suffer injury to the embryo more easily. This can result in sluggish germination and low friability. 

    As part of our in-house friabilimeter analysis, we measure PUGs (partially unmodified grain) and WUGs (wholly unmodified grain).  They are counted when looking at the "flour" of the friabilimeter.  In three batches we measured normal to lower than normal PUGs and WUGs, which is an indication of solid modification.  

    If we look at our chit percentage upon casting the malt to the floor, it was 100%, 95%, and 99% for those three batches.  It would appear that any damage to the seed that Pat talked about was subtle enough that it didn't kill the seed, although it affected germination vigor.  Looking back at our data, although the chitting was excellent, the percentage of chits that had forked when we cast and spread the malt was 4%, 0%, and 3% respectively. That is lower than normal for Butta12 or Copeland and another indication that sluggish germination rather than case hardening or excessive dead kernels was the culprit for high beta glucans and low friability. Of course this variety may also have genetic tendencies that contribute to lower friability and higher beta glucans as well.  

    Ron Silberstein 
    Managing Member
    Admiral Maltings
    415.307.1870



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 01-06-2025 11:30

    Hi, Ron

    I also find it of interest that your process (floor malting); and the Field 5 Farm folk in B.C. with horizontal rotating drum malting; 

    are both more gentle with respect to the potential for damaging the germinating seeds.

    This may assist you both attaining better and more consistent friability with hulless barley malting.

    Cheers, Keith



    ------------------------------
    Keith Armstrong
    Retired
    Edmonton AB
    (780) 504-4245
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 01-02-2025 14:53

    Does anyone have thoughts about how naked barley would/does taste when processed on mash with the outcome of neutral spirits.  Would it be milder like wheat or still have that undertone flavour of barley.

     

    Mike




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Naked (Hulless) barley American Single Malt.

    Posted 01-06-2025 11:29
    Without a doubt all the tanic aspects of the hull are gone, but it is still barley and barley flavor that comes through. There is a lot of single malt being made with it!

    Ron Silberstein
    Co-Founder/Proprietor I Sales I Admiral Maltings
    651A W Tower Ave, Alameda, CA 94501
    mobile: 415.307.1870
    work: 510.849.6173

    pronouns: he, him





    Original Message


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