# Unmalted Grain? - From The Bayou Brew Babe



## Bayou Brew Babe (10/4/05)

Aloha, :chug: 

I'm a Cajun lady currently living in Hawaii and hoping to get started in homebrewing. I come from a couple generations of wine, champagne and beer (malt extract syrup) makers. I hope to carry on something of the tradition. My husband likes something along pale ales, I like a range from stout to bock to wheat beer to lambic.

As I read a number of resources on homebrewing, I find I'm at a disadvantage as shipping costs get to be an issue where I live. I also have a habit of getting gung ho about projects, spend money, then quit. This is not always the case with me, but I'm not in a position to spend vast sums of money these days!

As I start collecting gear to try my first batch of beer, I'm hoping for some members who are either highly adventuresome, very tolerant, or have a good sense of humor to answer the following questions:

Is there indeed (as I read in an old book by George Leonard Herter) a way to make a beer type beverage using pearled barley and soft wheat as the grains? (I'm assuming this is "unmalted" material)

Put another and simpler way, can a person make a drinkable beverage using unmalted grain or grain like that found often in a health food store?

What I'm trying to do is to literally brew one batch of something drinkable enough to convince me that I can even successfully brew at home. From there, I'll be looking for more legitimate foundation ingredients and equipment to brew something more desirable to drink.

I'm trying to find suppliers of malt all grain or a dry form of malt extract for mail order. My goal is not to be "cheap", but shipping UPS to Hawaii is horrendous and I have to consider creativity and those willing to use USPS when possible. I may find I'll be better off trying mead or wine since the fruits here are plentiful. But my husband likes beer (as do I) and I would like to meet the challenge if possible.

I appreciate your indulgence and thoughts on the matter.


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## Jovial_Monk (10/4/05)

While you could add some pearl barley (boiled for a few mins first) and unmalted wheat to a mash, you cannot really make beer from just those grains.

I thought Honolulu would have plenty of HBS??

Jovial Monk


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## PeterS (10/4/05)

View attachment 2269


Bayou Brew Babe said:


> Aloha, :chug:
> 
> I'm trying to find suppliers of malt all grain or a dry form of malt extract for mail order. My goal is not to be "cheap", but shipping UPS to Hawaii is horrendous and I have to consider creativity and those willing to use USPS when possible. I may find I'll be better off trying mead or wine since the fruits here are plentiful. But my husband likes beer (as do I) and I would like to meet the challenge if possible.
> 
> ...



I could be all wrong here as I do not know where you live in Hawaii but i wonder, have you tried the local Home Brewing Supplies or Local HomeBrew Clubs?. I found two of them but I do not know where they are or what they provide but in any case it should be cheaper than UPS from the mainland and might provide you with local source of information.

1. OAHU Homebrew & Winemaking. - 808-596-2739.

2. MAUI Homebrew Supplies. - 808-879-5779.

Or alternatively a HomeBrew Club in OAHU. See http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/~lcorra/hops/index.htm

Good Luck.

Keep on Brewin' :chug:


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