# So What's The Go With Galaxy Malt?



## Bribie G (28/4/09)

I want my Galaxy waaaah waaaah waaah :icon_drool2: 

I think I read that the new seasons will be coming in about the middle of May, anyone have any news? Yes I know BB pale pilsener is very similar but with my rice and maize brews, and getting into lager season, I'm hanging out for my favourite grain and its glorious colour. The only malt in the following shot is Galaxy.





The bottles contain mine, not the products of the fine Modelo mob. Not that you would want to press anything Mexican to your lips at the moment. :blink:


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## Ducatiboy stu (28/4/09)

MMmmm... BB Ale malt :icon_chickcheers:


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## Batz (28/4/09)

BribieG said:


> I want my Galaxy waaaah waaaah waaah :icon_drool2:
> 
> I think I read that the new seasons will be coming in about the middle of May, anyone have any news? Yes I know BB pale pilsener is very similar but with my rice and maize brews, and getting into lager season, I'm hanging out for my favourite grain and its glorious colour. The only malt in the following shot is Galaxy.
> 
> ...




I love my Galaxy as well, and I wasn't falling for some old BB Pilsner will do the job either. 


Batz


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## clean brewer (28/4/09)

Hey guys, why do you love it so much??

:icon_cheers: CB


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## Screwtop (28/4/09)

clean brewer said:


> Hey guys, why do you love it so much??
> 
> :icon_cheers: CB



All Galaxy Aussie Ale, first brew at the new abode 2 weeks ago 94% mash efficiency and light colour.

Screwy


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## Muggus (28/4/09)

Any place for Galaxy hops in here as well?


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## Online Brewing Supplies (28/4/09)

clean brewer said:


> Hey guys, why do you love it so much??
> 
> :icon_cheers: CB


Marketing is a great thing! Yes Galaxy is a very good malt with high diastatic numbers ( great for high adjunct beers) but a good brewer could use any of the Burston malts to produce a great beer.Galaxy will be back in WA mid May.BTW watch out for the new Belgian malts. Cryer malts are really putting a fantastic selection of malts out there for us ! 
Thanks David and crew. :beerbang: 
GB


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## Bribie G (28/4/09)

clean brewer said:


> Hey guys, why do you love it so much??
> 
> :icon_cheers: CB



I use all the BB malts, I like the ale malt in an American Pale / Amber and in an Aussie Old. The pilseners are also nice as a clean malt in a beer where the hops are at the forefront. But for me, in a delicate high-adjunct beer such as an American Classic Pilsener or a Cerveza the Galaxy produces a crystal clear lager with a glorious golden colour (no other colouring malts required, see photo) and the most delicious malt flavour like walking past the Arnotts factory when they are baking butter shortbread. :icon_drool2: Love the stuff.


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## dpadden (28/4/09)

BribieG said:


> I use all the BB malts, I like the ale malt in an American Pale / Amber and in an Aussie Old. The pilseners are also nice as a clean malt in a beer where the hops are at the forefront. But for me, in a delicate high-adjunct beer such as an American Classic Pilsener or a Cerveza the Galaxy produces a crystal clear lager with a glorious golden colour (no other colouring malts required, see photo) and the most delicious malt flavour like walking past the Arnotts factory when they are baking butter shortbread. :icon_drool2: Love the stuff.



wow....Bribie you have me sold! :icon_drool2: One of the things I have been looking for in my ales, APA especially, is that nice subtle biscuity taste that can still shine through under the hops....Maybe I should give this one a go?


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## warrenlw63 (28/4/09)

Bribie BB Pale (which is a Pilsner malt) will handle a fairly high adjunct load. I've gotten away with 25% non-malt adjunct which consequently was flaked rice. Had no problems whatsoever converting either. If you're stuck I think it's a more than reasonable alternative to Galaxy.

FWIW Barrett Burston list the colours of these two malts the same 3-4 EBC. So "theoretically" you shouldn't experience any real colour difference.

Warren -


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## Bribie G (28/4/09)

Of necessity I've just done a 1970s style Carlton Draught tribute with BB Pale Pilsener, rice, sugar and Superpride so the proof of the pudding will be in the eating (or drinking) :icon_cheers: Going into secondary in a few days time. With that load of adjuncts let's see whether the malt shines or not. I'll be interested to see what the colour is like as well, but from AndrewQLD's rice lager in the DB I'm yet to be convinced.


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## jayse (29/4/09)

Heres some totally excellent info on the galaxy malt in the form of a post to the aus craft brewing digest from Wes.
I'am sure he won't mind it being reposted here for the benefit of everyone using it.



> Graham in singing the praises of Galaxy malt, has jogged me into response mode. Actually he is right about Galaxy - I believe it is the best pale/pils/lager malt currently produced in Australia, and yet has some interesting characteristics that bare elaboration.
> 
> First some background: Galaxy malt is malted from 100% Galaxy barley. Developed by Barrett Burston, the Galaxy strain is contract grown for Barretts mostly in northwestern Victoria and southwestern NSW and is primarily an export only malt. The barley produces slightly smaller grains than other strains and the plant itself is more bushy and does not grow very tall. This "bushiness" helps smother any weeds and in turn means less use of weed control sprays.
> 
> ...


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## tangent (29/4/09)

Isn't 38-40C an acid rest? 50-55C is a protein rest...
Love this malt but beware the lazy boil, otherwise DMS results.


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## Bribie G (29/4/09)

Good advice, I always do a nice roll for at least 90 minutes (usually about 100 mins with bittering addition after ten minutes when some break is happening).


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## Kai (29/4/09)

warrenlw63 said:


> Bribie BB Pale (which is a Pilsner malt) will handle a fairly high adjunct load. I've gotten away with 25% non-malt adjunct which consequently was flaked rice. Had no problems whatsoever converting either. If you're stuck I think it's a more than reasonable alternative to Galaxy.
> 
> FWIW Barrett Burston list the colours of these two malts the same 3-4 EBC. So "theoretically" you shouldn't experience any real colour difference.
> 
> Warren -



At the same colour spec you can still have differences in hue.


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## Steve (29/4/09)

Im confused Bribie especially after the quoted text from Jayse. Are you referring to BB Galaxy or a different kind of malt called Galaxy?


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## Bribie G (29/4/09)

Steve said:


> Im confused Bribie especially after the quoted text from Jayse. Are you referring to BB Galaxy or a different kind of malt called Galaxy?



BB Galaxy. As they say makes a great beer especially when using adjuncts etc. However that quote is very helpful as I've been mashing it at 65 under the impression that it would clean up the adjuncts better, but as suggested I'll mash at 68 or above. If I can eventually get my hands on some that is :icon_cheers:


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## reviled (29/4/09)

Havnt seen BB galaxy over here before <_<


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## T.D. (29/4/09)

Kai said:


> At the same colour spec you can still have differences in hue.



I think we could be clutching at straws now...

:lol:


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## jayse (29/4/09)

tangent said:


> Isn't 38-40C an acid rest? 50-55C is a protein rest...
> Love this malt but beware the lazy boil, otherwise DMS results.



Wes would be doing a betaglucanase rest which falls into that temp range, he speaks about it in this part of the post.



> Galaxy also has high levels of Beta-glucanase (as distinct from Beta-glucan) and this characteristic is of immense interest to professional brewers. Now before you all dive off to find your copy of Noonan's NBLB, let me explain. Beta-glucan is the stuff that causes stuck mashes and haze and must be controlled in the malting process. Beta-glucanase enzymes break down the beta-glucan into glucose in the malting process and usually do not make it into the final malted barley in any significant strength. Galaxy however does retain good levels of Beta-gluconase and this is used to good effect by commercial brewers in a sub-40C rest to further degrade the Beta-glucans and better set key parameters such as foam head, body and most importantly the "lauterability" of the wort (just sent the spell-checker into spasm!)






T.D. said:


> I think we could be clutching at straws now...
> 
> :lol:


I have had quite a lenghty persitant debate with david cryer about this and even though somewhat drunk and ignorant at the time I walked/staggered away at the end of the night believing it.


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## Kai (29/4/09)

T.D. said:


> I think we could be clutching at straws now...
> 
> :lol:



No, not at all... malt at any colour intensity measured in EBC can have differences in hue. All EBC measures is the colour value from pale to black. You'll still get variations in hue within that. To illustrate the point, in today's world of genetic engineering, a theoretical blue beer is a red beer is a green beer and they may all be, say, 5 EBC. You get that variation (but obviously subtler) depending on the grain (wheat, barley, rye, etc...), the variety, the malting techniques, the OG of the beer and so on.


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## Batz (29/4/09)

jayse said:


> Wes would be doing a betaglucanase rest which falls into that temp range, he speaks about it in this part of the post.




I wouldn't dream of brewing Galaxy without a beetlejuice rest either :unsure: 

Love the malt 100% in my Aussies and pils.

Batz


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## Bribie G (29/4/09)

BribieG said:


> Of necessity I've just done a 1970s style Carlton Draught tribute with BB Pale Pilsener,.............................. I'll be interested to see what the colour is like as well, but from AndrewQLD's rice lager in the DB I'm yet to be convinced.



Carlton wannabee (BB Pale Pilsener) was good and ready for racking today so I just did it now. It's as pale as a Barrow-Wight. On the other hand I recently brewed a Kiwi Blonde with the same malt, and put 150 of Carared in for some colour. It's nice and clear in the bottle now and it's turned out around the same colour (hue) as the galaxy-lager picture I posted at the beginning of this thread.


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## bradsbrew (29/4/09)

Kai said:


> No, not at all... malt at any colour intensity measured in EBC can have differences in hue. All EBC measures is the colour value from pale to black. You'll still get variations in hue within that. To illustrate the point, in today's world of genetic engineering, a theoretical blue beer is a red beer is a green beer and they may all be, say, 5 EBC. You get that variation (but obviously subtler) depending on the grain (wheat, barley, rye, etc...), the variety, the malting techniques, the OG of the beer and so on.




Awesome next time someone offers me a brew I might throw a comment like "Wow the EBC value seems to be of a lesser value say 4Y but the chroma has brought out an intense brightness to the hue".


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## wessmith (29/4/09)

Gidday Batz,

I think for the "beetle juice rest" you would need to be at "41.35C for precisely 15.6 minutes" B) otherwise the claws will be too hard to be rehydrated properly.

But for those of you that are still watching, Galaxy is a barley variety that was bred for Asahi in Japan for their ultra clean lagers. The desire for a beta glucananse content relates pimarily to the post fermentation stage and the subsequent filtration to ensure they had the brightest and most stable beer possible.

I also understand that BB have bred another variety - Quaser - to take the place of Galaxy.

Oh, and re the comments on diastatic power, Galaxy is not a lot different from most Aussie malts. ie All have quite high DP levels - certainly a lot more than English ale malts. Galaxy's claim to fame is the higher than normal beta glucanase content.

Must get a hold of some Quaser and try a brew.

Wes




Batz said:


> I wouldn't dream of brewing Galaxy without a beetlejuice rest either :unsure:
> 
> Love the malt 100% in my Aussies and pils.
> 
> Batz


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## kabooby (29/4/09)

Great info Wes, 

As much as everyone loves the German malts there is a lot to be said for supporting the Aussie market.

Kabooby


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## Batz (29/4/09)

wessmith said:


> Gidday Batz,
> 
> I think for the "beetle juice rest" you would need to be at "41.35C for precisely 15.6 minutes" B) otherwise the claws will be too hard to be rehydrated properly.
> 
> ...



OK hard to believe I can get any brighter but it's "beetle juice rest" for my next Aussie then.

Thanks for the info Wes.

Batz


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## BrissyBrew (1/5/09)

Having walked around Ross's store room and had the opportunity to taste a large number of malts I have to say BB malts tasted great. If I was eating malted barley for breakfast I know what malt would go into my breaky bowl.


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## warrenlw63 (1/5/09)

Kai said:


> No, not at all... malt at any colour intensity measured in EBC can have differences in hue. All EBC measures is the colour value from pale to black. You'll still get variations in hue within that. To illustrate the point, in today's world of genetic engineering, a theoretical blue beer is a red beer is a green beer and they may all be, say, 5 EBC. You get that variation (but obviously subtler) depending on the grain (wheat, barley, rye, etc...), the variety, the malting techniques, the OG of the beer and so on.



Thanks Kai. That's one I'm going to tuck into my *"That helps me on a HB Scale how?"* file.  

Warren -


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## MHB (1/5/09)

EBC is strictly a laboratory measurement of the amount of Blue Light (at a single frequency 427nm if I recall correctly) that gets absorbed as the light passes through a 10mm thick sample.
It has NO bearing on the colour of the beer; you could accurately report the EBC for red and green food dye at various concentrations.
As most brewing ingredients throw similar hues, EBC is a good rough guide to what the finished beer will look like, but a guide, far from definitive.

MHB


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## Kai (1/5/09)

Thanks Mark, that's a better explanation than mine.


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## Bribie G (1/5/09)

Slightly off topic here but I made an American amber with BB ale malt and I still consider it the best ale I have ever made. I recently replicated it but used TF Maris Otter I was 'overstocked' on at the time. It's now being drunk and whilst the malt hit is incredible, the beer has a far less clean finish and is definitely more chewy. I much preferred the BB ale version which gave a smoothness to the malt flavour and aroma.
I've now used all the BB malts with great results and, apart from my Overtly UK bitters, I'll be using them as my base malts.


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## bonj (1/5/09)

BrissyBrew said:


> Having walked around Ross's store room and had the opportunity to taste a large number of malts I have to say BB malts tasted great. If I was eating malted barley for breakfast I know what malt would go into my breaky bowl.


Mmm... malty breaky...


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## T.D. (1/5/09)

Hmm, interesting comments about BB malts. As much as I think they are very good, I have been a little disappointed with BB Pale. I have always been a JW man prior to this and I think JW Pils is better than BB Pale. I haven't tried BB Ale malt though so that may be another story...


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## jayse (1/5/09)

T.D. said:


> Hmm, interesting comments about BB malts. As much as I think they are very good, I have been a little disappointed with BB Pale. I have always been a JW man prior to this and I think JW Pils is better than BB Pale. I haven't tried BB Ale malt though so that may be another story...



Yes I agree the JWM export pils is much better than BB pale, the BB galaxy and BB ale are awesome but the pale I believe is possibly closer to a swill lager malt designed for giving body to beers with sugar etc or low gravity. The galaxy can do the same as that but at the same time its much better and more versitle as far as my experience with them all as told me.
Makes a good beer and all but BB galaxy and JWM export pils is better.


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## winkle (1/5/09)

Bonj said:


> Mmm... malty breaky...



SWMBO thinks I've already got a problem , just wait til I'm tucking into a bowl of MO for breakfast  .


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## brettprevans (12/10/09)

hmmm just re-reading up on galaxy malt.....and the real question is wtf i was under the impression that galaxy was an ale malt! no idea what planet i was on (yes bad pun). im sure someone told me that galaxy was a better malt than using marris otter (which is of course an ale malt). clearly i misunderstood?


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## Fourstar (12/10/09)

Kai said:


> At the same colour spec you can still have differences in hue.





T.D. said:


> I think we could be clutching at straws now...



Kai's Point Exacty, Light Straw or White straw. :lol: Bigger issue with daker beers, red/mahogany/brown can have the same SRM. depending on the malts used will determine the hue but light density does not change.


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## crundle (12/10/09)

I made a Galaxian Pale Ale with 4kg of Galaxy malt, 1kg of Munich I and used Galaxy hops. Very tasty brew indeed, I plan on knocking up some lager malt/ale yeast summer quaffers in the next few months....

Crundle


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## beers (12/10/09)

Have never tried Galaxy myself. I did try a bag of the BB Pale Ale a year or so back & liked it in cleaner ales. 
I have been thinking about getting a bag of Pils malt now that the weather is heating up (?!.. well it was last week) Mainly for a Saison, & some lighter Summer style ales & APA's. Has anyone tried it in a Saison? any thoughts?
Actually Bribies flavour description & it's high DP have me thinking it might also be interesting in a big beer like an American Barleywine? has anyone tried it?


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## Thirsty Boy (13/10/09)

Gotta try all these different base malts one of these days.. I brew all my beer with BB mega brewer malt as my base. A blend of Schooner and Gairdner barley. Probably the same as the "pale" but I certainly don't know for sure.

I'd probably make a series of insanely dry beers if I changed now without changing my methods - I'm so used to malt with a low AAL and a really tolerant set of enzymes. Big ratio of alpha to Beta amylase.

I get my mega brewer malt for free, so I'm not changing any time soon. I decided early on in my brewing career, that if I was a decent brewer, then I would be able to brew good beer with the malt I had available, whatever it was - and refusing to use free malt seemed like spitting in the face of the brewing gods. So I reckon with a bit of effort and serious attention to recipe... you can do a hell of a lot with whatever malt you happen to have.

Still - a lot of this stuff sound delicious. I might have to have a go.


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## crundle (13/10/09)

Free malt? For sure I would be using it too!

At least as you say you have a good knowledge of what the malt is capable of, but it certainly would be interesting to do a side by side comparison with a different base malt to see how it affects the process and end product. As for myself, I have no idea really, as I keep changing the base malt according to the style of beer I am making, and I am still very much in the new AG brewer stage of brewing different styles on a whim. I have found a few styles that I really like and will settle on according to the season of the year I am brewing in, but I have a sack full of Galaxy and really liked the light colour of the last brew with it, so might continue with it for a few more brews yet.

Crundle


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