Bb Galaxy.. Ale Or Pils?

[fixa]

So can anyone out there tell me is BB galaxy an ale or a Pils malts?
Have gone back through the archives and now i'm not sure which it is... :unsure:
Cheers..

 

[JasonY]

I grabbed a sack a while back and the HBS guy says its pils. Yet to use it but will be in a few days.

 

[Finite]

I think it can be used in ales or lagers.

Some info from the Craft Brewer Digest:

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.

Specifications are:
Moisture 4.5% max.
Extract (dry basis) 81% min.
Colour 3.3 - 4.0 EBC
Total nitrogen 1.58 - 1.75% (9.9 - 10.9%)
Kolbach index 40 - 46
Diastatic power 250 min (degrees WK)
Beta-glucan 180 max. mg/L
AAL 80% min (Apparent Attenuation Limit)
The description on the spec sheet reads:
"Galaxy malt is a premium export lager malt produced exclusively from Barrett Burston's own strain of Galaxy barley. Suitable for use in lagers, dry ales and stouts, Galaxy will finish dry and clean when mashed at normal saccharification temperatures (64 - 66C), but can be mashed at higher temperatures (68 - 70C) to afford more body to the finished beer. The malt is characterised by its versatility and ability to cope with high levels of cereal adjunct while offering greater levels of attenuation than those found in other pale malts."

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!). As Graham pointed out, Galaxy is a very clean lautering malt and this coupled with the requirements for long term stability in fully packaged beer, is what the big boys are looking for. For us homebrewers this surfeit of Beta-gluconase can be used to handle high levels of cereal adjunct and enable a better breakdown of beta-glucans into fermentables. Stouts (made with say 15% flaked barley) will produce a nice dry finish because there is little unfermentable material left in the wort.

Galaxy is also by nature a highly attenuable malt. The AAL of 80% in the specs above is quite high - most mega-lager malts would be in the 70's - and this characteristic makes for a fine dry Koelsch, or a dry stout. If you want to use it as a pils/lager malt then use a main saccharification rest of 68 - 70C. On the issue of protein rests - I would suggest 10 to 15 minutes as a guideline and possibly longer if you are using a cereal adjunct such as FB where that cereal will be providing body/head/mouthfeel in its own right.

A pointer on levels of modification - Galaxy is a FULLY modified malt and will produce great beers with a simple single step infusion. You dont need to go the masochist route like Graham did, but I would suggest that you mash in a couple of degrees higher than normal to avoid an over-dry finish in your beer. There are several microbrewers now using Galaxy and doing just that.

This caution also applies to Weyermann malts. They are FULLY modified and dont need a protein rest, in fact a 20 min rest at 38 - 40C is TOO long and will reduce the head considerably. I know this from a recent experience!

So, happy brewing - I'm off, can feel a Koelsch coming on......

 

[Kai]

I think it can be used in ales or lagers.

As can any ale or pils malt, fwiw.

 

[Batz]

I would rate it as Pils.

A brew I am drinking now was a Pils using 95% Galaxy,very pleased with the resulting beer.

Batz

 

[fixa]

Thanks guys..
I've just noticed on craftbrewer it's called a ale (galaxy) malt...
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29
so is this different to other galaxy?

 

[Darren]

Thanks guys..
I've just noticed on craftbrewer it's called a ale (galaxy) malt...
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29
so is this different to other galaxy?

Fixa,

I would say that Galaxy is a pils malt especially if you mash for the entire 90 minutes that most homebrewers do. The enzyme levels foud in Galaxy will chop every sugar down to its simplest form, leaving quite a dry beer. It can be used as an ale malt too, just mash at 70-72 degree C.

For interest sake, BB also make an "ale" malt which is better suited to ale style beers.

cheers

Darren

 

[Ross]

Thanks guys..
I've just noticed on craftbrewer it's called a ale (galaxy) malt...
http://craftbrewer.com.au/index.php?page=s...t&Itemid=29
so is this different to other galaxy?

Fixa,

My error, & is now amended - Galaxy is more of a pilsner malt than an ale malt.

cheers Ross

 

[fixa]

Ah ok. Cheers ross.

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

I agree with Darren on this malt. Get excellent attenuation with it.

C&B
TDA

 

[tangent]

anyone seen Quasar malt yet?

 

[browndog]

anyone seen Quasar malt yet?

No, but I have just got hold of some Black Whole Malt


cheers

Browndog

 

[sluggerdog]

As this is a good pils malt, how does it compare to other pils malts? Flavour Wise

 

[Darren]

As this is a good pils malt, how does it compare to other pils malts? Flavour Wise

Slugger,

It a good pils malt and easy to use. Not quite the flavour profile of of German pils though.

cheers

Darren

 

[Batz]

Slugger,

It a good pils malt and easy to use. Not quite the flavour profile of of German pils though.

cheers

Darren

Agreed Darren,I think it is a good pils malt but not a true pils malt

Batz

 

[Ross]

Finishes drier Sluggerdog - I tend to add a kilo or 2 to recipe i want to finish on the dry side. it's an excellent addition for a wheaty...

Cheers Ross

 

[Batz]

Finishes drier Sluggerdog -
Cheers Ross

Which is what you want in a pils
Deleted that wheaty rubbish Ross

Batz

 

[tangent]

so no on the quasar then

google "tropical flower wit"
one of the colonels creations i think
uses the high enzyme levels to convert a heap of flour from memory.

 

[Darren]

Tangent,

Next time i order I will make some enquiries about the quasar.

cheers

Darren

 

[sluggerdog]

Cheers for the replies, looks like I will stick to the Weyermann for my pils.