Malt prices to increase due to poor malt barley harvest

[MichaelM]

Reports indicate that there is a lower intake of malt grade barley from farmers than previously anticipated due to the heat wave during the last part the season. Most barley received does not meet specifications and is being regarded as feed barley. My guess is that we can expect an increase in malt prices in the near future due to a shortage of Australian malt and higher demand for imported malt. Any thoughts?

 

[Yob]

from where? Europe the states or locally?

 

[S.E]

Oh well, at least we can look forward to a drop in beef prices due to the abundance of cheap feed barley.

 

[DU99]

There are plenty of imported malts on the market.

 

[mosto]

I work in stockfeed related industry and the unfavourable weather conditions for the current harvest has led to a decrease in quality of all grains, including barley. Lots of feed grade barley around.

 

[MichaelM]

Du99. It's economics mate. Supply and demand.

 

[MichaelM]

Yob: Australian Barley harvest. Sorry should have made it clearer.

 

[NewtownClown]

link?

 

[NewtownClown]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-24/malt-barley-crop-suffers-from-heat/6954104

"Unfortunately for farmers in Australia, a less than average national malting barley crop has not resulted in a significant price increase for malt grade".
"In typical years when retention rates were this low you would see probably more aggressive pricing at this stage, but globally there is an oversupply of malt barley," he said.

 

[Yob]

The reports I read from OS were favourable, Im not convinced that AU Grains will rise significantly in the face of good supply from OS at comparable rates. There will be mass defection. I Use a decent amount of JWM but if it raised by $10 a bag, Id switch to other imported malts in a hart beat. (I also use imported malts as it stands but you know what I mean)

 

[DU99]

Brewers within Australia buy on average just under one million tonnes of malt barley each year.
Mr Gee did not think the below average malt barley crop would impact beer prices.
"I think the beer price is dependant on many more things other than the price of malt. Malt is actually a very small component of production in beer, even though it is what beer is all about," he said.

 

[TheWiggman]

Many more things, namely: tax.

 

[fraser_john]

Yep, I know someone whose father was expecting a very profitable barley harvest based on early season growth, but the heat just after seed set knocked it on its head and is resulting in another loss.

 

[Yob]

bit :icon_offtopic: but has anyone actually brewed with feed grade? I mean, I know it has no power to convert as I assume it's all non malted, but would you notice %20 added to a grist?

Surely one of you tight fisted bastards has given it a go?

 

[klangers]

bit :icon_offtopic: but has anyone actually brewed with feed grade? I mean, I know it has no power to convert as I assume it's all non malted, but would you notice %20 added to a grist?

Surely one of you tight fisted bastards has given it a go?

I will let you know in the coming months when I expect my home malt plant to be up and running. I'll malt some and find the differences.

Feed grade is often simply less homogenous in terms of grain size, as us brewers like big fat grains that don't fall through our false bottoms. Before anyone jumps in, I am very well aware that other critical parameters (protein/nitrogen, frost damage, cleanliness etc) often fall short too.

 

[MichaelM]

Malt grade barley has a lower protein content than other varieties around 12%. Any barley that doesn't meet malting quality specifications gets regarded as food or feed grade. High protein levels in beer are not good for various reasons such as off flavours and haze.