Powells Malt - My Experiences

[Ross]

Think that Holgate also uses Powells. ??

Warren -

[post="65380"][/post]​

Hope that wasn't the cause of the 2nd worst draught beer (Holgate Pilsner) accolade they achieved on my recent trip - There again their bottled white wit was probably the best wheat beer tasted on the trip also...

 

[Tony]

recently purchased 25 kg bag of hoepfner wheat malt from ESB in sydney and it had a lot of barley mived in to it, i recon 10%.

Got it chaep for $33 so im not complaining but...........

 

[user 384]

The Taste Test

Well last night I put the beer to the taste test and it's come up a treat. The beer was a Mild and at an OG of only 1.035, it needs a good malt to give the beer enough flavour. In the past I've used Thomas Fawcett's floor malted Mariss Otter for the base malt of this beer and they've always been a success (at least to my tastes). I reckon the Powells Ale malt performed just as well. Even with a sluggish ferment, the beer has fermented out extremely well.

So in terms of taste, I'd give this malt an initial thumbs up.

As I said all along, these are just my experiences, but I would encourage all AHB members to give the malt a try.

My thoughst are that the combination of traditional floor malting practices coupled with freshness make this a pretty good malt (other issues aside).

Cheers
MAH

 

[Sean]

The Taste Test

Well last night I put the beer to the taste test and it's come up a treat. The beer was a Mild and at an OG of only 1.035, it needs a good malt to give the beer enough flavour. In the past I've used Thomas Fawcett's floor malted Mariss Otter for the base malt of this beer and they've always been a success (at least to my tastes). I reckon the Powells Ale malt performed just as well. Even with a sluggish ferment, the beer has fermented out extremely well.

So in terms of taste, I'd give this malt an initial thumbs up.

As I said all along, these are just my experiences, but I would encourage all AHB members to give the malt a try.

My thoughst are that the combination of traditional floor malting practices coupled with freshness make this a pretty good malt (other issues aside).

Cheers
MAH

[post="65651"][/post]​

If it can brew a good Mild, that's a very good test. Mild is heavily dependent on a good base malt and a good yeast (and a good brewer). I haven't done a Mild with it yet - that's on the agenda for next week.

Any chance of posting your recipe for interest's sake?

 

[user 384]

Hi Sean

Recipe was fairly simple.

OG 1.035
Mashed at 66C for 90 minutes
3.2kg Powells Ale
200gm TF Brown
150 TF Chocolate
150 TF Crystal

17IBU's
UK Fuggle 28gms @ 60mins
UK Fuggle 14gms @ 0mins

Windsor dried yeast.

Not sure if I would bother with the Brown malt in the future and will probably just stick with ale, chocolate and crystal.

Cheers
MAH

 

[warrenlw63]

MAH,

Did you use the Pale Choc? It's good stuff.

Warren -

 

[user 384]

MAH,

Did you use the Pale Choc? It's good stuff.

Warren -

[post="65675"][/post]​

Hi Warren

No, it was the standard Chocolate. 940EBC I think.

Cheers
MAH

 

[Malnourished]

Anybody care to comment on extract efficiency with Powell's malts?
I noticed a slight drop when using the Pilsner malt (though it was with unmalted spelt so that may account for some of it), but I only got about 50% efficiency (down from ~80%) with the organic malt.

 

[Ross]

Anybody care to comment on extract efficiency with Powell's malts?
I noticed a slight drop when using the Pilsner malt (though it was with unmalted spelt so that may account for some of it), but I only got about 50% efficiency (down from ~80%) with the organic malt.

[post="65811"][/post]​

would hardly call a 30% decrease slight?

 

[Sean]

I've only used the Pale Ale malt (and wheat as a character malt), but I haven't observed any change in my efficiency of Fawcetts or Whites. (Not that I try for super efficiency - I get 70% consistantly and I'm happy with that.)

 

[sosman]

Anybody care to comment on extract efficiency with Powell's malts?
I noticed a slight drop when using the Pilsner malt (though it was with unmalted spelt so that may account for some of it), but I only got about 50% efficiency (down from ~80%) with the organic malt.

[post="65811"][/post]​

I haven't noticed any difference in extract. I have only used their wheat, ale and munich malts.

 

[Malnourished]

would hardly call a 30% decrease slight?

[post="65813"][/post]​

To clarify:
Powell's Pilsner malt - ~5-10% drop
Powell's Organic malt - ~30% drop.

It makes sense that organic malt would give less extract, but this seems extreme.
Is there any chance it needs a different (non-infusion) mash schedule? I would think it's unlikely...

 

[Sean]

would hardly call a 30% decrease slight?

[post="65813"][/post]​

To clarify:
Powell's Pilsner malt - ~5-10% drop
Powell's Organic malt - ~30% drop.

It makes sense that organic malt would give less extract, but this seems extreme.
Is there any chance it needs a different (non-infusion) mash schedule? I would think it's unlikely...

[post="65823"][/post]​

Was this a single brew or a repeat experience?

Anyone else tried the organic?

 

[Malnourished]

Was this a single brew or a repeat experience?

[post="65824"][/post]​

Only once each...

 

[Batz]

I'll like too try a bag of caramalt to divie up as well , but I am a bit suss on this one after MAH's report , may come from the same batch.

Batz

 

[user 384]

Quick update. Powells have been in touch with me about the Caramalt and Munich malt. Seems that they found a couple more bags of the Munich with mould. They believe it has occured due to moisture coming up throught the concrete floor.

Powells have offered to replace both bags with Ale malt.

Cheers
MAH

 

[GMK]

Mark

That is excellent customer service !

 

[Boots]

I have just had a look at the half bag of Organic Pilsener which I went in on with Roach. He'd previously said he'd checked it so I didn't bother looking....
Was sharing a beer with Dicko and the conversation turned to malt so we had a look .... and I found mouldy grain.

Lots of the split grains where covered on the open part of the grain (i.e. not the husk, but the inside). A fair few whole grains also had mould along the seam of the grain.

So anyone who got the organic pilsener should make sure their grain is good.

Similar results as everyone else re: foreign matter.

 

[nonicman]

G'day Boots,
I'm keen on trying this grain, please post the feedback/response from Powells to this problem. Hopefully if notified they will recheck their stocks and I will recieve a mould free bag . If they respond as they did with Mah, all should be good. Hopefully this is a production/storage problem they have since overcome.

Cheers

 

[Batz]

nonicman I have emailed Powells regards our concerns about these problems , I have also given them the link to this thread.

I will await thier response before well place our order.

Batz