Viking Malts

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I bought some Viking malt from Home Maker recently and used it last night. I bought their Pils, Ale, and Crystal 150. I've only just put it in the fermenter, but the colour, efficiency, & taste was all good, and the smell was amazing.

I think for the whole 4.5kg I paid about $15. Pretty happy with the price. Seems like quality stuff. Now to wait and see what the final product is like.
 
klangers said:
The main problem isn't the time to ship, but the fact that the malt spends time on a container on a ship - In the blaring sun/big storms. High temperatures and potential moisture can't be great for it. But yeah, realistically there isn't much difference.

The sad thing is that Australia is the world's biggest exporter of malting-grade barley, but we don't have much in the way of a premium domestic maltster (equivalent of Weyermann).
Mate, I've worked on the grain harvest and at GrainCorp, etc where Aussie grain comes from. It sits in the sun under a tarp for however many months it takes a buyer to take it. Most sites have limited or no silos, but the tarp bunkers work almost as good in the short term anyway. Short term being up to 6 month. This doesn't make it bad, as it's just what happens all over the world. Same for the wheat that makes your bread. Might be 12 months old before it gets to a mill. Still works and I doubt any of you can tell the difference after its malted or baked.
 
FWIW, finally got a chance to use some of my 25kg Viking Pale Ale.
The Aussie Ale's grist was 91% Viking PA malt. The efficiency was calculated as 75%, though i'd typically hit ~80% efficiency (& dilute out to hit target OG). It's currently cubed, so i'll retest the SG when i pour it into an FV at some later stage; however, the wort had an SG=1.052 (calibrated) as it drained out of the kettle.
That's an efficiency of 91%.
Obviously my awesome brewing skillz are most likely the reason for this; but there's a possibility the Viking malt may've had something to do with it B)

Just thought i'd mention it here as potentially a big tick for the efficient of this stuff.
Will have to see if this is repeated, of course.
And most importantly see what it tastes like later.
 
So I finished brewing my ale with the Viking malt, kegged it and have drank about half of it. I LOVE it. It's one of the nicest brews I've made. Not sure whether to attribute that to the yeast, grain, conditions, recipe.. I don't have enough experience (only been AG for about 6 months) but the beer tastes great, so to me that suggests it's a decent ingredient. I'll continue to use it.

Further to this, my mate bought some too and when cubing it we think it got an infection (shouldn't have crash chilled it). While sitting in a cube in his bathroom, it pressurised significantly then exploded with hilarious results. He and his fiance spent a whole Saturday washing walls and ceiling. Nothing to do with the grain, but entertaining I thought.
 
I have bought a sack of the pale malt (still only $55) didn't want to buy just enough for one batch, so bought a sack to give it a fair go. I am interested to see how the English ales turn out using it, I don't suppose it would make much difference with anyone using this malt in an American IPA.
The reason it would be cheaper is that Home Make It are the importers and it is not going through other hands.
 
Got my second sack of Viking Pale ale malt $49.50 club discount rates, aroma is amazing as is the sweetness, diastatic power really does seem to be slightly higher will be using this for my Belgian witbier so will be interesting to see if I hit the numbers with 2.6 kg of flaked wheat to convert.
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Got my second sack of Viking Pale ale malt $49.50 club discount rates, aroma is amazing as is the sweetness, diastatic power really does seem to be slightly higher will be using this for my Belgian witbier so will be interesting to see if I hit the numbers with 2.6 kg of flaked wheat to convert.
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Eh! what's this club discount thing?

Paid $55 for mine, it is a nice malt though, sure as heck better than Joe White :)
 
Got a bag today, I must say it does have a really strong aroma, looking forward to using it. Got it for $49.50 asked for a pensioner discount. I am up for trying some of their other malts to when the time crops up
 
Got a bag today, I must say it does have a really strong aroma, looking forward to using it. Got it for $49.50 asked for a pensioner discount. I am up for trying some of their other malts to when the time crops up


Not a pensioner yet but I've got a seniors card - must try flashing that next time I'm at Home Make It - you never know.
I've had a couple of lunch bills discounted after showing it recently.
 
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