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Unmalted Barley for Whiskey & Distilling

Unmalted barley for whiskey is a great choice for traditional whiskey recipes, Irish-style whiskey, and custom grain mash bills. Unlike malted barley, this grain has not gone through the malting process. As a result, it keeps the character of raw barley while providing plenty of starch for fermentation.

Distillers often combine unmalted barley with malted barley or other grains. You can also use commercial enzymes to convert its starches into fermentable sugars.

Why Use Unmalted Barley for Whiskey?

Using unmalted barley for whiskey gives you another way to control the flavor and character of your mash. Raw barley can contribute cereal and grain notes while adding body to the finished spirit.

It works especially well in Irish-inspired whiskey recipes. However, you can also experiment with it in other all-grain mash bills.

Use unmalted barley for:

• Irish-style whiskey
• Pot still whiskey recipes
• Mixed barley mash bills
• Moonshine recipes
• Experimental whiskey
• Custom all-grain recipes

Unmalted Barley vs. Malted Barley

Unmalted and malted barley serve different purposes in a whiskey mash.

Unmalted barley is raw grain that has not gone through the malting process. Therefore, it does not provide the same level of active enzymes found in properly malted barley.

Malted barley, on the other hand, develops enzymes during malting. Those enzymes can help convert grain starches into sugars that yeast can ferment.

Many traditional recipes use both grains together. This combination lets you get the character of raw barley while taking advantage of the enzymes found in malted grain.

How to Mash Unmalted Barley

When using unmalted barley for whiskey, proper starch conversion matters. The grain contains plenty of starch, but yeast cannot efficiently ferment raw starch.

First, mill or crush the barley to expose the inside of the kernel. Next, cook or mash the grain at the appropriate temperatures.

You will also need a source of enzymes. Depending on your recipe, you can use malted barley with enough diastatic power. You can also use commercial enzymes such as high-temperature alpha-amylase and glucoamylase.

Alpha-amylase helps break down large starch molecules during the mash. Glucoamylase then helps break those starches down further into fermentable sugars.

Always follow the directions and temperature requirements for the specific enzymes you use.

Unmalted Barley for Irish-Style Whiskey

Unmalted barley for whiskey has a strong connection to traditional Irish whiskey production. Irish pot still whiskey historically developed around mash bills that combined malted and unmalted barley.

That combination creates a different grain profile than a mash made entirely from malted barley.

For home distillers and whiskey makers, unmalted barley provides an opportunity to experiment with this traditional approach. Try combining it with malted barley, or build your own multi-grain recipe.

Build Your Own Barley Mash Bill

You don’t have to follow one specific recipe. Unmalted barley for whiskey works well as part of many custom mash bills.

Combine it with malted barley for a barley-forward whiskey. Alternatively, add corn, rye, or wheat to create something completely different.

Experimenting with different percentages allows you to develop a mash bill that fits the whiskey you want to make.

Quality Grain for Your Next Whiskey Mash

Whether you’re making an Irish-inspired recipe or developing your own mash bill, unmalted barley for whiskey gives you a versatile grain with plenty of possibilities.

Pair it with malted barley and the proper enzymes for efficient starch conversion. Then adjust your grain percentages to create your own flavor profile.

Product Details

Grain: Unmalted Barley
Type: Raw, unmalted grain
Recommended Uses: Whiskey, Irish-style whiskey, pot still recipes, moonshine, and custom mash bills
Malted: No
Enzymes Required: Use malted grain with adequate diastatic power and/or appropriate commercial enzymes
Recommended Pairings: Malted barley, corn, rye, wheat, distiller’s yeast, and mashing enzymes