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Turk10mm · 07-05-2011, 07:35 PM

Anyone ever tried using non-medicated cattle feed? This isn't anything serious, but I was wondering what might happen and how it would taste. We get the stuff cheaper than dirt, and I wonder if it would even be drinkable.

anyone ever try this, any reason not to try this?

**Revvy** · 07-05-2011, 07:46 PM

They pulled all their podcasts pff the web, but a few years back the Australian Homebrewing Podcast,, "Craftbrewer Radio" did a couple episodes on home malting, and did some experiments with animal feed barley. I can't recall all the details, but some types of feed grain are somehow processed (maybe heated?) to prevent them from germinating. I thought they gave the technical or commercial name for it, and how to avoid it.

It's been so long ago I can't remember the details. I think there was a simple test you could preform where you dropped a handful into a bucket of water, and if it floated it meant one thing and if it sunk it meant another- But I can't remember which was which.

But I thought there was some they could buy at a feedstore that was usuable, and some that wasn't.

Turk10mm · 07-05-2011, 09:28 PM

Revvy, I'll look into it. Thanks for the info!!

Clann · 07-05-2011, 09:33 PM

I know they use sweetfeed on another forum to make a different kind of beverage

Turk10mm · 07-05-2011, 09:47 PM

clann, that's for another weekend

**Revvy** · 07-06-2011, 03:18 AM

I just found some info on some organic hippie website...it's kinda poorly written and repetitive til you get to the end where the info really is...

http://www.healthbanquet.com/barley-not-sprouting.html

Quote:

Hulled barley won't sprout. Hulled barley means the hull has been taken off. Hulled barley does not mean the hull is still on the barley. The barley must be unhulled to sprout. To the left is what hulled barley looks like.

I guess that is not a real well known fact. Because not only did the local grain supplier not know that hulled barley means hull removed not hull intact and that it therefore won't sprout, but neither did the barley grain suppliers in California. And surely, neither did I. I am sure many have experienced this barley not sprouting problem.

To the left is what unhulled, whole barley seed that is perfectly equipped to sprout looks like - with embryo completely intact ready to burst out and sprout.

OK, so just why won't hulled barley sprout? Well according to the very helpful barley expert who holds his PhD in Cereal Science...

Only Unhulled Barley Will Sprout

When barley is pearled or hulled, an abrasive mill (pearler) is used to remove the outer coverings of the grain (seed).

With hulled barley, the "husk" is removed. Hulled barley is also sometimes called "blocked barley". Barley retains the husk at harvest, whereas with wheat the husk would thresh free at harvest.

The husk is very high in silica (as in sand) and it makes the whole barley seed somewhat gritty and abrasive...not real palatable.

To the left is a picture of pearled barley. With pearled barley, both the husk and portions of the bran are removed. This leaves mainly the endosperm (starch and protein).

Hulled barley would be higher in insoluble fiber because there is still some bran. Pearled barley is lower in insoluble fiber because the bran is removed.

Both pearled and hulled barley are a pretty good food source of soluble fiber. The soluble fiber in barley comes from beta-glucans, and these are found in the endosperm along with starch and protein. Barley actually has a "heart healthy" claim or endorsement from the FDA...just like oats. This is because of the beta-glucans.

But going back to the barley to answer the "Why is my barley not sprouting?" question. The hulled barley will not sprout or germinate because it has no embryo (germ). The embryo is broken off in the milling process. This is true of both the hulled and the pearled barley. That's right, hulled barley and pearled barley will not sprout.

To be able to germinate or sprout the barley, you must use the whole barley seed. It cannot be pearled barley or hulled barley. Since the seed has been altered and its embryo removed, no sprouting will occur.

This is an easy mistake to make. The consumer never actually sees barley seed. Again, this is because the husk is removed to make it edible. I think if you asked the average person what barley grain looked like, they would pick pearled barley. That's because they see it in soup or in the box of Quaker barley one finds in the supermarket.

Now that I solved my barley not sprouting problem, looks like I will be making lots of barley soup with my 10 gallon bucket of hulled barley grains!

OK now, to solve your barley not sprouting situation, just buy the whole, organic, unhulled, complete in its entirety, barley seed.

So I guess that's what you need to look for at the feed store unhulled barley.

Zamial · 07-06-2011, 03:43 AM

My favy quote from that article that Revvy posted:

Quote:

OK, so just why won't hulled barley sprout? Well according to the very helpful barley expert who holds his PhD in Cereal Science...

Doctorate of cereal science...sounds legit to me...Let's see what the "Dr." says...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Cereal

Only Unhulled Barley Will Sprout

So "it just won't"...ROFLMAO

Well played Dr. you win this time...

But the idea is neat. I would also suspect there is a difference in "Spring" and "Winter" barley as to what flavors it would impart. I am also curious if the "hulled" barley would aid in head retention and flavors for extract brewing if nothing else...

edb23 · 07-06-2011, 03:54 AM

could you use it as a percentage of your grain bill the same way unmalted wheat is used?

Turk10mm · 07-06-2011, 03:39 PM

Revvy, that's a great article. Almost seems like it was written by a 10 year old, but hey, I'll try unhulled barley and post back results in a month or two.

drummerguysteve · 01-08-2012, 02:59 PM

Hey Turk, anything new on this? You've gotten my curiosity running wild, and I'd love to know how it came out.