577977 Sat Dec 06 17:50:46 -0800 2008 24 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 4226136 I love chocolate malts, and I always have to ask for EXTRA EXTRA malt in order to get enough of the delicious malt flavor I am looking for. Unfortunately, most places us Carnation Malted Milk powder, which I believe contains at least as much powdered milk as malt. It always seemed a little redundant to me to add milk powder to a milk shake. I am on a quest to find the strongest pure malt flavor that I can without having to use a "malted milk" product. I found some online homebrew/beer stores that offer powdered malt extract, and I have seen a lot of recommendations for a product called Horlick's. I am wondering if anybody has any experience with or advice about what I should try? Is liquid malt extract more powerfully flavored than powdered? Is malt extract actually what I am looking for? Is Horlick's going to provide the strong flavor I am craving? Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer! Angus Sat Dec 06 17:50:46 -0800 2008 117760 angusb 1 4226277 Horlicks is similar to Carnation. The ingredients list starts: wheat flour, malted barley, sugar, dried skimmed milk, etc. My jar was made in Jamaica under license from the UK company. Another malt flavor source is a malt sugar powder from the bulk section of health food store. Ive seen ones with something like 65% maltose sugar. Sat Dec 06 19:21:49 -0800 2008 4226136 12139 paulj 1 4226310 Horlicks is much much maltier tasting than Carnation. You'll find it in any Asian or Indian market. Try to get the original, unflavored Horlicks. Be aware, too, that it doesn't dissolve easily. Sat Dec 06 19:43:10 -0800 2008 4226136 10089 Jim Leff 2 4226400 I'm off to the Asian market tomorrow in search of Horlick's. I'm wondering about that "malt extract" from the home brew shop, though. Does anybody have any experience with it? Is it actually malty tasting, or is it just a sugar used for the fermentation? Researching it online, it seems that it's just an air dried version of the liquid malt, which I've never come across. I did see one post where somebody said that the liquid malt doesn't provide as much malt flavor as the powders, which seems almost counter-intuitive. I'd think that liquid malt extract would be at least somewhat concentrated. Sat Dec 06 21:06:33 -0800 2008 4226310 117760 angusb 3 4226504 I am guessing at bit here: the main malt flavor comes from maltose, a sugar composed to two glucose simple sugars (regular sugar is sucrose, a fructose and a glucose). A major source is sprouted grain, especially barley. As kid we would sprout wheat berries (grains), then dry and toast them slightly. The result had a mild malt flavor. I suppose variables include how long you let the grains sprout, and how long you roast them. Beer makers are aware of those variations. I don't know if malt flavoring makers play with these things or not. I've seen some malt flavored sodas from the Caribbean, but I don't recall what they taste like. Sat Dec 06 22:38:35 -0800 2008 4226400 12139 paulj 4 4226853 That's what I'm wondering about. Is the flavor of malt really just the flavor of maltose? If so, it seems that the purest malt flavor would be achieved by simply adding maltose. My totally unsupported hunch, though, is that the flavor I think of as "malt" actually involves more than just maltose--the by-products of malting, barley solids, etc. I'm heading out this morning to try to find some Horlick's, so hopefully that will be the answer for me. Sun Dec 07 07:39:15 -0800 2008 4226504 117760 angusb 3 4226864 malt extract at home brew shops is indeed powerfully malty. Bear in mind that there are different grades of the stuff, though. It actually might be a bit much. The Horlicks may be all you need. But if you do want to dive more deeply into the world of malt, for sure, go talk to some homebrewers. In fact, you may want to post a "heads up" to our beer message board, inviting people over there to come join this discussion. one more thing: do a web search for "malteasers". Very malty malt balls from britain, easily available mail order (if you have any british or irish specialty shops where you are, you can surely find them there, too) Sun Dec 07 07:44:08 -0800 2008 4226400 10089 Jim Leff 4 4227298 Thanks for the tip. I actually just got back from the Homebrew shop and the Indian grocery. I got some Horlick's and several types of malt extract. I found that the malt extract provided an excellent malty flavor, and it also mixed in much more easily than the Horlick's (the Horlick's was not quite as malty, and it lent a distinct grittiness to the chocolate malted). I tried dark, amber, and extra light malt extract, and I was surprised that the maltiest tasting of the lot was the "extra light." Sun Dec 07 11:50:35 -0800 2008 4226864 117760 angusb 5 4227324 that's because it's the least roasted, i.e. the least processed. That's the only difference: more roasting means darker color. something to look for: maris otter malt. It's the maltiest malt. You can taste it most easily, if you're on the east coast, in brooklyn brewery's pennant ale. but a really good homebrew shop (or mail order) should be able to get you some. Sun Dec 07 12:11:46 -0800 2008 4227298 10089 Jim Leff 6 4227550 Thanks! I just ordered some of the maris otter. I look forward to trying it. Sun Dec 07 14:16:31 -0800 2008 4227324 117760 angusb 7 4231092 Thanks for doing so much "research" on my favorite flavor...will you please follow up when you receive the Maris Otter Malt? I'm extremely interested in your results...thanks again! Mon Dec 08 19:15:12 -0800 2008 4227550 10485 ChowFun_derek 1 4228879 Another route to take can be found in the Latin section of your grocery store. Look for Malta in the soda section, yep...malt flavored soda. Mon Dec 08 07:27:33 -0800 2008 4226136 43623 chilihead 1 4228934 this was interesting. I think malt shakes are quite an American thing, but somehow it never occurred that I could make them here. Three things: I think Horlicks has a lot of milk powder in it, which kind of puts me off it. Maltesers are great, but i should add that they're covered in (good) milk chocolate, and they're like fake honeycomb or something. How do you go about making a chocolate/vanilla malt shake? Is it as simple as adding milk to icecream, then malt to taste? Mon Dec 08 07:51:49 -0800 2008 4226136 180623 Soop 2 4229278 While malt shakes are American, many other uses of malt flavoring have died out here. Even in shakes, other flavors have come to dominate. It seems to be much more popular in various corners of the (ex)British empire, as shown by the manufacture and sale of Horlicks. Mon Dec 08 09:36:27 -0800 2008 4228934 12139 paulj 2 4231377 Soop, yes, exactly. A malt is a milkshake with some type of malt flavor added. I blend up chocolate ice cream with just a little bit of milk until it gets to the right (thick) consistency, then add the malt and blend quickly again. You can do the same with vanilla ice cream, of course, and many people start with vanilla as a base and then add whatever flavor they want as a syrup or sauce (chocolate) or pieces of fruit (strawberry, peaches, etc.). Mon Dec 08 21:27:43 -0800 2008 4228934 117760 angusb 1 4230421 I just found at a healthfood store Aunt Pattys (.com) Barley Malt Syrup, 12oz for about $3. It's thick like honey, mildly sweet (maltose is supposed to be 35% as sweet as sucrose), with a slight acid background taste. Mon Dec 08 14:58:42 -0800 2008 4226136 12139 paulj 1 4232435 How about sorghum molasses? Compare malt syrup side-by-side with sorghum some time; you might like it. Makes delicious "malted" milkshakes, in my humble opinion. Tue Dec 09 09:46:40 -0800 2008 4226136 227202 vtnewbie 2 4234519 I still haven't had a chance to try malt syrup, but the malt I'm talking about tastes nothing like sorghum. Well, maybe there are some similarities, but I could eat malt every day, and I only get a hankering for sorghum every couple of years. I do appreciate the flavor of sorghum in certain types of cookies and baked goods, just as I appreciate the flavor of malt in some items. After tasting the Horlick's powder mixed with milk, I realized that malt is one of the main flavor components of Grape-Nuts. I actually appreciated the Horlick's more prepared that way than when it was blended into a chocolate malt. Tue Dec 09 21:46:01 -0800 2008 4232435 117760 angusb 3 4235301 I'd certainly agree that sorghum molasses tastes nothing like malted milk powder. Wed Dec 10 08:23:46 -0800 2008 4234519 227202 vtnewbie 1 4234617 I just read in a Chinese cookbook (Barbara Tropp 1982) that China has long used maltose. She says this version is pale gold in color, sticky and hard. She mentions 2 brands that come in crocks - Tungoon Genuine Maltose, Butterfly Brand Maltose. Since the book's a bit dated current availablity may be different, but I'll have to keep an eye out for it next time I shop at 99 Ranch (or the new H Mart). Tue Dec 09 23:23:47 -0800 2008 4226136 12139 paulj 2 4235919 This is just maltose syrup and has no malt flavor as such. It also would not dissolve very readily - it's hard to sink a spoon in it, a very resistant thick syrup. Strange and rather wonderful texture for a food product. I've only used it to coat duck for "Peking" duck. Wed Dec 10 10:56:48 -0800 2008 4234617 13709 buttertart 3 4236300 I just tasted some. As you say, a very resistant liquid. The taste is mild, almost buttery, more butterscotch or Golden Syrup like. Wed Dec 10 12:38:05 -0800 2008 4235919 12139 paulj 4 4241853 Was going to compare it to Tate & Lyle's but wasn't sure if it would be a well enough known referent. Fri Dec 12 09:45:57 -0800 2008 4236300 13709 buttertart 5 4245454 Liquid malt extract can be found at many health food shops and it is, as you might expect, extremely malty. Delicious! It's also very sticky and viscuous so it's easier to stir it into warm milk than cold. Whip it up till it's got a frothy head. Add a linch of cinammon or nutmeg on top. And a tot of rum! Amazing! Sun Dec 14 06:16:42 -0800 2008 4241853 243254 paddydubai 6 4245658 Thanks..that sounds delicious...a new way to use malt! I can't wait to find some and try the liguid version! Sun Dec 14 08:35:23 -0800 2008 4245454 10485 ChowFun_derek