Australian Roasted Barley for Stout, Porter and Dark Beer
Create the signature colour, flavour and dry finish of classic stout with Voyager Roasted Barley. Produced in the Riverina region of New South Wales by intensely roasting raw, unmalted Australian barley, this specialty brewing grain delivers strong coffee, dark chocolate, charred grain and assertive roasted bitterness.
Its deep 1350 EBC colour makes it highly effective in small quantities. Use Voyager Roasted Barley in Dry Irish Stout, Foreign Extra Stout, Imperial Stout, Porter and other dark beer styles requiring intense roast character and an opaque black appearance.
Unlike chocolate or black malt, roasted barley is not malted. This gives it the sharper, drier and more distinctive roast character traditionally associated with Irish-style stout.
Why You’ll Love Voyager Roasted Barley
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Premium Australian roasted brewing grain
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Produced by Voyager Craft Malt in the Riverina region of NSW
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Made from intensely roasted raw, unmalted barley
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Provides classic stout colour and flavour
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Strong coffee, charred grain and dark chocolate character
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Creates a dry, assertive roasted finish
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Deep 1350 EBC colour
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Highly effective at low usage rates
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Ideal for Dry Stout, Foreign Extra Stout and Imperial Stout
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Can add colour complexity to Porter and other dark ales
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Freshly packed to order by Border Brewing Supplies
Flavour Profile
Voyager Roasted Barley contributes intense freshly roasted coffee, dark chocolate, charred grain and lightly burnt flavours. Its pronounced roast bitterness helps create the firm, dry finish expected in classic Dry Irish Stout.
At lower percentages, it can add deep colour and a restrained coffee edge. Higher additions create a more assertive espresso-like roast character, greater bitterness and an opaque black appearance.
Colour: Deep brown to black
Flavour: Strong coffee, dark chocolate, charred grain and roast bitterness
Aroma: Freshly roasted coffee and dark cocoa
Body Contribution: Low
Finish: Dry, firm and roasty
Enzyme Activity: None
Typical Beer Styles
Voyager Roasted Barley is ideal for brewing:
| Stout Styles | Porter and Specialty Styles |
|---|---|
| Irish Stout | English Porter |
| Dry Stout | American Porter |
| Foreign Extra Stout | Baltic Porter |
| Tropical Stout | Robust Porter |
| Sweet Stout | Irish Red Ale |
| Oatmeal Stout | Black IPA |
| Coffee Stout | Schwarzbier |
| American Stout | Dark Mild |
| Imperial Stout | Brown Ale |
| Pastry Stout | Specialty Dark Beer |
These styles benefit from roasted barley’s ability to create deep colour, pronounced coffee flavour and a dry roasted finish.
Product Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Producer | Voyager Craft Malt |
| Country of Origin | Australia |
| Region | Riverina, New South Wales |
| Product Type | Roasted Unmalted Barley |
| Grain | Australian barley |
| Malted | No |
| Colour | Approximately 1350 EBC |
| Flavour | Strong coffee, dark chocolate and charred grain |
| Enzyme Activity | None |
| Typical Usage | Approximately 2–10% of the grain bill |
As a natural agricultural product, appearance and analysis may vary slightly between batches.
Brewing Tips
Use approximately 2–4% of the total grain bill to add dark colour, subtle coffee character and a restrained roasted edge.
Use approximately 4–7% in Dry Irish Stout, Porter and Foreign Extra Stout for a clearly defined coffee flavour, dark colour and firm roasted finish.
Use approximately 7–10% in Imperial Stout and other intensely roasted dark beers. Higher additions can produce substantial roast bitterness and charred flavour, so they should be balanced against the beer’s body, sweetness and alcohol level.
Roasted barley can be crushed and added directly to the mash with the other grains. It contains no enzymes and must be mashed with sufficient enzymatic base malt.
For a smoother and less bitter roast character, consider adding the crushed roasted barley during the final portion of the mash or cold-steeping it separately before adding the strained liquid to the brewing wort.
Small additions can help create red highlights in Irish Red Ale, but excessive roasted barley will quickly shift the beer towards brown or black and introduce noticeable coffee flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Voyager Roasted Barley?
Voyager Roasted Barley is an intensely roasted Australian brewing grain made from raw, unmalted barley. It contributes deep colour, strong coffee flavour and the dry roast bitterness associated with traditional stout.
Is roasted barley a malt?
No. Roasted barley is produced from unmalted barley, while black malt and chocolate malt are made from malted barley. This difference gives roasted barley its particularly dry, sharp and distinctive roast character.
What flavour does roasted barley add to beer?
It contributes strong roasted coffee, dark chocolate, charred grain and lightly burnt flavours. It also adds a firm roast bitterness and dry finish.
What beer styles use roasted barley?
Roasted barley is most closely associated with Dry Irish Stout, but it can also be used in Foreign Extra Stout, Tropical Stout, Oatmeal Stout, American Stout, Imperial Stout, Porter, Black IPA and other dark beers.
How much roasted barley should I use?
Use approximately 2–4% for subtle colour and roast character, 4–7% for most stouts and porters, or around 7–10% for an intense roast contribution in Imperial Stout and other strongly flavoured dark beers.
Does roasted barley need to be mashed?
Roasted barley can be added directly to an all-grain mash, but it has no enzymatic activity and must be used with a suitable enzymatic base malt.
Can roasted barley be cold-steeped?
Yes. Cold-steeping crushed roasted barley separately can extract colour and flavour while reducing some of the sharper bitterness and astringency associated with adding it directly to the full mash.
What is the difference between roasted barley and chocolate malt?
Roasted barley is unmalted and generally contributes a drier, sharper coffee flavour with more assertive roast bitterness. Chocolate malt is malted and usually provides smoother cocoa, chocolate and toasted flavours.
What is the difference between roasted barley and black malt?
Both are intensely roasted grains, but roasted barley is unmalted and strongly associated with dry, coffee-like stout character. Black malt is made from malted barley and can contribute sharper burnt-toast, charcoal and dark chocolate notes.
Can roasted barley be used in Irish Red Ale?
Yes, but only in a very small quantity. Approximately 0.5–2% can add deep red highlights and subtle dryness without making the beer taste like stout. The final result depends on the rest of the grain bill.
What can I substitute for roasted barley?
Other brands of roasted barley can generally be substituted at a similar percentage. Black malt can provide comparable colour, but its flavour is different and the amount may need to be adjusted.
Buy Voyager Roasted Barley online from Border Brewing Supplies. Available in freshly packed quantities for home brewers throughout Australia, with local collection from our Tweed Heads South home brew shop, conveniently located for customers from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Northern Rivers and QLD–NSW border region.
