Golden Naked Oats

Golden Naked Oats are very different in appearance from Malted Oats and this is because Golden Naked Oats are made from a naked oat.

As the name implies, naked oats naturally thresh free from the husk during harvest. This means that they can be tricky for farmers to grow and this is reflected in the small acreage of naked oats grown throughout the UK compared to other oats. Nevertheless, this natural grain is nutrient dense with high digestible energy. As a result, it’s suitable for use across a range of sectors, including malting.

That’s the first difference. The second major difference is that, unlike Malted Oats, Golden Naked Oats go through the roasting process. This happens at our Tivetshall St Margaret maltings in Norfolk, UK.

In going through our Roast House, albeit a light roast similar to that of our Caramalt, Golden Naked Oats become gently caramelised. So, while you get the creaminess and smoothness that is typical of oat products, there is an extra dimension to Golden Naked Oats.

The best way to differentiate between the two is by flavour. Malted Oats are akin to a porridge oat, while Golden Naked Oats taste like a sugary breakfast cereal bar. The gentle caramelisation during the roasting phase generates this sweetness.

So, what impact does this taste have during the process? Well, the chemical reactions that take place in the Roast House mean that the sugars created through gentle caramelisation are unfermentable. This flavour holds throughout the brewing process to the finished beer.

The sugars generated in Malted Oats, meanwhile, are fermentable.

Like Malted Oats, Golden Naked Oats can be added to many beers. However, due to its bolder, sweeter flavours generated because of the unfermentable sugars, it tends to be used up to a maximum of 10% of the mash.