The History of Malted Milk Powder
![]() |
Bottle circa 1920 from Flying Tiger Antiques. |
As a term, "malt" refers to the result of a specific process: a grain is placed in a warm environment so that it sprouts, then quickly dried. The result is a naturally sweet mash that is used as a base for beer and whiskey. Malted milk powder is that sprouted, dried grain, ground up and added to powdered milk, wheat flour, and sometimes other ingredients, like sugar - or, in the case of its original incarnation, grain that is sprouted and cooked with the milk, dried, and then ground all together. (The result is similar, though the process is different.) Even without additional sugar, malted milk is sweet enough to replace sugar in some recipes - most restaurant and hotel pancake mixes do this. If you want to try this at home, one tablespoon of sugar can be replaced by 1/8 cup of malted milk powder.
The history of malted milk starts in England. In 1869, James Horlicks qualified as a pharmacist in London. He began working on a supplement for infants and invalids. However, he encountered a problem common to artists and scientists: he lacked funding. Unable to raise the capital he needed to market his new drink in Europe, he left the UK in 1873 and joined his younger brother, William, a mechanic who had London left four years earlier in order to work with a distant relative's quarry in Racine, Wisconsin. The two brothers founded J & W Horlicks in nearby Chicago and began manufacturing their new formula.
By 1883, the brothers were back in Racine with a US patent for "granulated food for infants" that they were marketing as "Diastoid." (In 1887, they gave up that rather unappetizing name for the more enticing "malted milk," which they trademarked.) Their patent combined "the nutritive parts of the cereals with milk... and render[ed] such food free from all souring tendency irrespective of the climate... [while being] readily soluble in water." In other words, James had created a nutritious powder from barley malt, ground wheat (or oats), and milk that would not easily spoil and could be mixed with water for an instant drink.
![]() |
Malted milk powder. |
Flash forward to 2011, and malted milk powder is most commonly found in brittle, malted milk balls, and the milkshakes that we simply call "malts." It's less popular as a standalone drink in the US, where the major manufacturers are Carnation and Ovaltine, but Horlicks remains popular in the UK, India, and Southeast Asia. Interestingly, India, the brand's largest market, continues to consider malted milk a health food drink aimed at children. Horlicks became popular there in the 1930's, and now 2 billion cups of the stuff are consumed every year. But the formula for Horlicks in India is slightly different than the rest of the world: there, given cultural concerns, the powder is made from buffalo, rather than cows milk. While I doubt the flavor difference is that odd after the manufacturing process is done, it still sounds a bit strange to my Americanized ears. Buffalo milkshakes, anyone?
Thank you for the interesting history!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I used this info for a school project... :P
ReplyDeleteInteresting that India, using buffalo milk, has taken the drink back to it's original roots.
ReplyDeleteI have a small bottle that says: Horlicks malted milk lunch tablets, was wandering from what year?
ReplyDeleteMalted Milk Tablets for Horlicks were being advertised during WWI (the ad copy encourages British citizens to send these to their friends/ family who were serving as soldiers), so I assume it was present at the very least during that period (1914- 18), if not before.
DeleteInteresting! It's creative ideas
ReplyDeletei must say that you have researched a lot about the malted milk powder thank you
ReplyDeleteThe Information I found is quite nice and helped me alot. Thanks for this
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI think you have the best understanding of blogs.Do help me
Here's my site Check it out and give suggestions.
ReplyDeleteIts really worth to read this post thanks for Sharing amazing post
See more..
ReplyDeleteWOW! Amazing.You are always an inspiration thanks.
Click here
ReplyDeleteThanks, author for sharing your idea.
Click here
ReplyDeleteWOW! Amazing.You are always an inspiration thanks.
Click here
Freedom APK for Windows
ReplyDeleteFreedom APK Alternatives
Nice information new look keep up the good work
ReplyDeleteNice platform check website
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this nice article.
Click Here
chopay lao fer
DeleteIt's nice to read your blog posts.Keep posting that amazing stuff.
ReplyDeleteI am also trying to follow your footsteps
Here's my site
ReplyDeletereally great post click to see this.
Click Here
ReplyDeleteThe nice information I really like this keep it up!
Click Here
cancel freedom app
ReplyDeletefreedom app refund
I'll follow the steps and make it with the help of this article.
ReplyDeletet&t millennia city
Saigon metro mall
GKG.com.vn
ReplyDeleteIt's best knowledge shared on this topic. I have never seen such accurate post
read more..
Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
ReplyDeletesee more
Thanks it was really really helpful, keep posting such stuffs, Also you guys will be amazed after watching.
ReplyDeleteFor more information, click here
very good information given by your blog.
ReplyDeletethanks! see more
Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
ReplyDeletesee more
its nice to be here.keep posting such content
ReplyDeleteclick here
its nice to be here.keep posting such content
ReplyDeleteclick here
Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
ReplyDeletesee more
very good information given by your blog.
ReplyDeletethanks! see more
Thanks a lot for sharing that article with your audience.
ReplyDeletesee more..
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing as always. the value you put in the your blogs in really appreciateable
Click here
very good information given by your blog.
ReplyDeletethanks! vist website
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this amazing post.
for more info
Thanks for sharing this intresting post.
ReplyDeletesee this
Thanks for sharing this amazing post.
ReplyDeletevisit website
very good information given by your blog.
ReplyDeletethanks! see more
its nice to be here.keep posting such content
ReplyDeletefor more info
I'm happy I found this blog.
ReplyDeletethanks! website
thanks for amazaing information.
ReplyDeletelook here
I wanted to thank you for this great read! keep positing here...
ReplyDeleteclick here
It is literally helpful. Keep doing work on that sort of posts.
ReplyDeletemy website
ReplyDeleteits nice to be here.keep posting such content
click here
thanks for amazaing information.
ReplyDeleteclick website
Nice Informative Post. Great work Really Appreciated.
ReplyDeletethanks! website
good work! nice to see this beautiful work. must visit
ReplyDeleteWhat a great platform that for such nice information.
ReplyDeletejhon
The place else may just I am getting that kind of information written in such a perfect way.
ReplyDeleteclick here
Beautifully construted and well organized article. Keep thriving :)
ReplyDeleteClick here..
KFC with an end goal to meet and surpass client desires offers its esteemed clients to round out a client criticism to be filled in return for a prize coupon with a free chicken cup.
ReplyDeletevisit my kfc experience
KFC with an end goal to meet and surpass client desires offers its esteemed clients to round out a client criticism to be filled in return for a prize coupon with a free chicken cup.
ReplyDeletevisit my kfc experience
KFC with an end goal to meet and surpass client desires offers its esteemed clients to round out a client criticism to be filled in return for a prize coupon with a free chicken cup.
ReplyDeletevisit my kfc experience
KFC with an end goal to meet and surpass client desires offers its esteemed clients to round out a client criticism to be filled in return for a prize coupon with a free chicken cup.
ReplyDeletevisit my kfc experience
Thanks for nice and informative post. This article is really contains lot more information about this topic. Buy quality dried cereals and grasses stems online at effective prices at si-nature.com/en/. Visit here online dried grain stalks
ReplyDeleteThis is a smart blog. I mean it. You have an excellent knowledge about this topic. Thanks for sharing such a great blogs to us. Ovaltine Powder 400g Exporters Online
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeletevery interesting to learn and easy to understand. for more know go
buy google reviews
Your posts are my cup of tea. I'm interested in your articles. I always read them everyday and wait for incoming ones. It's because your posts are interesting.
ReplyDeleteSpiderman T-Rex Runner -running games 4 boys
Candy Super Match3-Candy games 4 kids
Hamburger- Food games for girls!
friv4school123.blogspot.com