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What are the different types of malt used in malt milkshakes?

Quick answer

A malted milkshake is a shake made with malted milk powder. The FDA's compliance guide defines malted milk as whole milk combined with the liquid from a mash of ground barley malt and wheat flour, with water then removed. We found no official source listing 'types' of malt for shakes.

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In this article
  1. What is malt in a milkshake?
  2. What is in malted milk?
  3. What is the difference between a malt and a milkshake?
  4. What types of malt are used?
  5. What does malt taste like?
  6. What are the types of malt beverage?
  7. What is malt ice cream?

What is malt in a milkshake?

Malt in a milkshake usually means malted milk powder. The FDA compliance guide (CPG Sec. 527.500, based on a 1936 definition) describes malted milk as the product made by combining whole milk with the liquid separated from a mash of ground barley malt and wheat flour, so that the malt enzymes act fully, and by removing water.

What is in malted milk?

  • Whole milk.
  • Liquid from a mash of ground barley malt and wheat flour.
  • Optionally sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and potassium bicarbonate.

The FDA says the result contains not less than 7.5 percent butterfat and not more than 3.5 percent moisture.

What is the difference between a malt and a milkshake?

A milkshake is the base drink, and a malt is that drink with malted milk added. The FDA guide does not define the shakes themselves, so this is our reading, not an FDA statement.

What types of malt are used?

The FDA guide names one malt ingredient: ground barley malt, used with wheat flour. We found no official source that lists separate types or flavors of malt for milkshakes, so we do not list any. Brands can differ, and the guide is old, so check the label of the product you buy. It will show whether it contains wheat, barley and milk, which matters for allergies.

What does malt taste like?

We found no official source that describes malt flavor, so we do not describe it here.

What are the types of malt beverage?

This is a different meaning of “malt” from the milkshake one. The US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) says “beer,” “lager beer,” “lager,” “ale,” “porter” and “stout” are examples of class designations for malt beverages, used when the product is known to the trade under that name. Any malt beverage may also bear the class designation “malt beverage.”

Malt beverages with less than 0.5% alcohol by volume must be labeled “malt beverage,” “cereal beverage” or “near beer.” TTB ties the term to products made from both malted barley and hops.

What is malt ice cream?

We found no FDA, USDA or other official definition of malt ice cream, so we do not define it. If you buy a malted product, the label will show whether it contains milk, barley or wheat.

People also ask

What is a malted milkshake?

A milkshake made with malted milk powder. The FDA defines malted milk as whole milk combined with a barley malt and wheat flour mash liquid, with water removed.

What is the difference between a milkshake and a malt?

Our reading of the FDA definition: a malt is a milkshake with malted milk added. The FDA does not define the drinks themselves.

What is in malted milk?

Whole milk plus the liquid from a mash of ground barley malt and wheat flour, dried to at least 7.5 percent butterfat and at most 3.5 percent moisture, per the FDA guide.

What are the types of malt beverage?

TTB lists beer, lager beer, lager, ale, porter and stout as examples of class designations for malt beverages, plus the general term malt beverage.

General information only, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or are pregnant, ask your doctor before changing what you drink.

Sources

  1. FDA: CPG Sec 527.500 Malted Milk, read 5 Nov 2026
  2. TTB: Malt Beverage Labeling: Class and Type Designation, read 5 Nov 2026
Written by Drinks Type Editorial Team · Published Apr 26, 2025 · Updated Nov 5, 2026
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