Best Malted Milk

A Brief History Of Malted Milk

Let’s talk malted milk!

This treat dates back to the 1800’s, when the processing of grains produced the sweetener known as malt.

Usually made from barley and wheat, malt is a sugar that starts off as a starch and then is transformed by adding enzymes. The sugar is roasted to create a distinctive sweet, caramelized flavor.

An English immigrant from Chicago, William Horlick, is largely credited with creating malted milk. In the 1800’s, malt (mixed with milk) was often prescribed by doctors for children and the sick. At this point, malt was mostly sold as a liquid that quickly spoiled. Milk itself wasn’t pasteurized and that created additional problems.

Horlick solved this problem by patenting a way to extract dry malt in a vacuum. Then he mixed this malt powder with dried milk powder. 

Originally called Horlick’s Food, Horlick changed the name to malted milk in 1887. The malt powder was mixed with dry milk powder and was sold as tablets.  Since it was portable, it became popular for expeditions—and Horlick himself underwrote Antartic explorations. Yes, there is an actual mountain range in Antarctica named the Horlick Mountains.

Like many early foods, malted milk transformed over the years from an infant food to an adult beverage. During Prohibition, malted milk became a staple of ice cream parlors, which proliferated after bars were forced to close. Even beer brewers like Coors made malted milk.  

In recent years, malted milk has been marketed as a nutritional supplement, part of a wave of fortified foods. In the UK, malted milk (served as a hot beverage) is a popular bedtime ritual. In India, malted milk is a breakfast beverage.

Of course, malted milk can also be used in cooking—here’s a recipe from Horlicks for a dessert beverage.

Recipe: Cherry Bakewell Frappe

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

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