Horlicks, Ovaltine, Milo, Maltina: malted drinks compared

Malted drinks are two different groups of products that share one ingredient, barley malt. The first group is powders you stir into milk: Horlicks, Ovaltine, Milo and Bournvita. The second is fizzy, non-alcoholic malt drinks in bottles and cans, such as Maltina and Pony Malta. They taste different, you drink them differently and they come from different parts of the world. In Polish shops both groups go under "napoje słodowe" (malt drinks).

What malt is

Malt is cereal grain, usually barley, that has been soaked, left to sprout and then dried. It tastes sweetish, with notes of biscuit and toasted bread. You know the taste from dark beer, from Polish kvass ("kwas chlebowy") and from chocolate balls with a malted centre.

Malt powders for milk

You stir a malt powder into warm or cold milk, sometimes into water. It tastes sweet and creamy with a clear malt flavour; the chocolate versions add cocoa.

Horlicks is a brand of British origin that has been popular for decades in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Classic Horlicks has a mild milk-and-malt taste without cocoa. For many people from South Asia it is the taste of childhood: a glass of warm Horlicks before bed or with breakfast. Some eat the powder straight from the spoon.

Bournvita is a chocolate malt drink from Cadbury, known above all in India. It tastes clearly of chocolate, with the malt in the background.

Milo is a chocolate and malt powder from Nestlé that comes from Australia. It is popular in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America. People drink Milo hot, but also iced. The powder does not fully dissolve, and for many the crunchy lumps on top are part of the fun.

Ovaltine comes from Switzerland, where it is known as Ovomaltine. Different countries have different versions: a classic malt one and a chocolate one.

Fizzy malt drinks

The second group is bottled malt drinks. They are made from barley malt, much like beer, but they are not fermented into alcohol. They are dark, sweet and lightly fizzy, with a malt and caramel taste, and you drink them chilled.

Maltina is a brand from Nigeria, very popular in West Africa. It is served well chilled, often at parties and with meals.

Pony Malta comes from Colombia and is well known in Latin America.

Vita Malt has flavoured versions, for example with ginger.

People trying a malt drink for the first time often compare it to sweet kvass or to non-alcoholic dark beer.

Quick comparison

How to make a drink from malt powder

1. Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of powder in a mug.
2. Add a few spoonfuls of warm milk and stir to a smooth paste.
3. Pour in the rest of the milk and stir.

For an iced version, dissolve the powder in a little hot water, add cold milk and ice. You can also add malt powder to a milkshake, porridge or a cake.

Where to buy malted drinks in Poland

At Little India you can buy Maltina, Nestlé Milo, Bournvita from Cadbury, Pony Malta and Horlicks. All products of this group are in the malted drinks category. Little India has shops in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław and Gdańsk and ships orders across Poland.

If you are looking for milk powder, read our post on Nido milk powder. Other drinks from Latin America are in our post on Inca Kola and guaraná.