Malting

[Lowndsey]

Thanks for the clothes dryer tip..awesome. Never thought of that. Was gonna use the food dehydrator but prob can't fit enough at a time in it.

[Modernity]

I came across this quoted on a random website. I don't now where it comes from:

2.2.2. Micro-malting protocol
The barley prior to micro-malting was passed over a 2.2 mm screen.
The malting schedule consisted of an initial wash for 15 min to remove surface dust from the barley kernel followed by a 7 h steep, 8 h germination, 9 h steep, 6 h germination, and a final 0.5 h steep.
The barley undergoes germination for an additional 88.5 h where the temperature was held at 15 °C with constant air passing through revolving drums.
At the conclusion of the germination, the green malt was kilned using the following protocol: 9 h at 50 °C, ramping for 4 h at 60 °C, ramping for 2 h at 70 °C, ramping for 4.5 h at 80 °C and a cooling stage for 0.5 h at 25 °C.

[crow]

That interesting, I would have thought those temps would denature most of the enzyme certainly they would if you steeped at those high temps, Beta Glucanase denatures at around 45' C and protease at say 54' C cause this is in liquid I mean mash temps, malt kilning (Air) temps must work differently :shock:

[Modernity]

I think that there is 10% un-malted barley added to the grain bill to provide the enzyme activity. I read somewhere barley enzymes work on 10 times their own weight.

[wynnum1]

With the kilning the malt how does that work the temperature is higher then malting temperature is it because it is dry that enzyme is not affected .

[Lowndsey]

Is there any special way the barley should be stored after being malted?

[Kimbo]

Is there any special way the barley should be stored after being malted?

I just put mine in sealed containers to stop the mice (and dog) from eating it ;-)

[crow]

Ok the weather has warmed up enough for me to dry outside heres my two methods

[tickle]

mine are still sprouting, slowly. but im in no rush, running a bourbon ujsm tomorrow, got time on my side. i've just been dumping them back and forth between buckets a few times a day. still working out how im going to dry and grind, but first things firest. thanks for inspiring me to try; if its as easy as dumping busckets back and forth, i might just be trying an all grain in the future.has anybody tried the "malt factory" outlined in the Alaskan bootlegger's book? made from an old defunct refridgerator...seems slick.

and the bit about micks and oats is a facinating bit of history...looking forward to hearing how it works out for you.

[crow]

Drying on the trampoline was so successful that I will try to get all my malting done while the weather is warm ;-)

[PeteBignell]

I think that there is 10% un-malted barley added to the grain bill to provide the enzyme activity. I read somewhere barley enzymes work on 10 times their own weight.

You have got this the wrong way around. The enzymes come from the malted grain not the un-malted.
A lot if the big "grain" distilleries use 10% malted barley and 90% unmalted grain, That grain can be any grain, often wheat , corn or rye.
I visited one huge distillery in Kentucky that used only 5% malted barley. They didn't admit it but I suspect they chucked a few enzymes in as well.

[PeteBignell]

That interesting, I would have thought those temps would denature most of the enzyme certainly they would if you steeped at those high temps, Beta Glucanase denatures at around 45' C and protease at say 54' C cause this is in liquid I mean mash temps, malt kilning (Air) temps must work differently :shock:

You are quite right, kilning does destroy some of the enzymes. An ideally sprouted green malt will have a higher DP (diastatic power/enzyme activity) than a kilned malt. Some of the dark beer malts have been heated so much that they have lost most of their DP

[Brendan]

I think that there is 10% un-malted barley added to the grain bill to provide the enzyme activity. I read somewhere barley enzymes work on 10 times their own weight.

You have got this the wrong way around. The enzymes come from the malted grain not the un-malted.
A lot if the big "grain" distilleries use 10% malted barley and 90% unmalted grain, That grain can be any grain, often wheat , corn or rye.
I visited one huge distillery in Kentucky that used only 5% malted barley. They didn't admit it but I suspect they chucked a few enzymes in as well.

So this applies to the production of most whisky? Only 10% of the grain bill malted...I thought it was 100% 8-}

[PeteBignell]

Is there any special way the barley should be stored after being malted?

If it has been dried enough it can be stored in a cool dry place.
If it hasn't been dried it can be stored in a refrigerator for a few days. Spread it thinly because the grain keeps producing heat.
I have never done it, but I think it would be OK to store in a freezer. At an educated guess I would think the frozen/thawed malt would yield very well because the ice crystals would rupture the cell walls releasing the starch

[PeteBignell]

I think that there is 10% un-malted barley added to the grain bill to provide the enzyme activity. I read somewhere barley enzymes work on 10 times their own weight.

You have got this the wrong way around. The enzymes come from the malted grain not the un-malted.
A lot if the big "grain" distilleries use 10% malted barley and 90% unmalted grain, That grain can be any grain, often wheat , corn or rye.
I visited one huge distillery in Kentucky that used only 5% malted barley. They didn't admit it but I suspect they chucked a few enzymes in as well.

So this applies to the production of most whisky? Only 10% of the grain bill malted...I thought it was 100% 8-}

Under United Kingdom law a "malt whisky" is made from 100% malted barley
But plain "whisky" or "whiskey" just needs to be made from some type of grain. The % of malted grain is not specified. Some whiskies use no malted grain, cultured enzymes are added to the ground unmalted grain during mashing.
ps. there is a distillate made in India that they call "whisky" that is made from sugar!! Should be called "rum"

[PeteBignell]

mine are still sprouting, slowly............... i've just been dumping them back and forth between buckets a few times a day. still working out how im going to dry and grind, ........

I have been malting my own rye for 2 years now. I have a small commercial distillery.
The simplest way I do it is to steep (soak with water) in 20 L plastic buckets for 24 hours, with a water change at 12 hours. I then drain and leave in the buckets. As "tickle" does, I tip from bucket to bucket twice a day. Pour slowly to give time for the CO2 to dissipate, and allow some O2 to be taken up. It will increase in volume by about 3 times as the roots and shoots grow.
When I have space I spread the steeped grain on a sheet of plastic on the floor, dampen and turn daily.
I also have a large commercial tumble dryer that I have lined with stainless mesh. Sometimes I put the partly sprouted grain in there to finish off. The motor is on a timer and turns about 6 times a day, with the addition of an automatic squirt of water. The tumbling stops the roots becomong matted.
To grind the grain I use a meat mincer. I havent tried oats but I suspect the mincer blades would need to be sharp to cut the husk or it might clog.
I have a "Monster mill". It is a 3 roller but I haven't managed to roll my wet green malt. It sticks to the rollers and blocks.

[BackyardBrewer]

Pete is it possible for you to post some vids or pix? Be good for business and fascinating for us backyarders.

[crow]

At 5% malt they would have to be adding enzymes as even the DP of 2 row is not good enough to deal with that.
I started with green malt and for my money the favour is better and it stands to reason the diastatic power would be at its full potential but it is no mean feat to do. Myself and EG have now acquired some old fashioned food grinders and I believe they will process green malt (I hope), wet gristers are available very cheaply from Mexico but the freight is the deal buster here. I am very happy with the stlye I'm achieving for now as most of you that have been following the whishkey threads would be aware that I was after an Irish style. I can see myself wanting to use a peated oat malt just to see the difference . The idea of using ozzy peat sounds pretty cool to me so in the future I will have to dig up scarecrows thread on cool peating

[PeteBignell]

Pete is it possible for you to post some vids or pix? Be good for business and fascinating for us backyarders.

I will see what I can do. It may take a few days as I am very busy at this time of year. I will firstly have to work out how to attach photos :think:

[BackyardBrewer]

Pete is it possible for you to post some vids or pix? Be good for business and fascinating for us backyarders.

I will see what I can do. It may take a few days as I am very busy at this time of year. I will firstly have to work out how to attach photos :think:

The forum software will allow you to just attach them like you would to an email on your pc or mac.

If you have a smart phone it's worth getting the 'Tapatalk' app, this forum runs on it like a dream. You can post to the forum and upload pix straight from your phone easily.