Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I think the title says it all, I'm looking for peoples ideas on how to easily malt and kiln grain. I have done it similar to Ruddy's idea in the past but this isn't practical for larger quantities. It's looking like I'll have access to a tonne (or more) of malt grade barley at work so I need to come up with an idea of how to easily malt larger quantities.

I've been looking into all in one machines that can soak, germinate & kiln the grain all in one unit. Currently I'm thinking of a 300 or so litre barrel shaped container with an auger (for lack of a better name) to turn the grain. A mesh bottom to allow water/air to fill (and drain) the machine from the bottom for the soaking and warm air to dry/kiln the grain to different levels (including chocolate/roasted etc).

I'm thinking similar to machines like the Sprowt Labs Acro https://www.sprowtlabs.com/ or the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre Malting Plant http://cmbtc.com/facility/malting-technology/.

So what are everyones thoughts? Any info is appreciated/helpful.

how much volume? for the hobbiest a couple of buckets and a food dehydrator or cloths dryer works

atec77 wrote:how much volume? for the hobbiest a couple of buckets and a food dehydrator or cloths dryer works

That's the way I've done it in the past but not practical for large quantities. Can maybe stretch that out to about 10kg lots but that would mean I'd need to do 100+ batches. Want to be able to do around 100kg at a time, preferably in one unit.

Im all for the DIY approach, but theres a stage where too much is too much and the real thing is easier/better, I think your going to spend a lot of $$ on a machine capable of processing 100+kg of gain once you wet it, how often will it get used?

Theres a few bits of mining equipment that come to mind lols

Neds setup viewtopic.php?f=24&t=12152&p=211217 is about what you want by the sounds, commercial dryers range from 16kg upto 90kg - neds is a 5kg and he rates it upto about 11kg of grain, you may be able to snag a big one cheap if its broken (or just make 10 of them lols),

Event the pros just spread it out and rake it, got a big shed available for a week or two? Maybe an empty swimming pool?

Got storage for that grain while you process it?

A pallet of malt should only be about $2k at trade, jus sayin

44gal drum is capable of 20kg per batch. Steel drums better then plastic. You could do 5 drums at a time?

Maybe you would be better off floor malting 100kg lots.

RC Al wrote:Im all for the DIY approach, but theres a stage where too much is too much and the real thing is easier/better, I think your going to spend a lot of $$ on a machine capable of processing 100+kg of gain once you wet it, how often will it get used?

Theres a few bits of mining equipment that come to mind lols

Neds setup viewtopic.php?f=24&t=12152&p=211217 is about what you want by the sounds, commercial dryers range from 16kg upto 90kg - neds is a 5kg and he rates it upto about 11kg of grain, you may be able to snag a big one cheap if its broken (or just make 10 of them lols),

Event the pros just spread it out and rake it, got a big shed available for a week or two? Maybe an empty swimming pool?

Got storage for that grain while you process it?

A pallet of malt should only be about $2k at trade, jus sayin

I agree with RC AL
You really have to weight up the cost and time against buying it in bulk.
I was able to get the malt for zero $
My set up now is similar, but changed the washing machine to a 7kg Beko which I got for nothing also.
I put a variable speed motor on it, but it still works on the same principal as before
I steep 8kg of grain which once germination starts it is equlivant to about 11.5kg of grain, which when dried and kilned comes back to about 8kg
This is a great site of FB if you like FB and it might give hjubm2 the writer some ideas https://www.facebook.com/groups/407322023367882

Thanks for the link ned. Looks like an interesting group. Waiting for my membership to be approved..

I remember watching a video on a whiskey distillery malting room. They had a machine bout size of lawnmover that turned the grain over. Blowed if I can find it again. I wanted to know what the machine was..

Modified rotary hoe?

Maybe something based on a makita 18v battery...modified cordless wipper snipper perhaps .drum with fins i doubt it would that difficult to make..wonder how much room halt ton barley takes up..

I forsee rodents being an issue..

Here we go rc best of both worlds
https://www.amazon.com.au/Greenworks-10 ... 4211&psc=1

Would have to buy some of those fancy white gumboots too :))

no, better idea, fishing waders lols

For a 100kg batch you need a 8x4 area 60mm deep. So not that much room and for that amount you would not need a machine to turn it. Be labourous though turning twice day..

Thanks to everyone for all the input/comments. As mentioned barley malt itself is cheap but if you want anything fancy/different (say a chocolate sorghum malt) it's still expensive.

Unfortunately floor malting isn't an option due to a lack of space & I would prefer an all in one unit that can dry/kiln in the same unit since I'll have to built/purchase a kiln anyway.

Bluc, I have thought of using a steel drum (have access to heaps of food grade ones) to make a vertical malting machine that can be used as a kiln as well. Might have to just do 20kg or so lots for now instead of a couple of large lots. Not overly practical but maybe the best option...

I am toying with idea of table setup. Malt corn is ridiculous $

bluc wrote:I am toying with idea of table setup. Malt corn is ridiculous $

Gets even worse if your looking for anything but the standard yellow corn... hence why I'm also wanting to malt some of the Hopi Blue corn I'm growing atm... keep us updated if you do follow that line of thinking...

Will do.

Slowly making progress with the malting machine. Collected a few parts so far (200L drum, 50mm stainless for the turner etc). Got given a few bags of Triticale a couple weeks back so need to get this system up & running...

Starting with the 200L drum & once I have a working system it will all be transferred into a larger setup to be able to do atleast 200kg at a time. The turner is going to be powered by around a 1.5hp AC motor with a 100:1 reduction gearbox. Should give me about 14rpm on the turner. Slightly more then ideal but it will work. I just need to work out how to connect the 50mm tube to the shaft on the gearbox and have the weight of the mixer supported etc.

Cold/humidified air will be blown in through the bottom side of the drum for when the grain is germinating with the grain resting on a false bottom. I'm having trouble finding an offcut of perferated stainless (or marine grade aluminium) for this and a whole sheet costs way too much!

So most of the idea is now finalised, just need to try and locate the rest of the parts (expecially a 60x60cm piece of perferated sheet) and then start building it all... slowly getting there...

Nice. I just put bag barley in to steep. Will be first lot with using the drum turner. I put the bag of grain in and turned it for a week seems fine nothing weird. :handgestures-thumbupleft: i reakon you could fit two bags in to turn with little problem. I would prob need to make end screens stronger though. And bigger motor. For now 20kg at a time will do..

Where did you find the reduction gearbox? And how you planning on doing the humid air?

Hey Bluc, I'll prob end up steeping the grain seperately and then add it into the system to germinate if I want to do larger batches as the steeping seems to need more room then germination/kilning, see how we go. Eventually I want to look into doing commercial quantities so this is just a stepping stone for now... let me know if you struggle with a higher weight in your drum turner, the one we use at work turns about 70kg at a time with no trouble so would work for yours.

In regards to the gearbox, there is a mob on ebay that do electric motors, reduction gearboxes, shafts etc, search on ebay for a reduction gearbox & you'll find it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

The humid air will be done by sending the air along a vertical pipe before going into the drum. In the pipe I'll have sprayers connected to a little electric pump & a water collection at the bottom so water doesn't build up. Same basic technique a lot of saladin boxes use. Will also have a heating element before the humidifier so I can increase the air temperature to kiln the grains & even send warm humid air into the kiln chamber for things like corn & sorghum that need a warmer temp to sprout.

Sounds good :handgestures-thumbupleft: after 2weeks successful trials first real run get a windows update and pc reboot everything goes to crap and I can look forward to some odd/early late hours for next couple days while I nurse this through. Prob end up with analogue timers pity home assistant has lots potential...