Home malting smell question

[Mr Majik]

Hi all

For those of you that malt at home, what does your finished base malt smell like?

The first batch i made had a really nice, strong sweet smell.

This batch i have done does not smell sweet at all, it just smells of grain. With a hint of nut.

I'm quite sure it was correctly modified, the drying process was a bit different though.

Any thoughts on this ??

 

[BigYin]

pretty specialised work there - how many people malt their own grains??

Is there some kind of maltsters online help/advice/forum ?

Good on you for trying this at home - I suspect you could quickly find you're answering questions rather than getting yours answered! :lol:

My only thought is this - brew with the grain and see what the outcome is - document it and keep for future reference - sounds like you're on a steep learning curve already :hat:

 

[screamlead]

LOL mine just pongs the kitchen out or so wifey says. I never bother sniffing it i just go on the colour. Last lot i malted i knew right away it had worked as when it was still slightly damp on the roof on my drying screens - if i rub it around to get the rootlets off my hands come away very sticky. I like the smell as it starts popping in the oven at around 220c :grin:

 

[Mr Majik]

I was starting to think my wife was being a pain. Since i started this little malt adventure i've turned out around 25kg. All oven dried so, now iv worked out a system, i can process batches of 3kg a time.

I think the smell is lovely, Mrs Wife disagrees. I have to bang on the incense before she gets home from work. I feel like a naught teen sometimes "you've been malting again haven't you!?" She'll scorn. :lol:

I think i'm starting to get the hang of it. But i'm a long way off perfecting it. To be totally honest i've found myself taking the malting more serious than the brewing.

I'll pop a brew on and let it do its thing. Fortunately (found after playing around) my gas hob has a setting low enough to keep a 20l brew at 65C with practically no fluctuation. So biab is the way for me.

So at the moment im keeping the brew method identical, adding the same hops at the same times. Same mash, boil time. Same volumes and sparge. Even the same sanitation. As close to identical as i can. The only changing variable being the modification time and kilning of the malt. I have an ever growing collection of demijohns and a farm just up the road that (as well as being a supplier to breweries / maltsters ) sells to peeps like me. Last time 40kg set me back a whopping 10 €. Next time i'll interview the chap and find out what type it is, params etc etc. (all i know at the mo is its 2 row...)

When i'v got consistent, predictable, repeatable results, I'll post the whole thing in detail. then i'll experiment with different variables. Hops, boiling times, mash times, yeasts, temperatures... This is going to take years. And ALOT of beer to drink :drink:

Earlier on i mentioned BIAB being currently my preferred choice. I should point out that this is because i don't own a mash tun etc required for AG. Is there a thread on here, or any where, that lists/discusses the pros and of BIAB and AG (in my mind, BIAB is AG as its brewing with "all grain", but i dont know how else to refer to the "mash tun/kettle" type of brewing)

As always all input and advice welcome and appreciated

Mr Majik

 

[johnnyboy1965]

I admire you for trying, but Ive got to ask.... why would you want to do this?...leave it to the professionals....you wont save any money....I do understand the thought of " ive malted this barley" just seems a waste of time and effort to me, with no better end result.

 

[Mr Majik]

Fair point johnboy though a little synical and pragmatic imho but each to their own.

The same could be said for making beer all together, why bother? Lots of supermarkets sell it for next to notheing. The money and energy involved in setting up and learning about the kit, times, temps. Just crack open a tesco value larger.

Why do i bother painting or playing music myself when there are artists out there whos works i can buy or, if i am feeling a flair, maybe a WH smith paint by numbers is all i shoud bother with?

Interest johnboy, thats why.

At 10€ for 40kg of barley, even taking in to account the water and electricity used for home production im making a huge saving. And heres the real kicker... Where i am there is no malt for the home brewer. I'd need to order it from germany or the UK, shippings a touch pricy.

And not just saving but making. I have friends and acquaintances who want to buy the stuff, like i said its hard to come by here. I even treated myself to a M3 monster mill from the states and have already broken even.

I mostly work from home apart from gigs so its not alot of time sacraficed now i have a system. I'm sure you mean perfectly well but what a comment to put on a "Home brew" forum... Rant over, no offense taken and i hope none inflicted :

 

[GaryG]

Good point Mr Majik.

I'm a long way off from even trying that as this is my first brew. If I get really into this, then I might try myself as well. Nothing better than knowing your beer is nearly 100% your own :

Gary.

 

[screamlead]

I admire you for trying, but Ive got to ask.... why would you want to do this?...leave it to the professionals....you wont save any money....I do understand the thought of " ive malted this barley" just seems a waste of time and effort to me, with no better end result.

Simples - i live 4500 miles from the nearest LHBS so have to malt my own. To which i spent a lot of time online researching how to do it and was it feasible to make beers and lagers here where i am. The result says it is worth the effort even though i do import hops and yeast everything else is 100% home brewed. :