Creating Your Own Crystal Malt

[barabool]

Hi
Just finished my first batch of from 'scratch' crystal malt.
Bought 20kg bag of Barley from local feed store here in Brisbane ($14)
8hrs in water, 8 hrs on rack in sun, 14 hrs wet and then got signs of chitting.
I built a huge Oust (spelling?) which has 3 trays about 30 cm apart - spread chitting barley over racks and sprayed morning and night with spray bottle.
Placed a towel rack heater on bricks at bottom of Oust to get nice 21C temp
Got roots after 1 1/2 days and started the drying after 3 days.
I placed a large outdoor spotlight in top that raised the Oust temp to about 28C (might need to get a second one as not real happy with temp)
Took me an extra 2 days but roasted them today and put them with my K&K.
Roasted some in oven for 2hrs at 100C, some on a food dehydrater for 2hrs but I found my most constant result came from a convection microwave oven at 140C. 2 x 30 min bursts got them smelling so sweet.
(I was looking fro a Light Crystal 20-30 for a Pilsner)

Question is can anyone tell me how long they last?
I also have about a kilo unroasted and 500g roasted. What's the best way to store - as dryed or as roasted?
I kind of like the idea of pulling out 200-300 grams on brew day and deciding then how much to roast.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Guysmiley54]

First off I have no idea about storage and freshness in this instance but I just wanted to tell you how impressed I am that you did this!!!

My wife thinks I'm a nutter for all the intricate detail I insist on inserting into everything I do, but you my good friend have just taken the cake

Take a bow good sir

Hi
Just finished my first batch of from 'scratch' crystal malt.
Bought 20kg bag of Barley from local feed store here in Brisbane ($14)
8hrs in water, 8 hrs on rack in sun, 14 hrs wet and then got signs of chitting.
I built a huge Oust (spelling?) which has 3 trays about 30 cm apart - spread chitting barley over racks and sprayed morning and night with spray bottle.
Placed a towel rack heater on bricks at bottom of Oust to get nice 21C temp
Got roots after 1 1/2 days and started the drying after 3 days.
I placed a large outdoor spotlight in top that raised the Oust temp to about 28C (might need to get a second one as not real happy with temp)
Took me an extra 2 days but roasted them today and put them with my K&K.
Roasted some in oven for 2hrs at 100C, some on a food dehydrater for 2hrs but I found my most constant result came from a convection microwave oven at 140C. 2 x 30 min bursts got them smelling so sweet.
(I was looking fro a Light Crystal 20-30 for a Pilsner)

Question is can anyone tell me how long they last?
I also have about a kilo unroasted and 500g roasted. What's the best way to store - as dryed or as roasted?
I kind of like the idea of pulling out 200-300 grams on brew day and deciding then how much to roast.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bribie G]

Just off to the chemist to get some Nurofen Plus for the jaw that suffered traumatic bruising when it hit the deck.
Whereabouts in Brisbane are you? Forget about brew days, you should have an Oast day - and I'm sure many of us would love to have a taste and a feel of your goodies

 

[MHB]

So you made Malt, but from the description of your process I doubt that you have made Crystal.
Crystal is made by taking the Green Malt (still wet from the sprouting) and rather than Kilning (drying) it you heat it to 65oC (give or take) for about an hour; the objective being to actually mash (enzymes convert starch into sugar) the inside of the corn (corn is the name of any grain), then you kiln the malt until it is dry and until the colour you are looking for develops.
Cristal Malt is called such because if you crack it open it looks glassy this is the dried sugar that has resulted from the process.
The colour development comes from Milliard Reactions (sugars joining up with protein) rather than caramelisation which is sugars joining up. Your cow food grade of barley is probably a good choice for making Crystal Malt as it has a much higher level of protein than does barley suitable for beer making, so its better at developing colour.
Storability is mainly a function of moisture content; the dryer it is the longer it keeps, the malt you toasted should be able to be stored for a year (perhaps longer) if you keep it dry and keep the beasties out.
The other malt (if it was dried at 28oC) wont keep for long before it goes mouldy.
MHB

 

[barabool]

So you made Malt, but from the description of your process I doubt that you have made Crystal.
Crystal is made by taking the Green Malt (still wet from the sprouting) and rather than Kilning (drying) it you heat it to 65oC (give or take) for about an hour;

Thanks MHB, I think my error was somewhere along the way I got 65C mixed with 65F and that's why I thought my 21C was 'pretty good'.
Im still K&K ( ok - maybe not the second K) and still wouldn't serve my HB up to visitors (yet).

Thanks for the comments guys, and Guy, my wife thinks I'm mad as well but what else are you going to do with a 5 day Easter break than make an Oast (actually checked the spelling this time).

Cheers

 

[dr K]

Great effort, and a great learning experience but, sorry, frankly MHB is spot on.
Your $14 would have bought you about 3kg of mixed "crystal" malts from your LHBS, or using 200-300gm per brew 10 to 15 brews.
buy some chooks

 

[barabool]

Your $14 would have bought you about 3kg of mixed "crystal" malts from your LHBS, or using 200-300gm per brew 10 to 15 brews.
buy some chooks

Hope my wife doesn't read this....lol
I think someone once said -" A man needs a hobby"
And I have chook's, they enjoy the grain......... after I finish with it - win-win.
A hobby stops me from taking up cocaine - keeps my fingers busy.

Cheers

 

[Spartan 117]

Good on you Bara, malting my own grain is something I've been planning on doing for a while now, just waiting on the warmer months to do it. Also as was said before you need to "mash" the barley while its sprouting ans then dry it in order for it to become crystal malt. There are a good few detailed videos on youtube by a bloke the name of homedistiller, I think, on how to malt your own grain and make crystal and other speciality malts. As for storage keep it cool and dry and should last you long enough to use.

Aaron

 

[Steve@PMF82]

I have about 5Kg of barley just sitting around doing nothing, used to grow it till it was green about a few inches long for a horse treat.
I might have a go at making some crystal next time i have nothing better to do.
Would be an interesting process what ever the outcome.

 

[Spartan 117]

I have about 5Kg of barley just sitting around doing nothing, used to grow it till it was green about a few inches long for a horse treat.
I might have a go at making some crystal next time i have nothing better to do.
Would be an interesting process what ever the outcome.

yeah true that, check out those videos from homedistiller, they're pretty informative and he gives you a rundown on how to build some of the equipment yourself which is always good

Aaron

 

[Bada Bing Brewery]

I'm taking this to the next level - I'm buying a farm ......

You guys are seriously dedicated - a bit nutty - but I salute you...
Cheers
BBB

 

[Spartan 117]

I suppose we are a bit nutty, but seriously how cool would it be to literally make a beer from scratch I currently grow my own hops, culture my own yeast (not from my person I must add before the jokes role in), how hard can it be to grow and malt my own barley.......??? Even just a few kilos worth for one beer. Screw it I'm doing it boys, I shall keep you posted !!!! I'm also gpnna run it all on a hydrogen fuel cell and use the waste water for mashing !!!!

Aaron

 

[MHB]

Knew there was something bugging me, and I know Im a bit of a stickler when it comes to terminology its Oast, but thats where Hops are dried, malt is made in a Malthouse.
M

 

[Brewman_]

Got some spare time, thought I might refine some polythene and knock out a few fermenters. Actually could save a couple of bucks if I extract my own oil / gas, that's where I will start, then I will make some beer. Crap, need a drill...

Seriously, as a home brewer, I find myself very busy with just making the beer.

 

[stephenkentucky]

Well even if you did not get a crystal I must say I am seriously impressed that you had the initiative and guts to have a go at malting, which is an art in itself. One of the things that I love about this forum is that every time you turn around someone will blow you away with their desire to take their brewing up a notch, I dip my hat to you sir.

 

[proudscum]

Have been reading up on malting and the WA agri department has a bit of info on the different barleys to grow and conditions etc..... haven't used schooner for a long time.the plot they talked about in the book mentions a 12X5 mtr plot which would give you about 30kg of grain.The process is very involved and takes a fare amount of time.

For an easy to read article Alex from LCB has one that is on the G+G site on making Crystal.
Have make mild and brown malt from base malt in the past and you need to let it rest for a week or so before you are going to use it.Made some nice beers with the grain that i basically roasted.

 

[Spartan 117]

site on making Crystal.

we still talking about grain here .....

 

[proudscum]

we still talking about grain here .....

no i thought this was the meth site you...

 

[Spork]

OK, so I have mined some sand and built a blast furnace. Now to read up on bottle making...
JK.
Great work Bara.

 

[barabool]

Do you know how long it took me to build the bloody computer just so I could post this......
I was doing some research about making the step towards Partials and I came acrossthis

I thought it might be a easy way to start understanding malts and especially crystal malts. Monkey see - monkey do.
I had just finished my first brewing fridge conversion and was keen to move on to the next project.

its Oast, but thats where Hops are dried, malt is made in a Malthouse.

I think I built an Oast - I have to look up what's involved with a malthouse.

As we speak I am roasting the malt in my convection microwave.
Started with 30 mins and removed 50 grams, another 30 mins and removed another 50 grams.. etc.... etc..
I am hoping to get a range of colours and an idea how to reproduce on bigger scale.
It smells great in the house at the moment and my 9yr old, after tasting the 2 1/2 hr batch, thinks it now tastes like Milo???