An attempt at making chocolate malt

jkpq45 · 04-23-2009, 10:21 PM

So I tried my hand at roasting my Rahr 2-row into something for my stout--chocolate malt. My results were mixed.

I roasted 1.5 lb in a glass loaf pan in the oven at 400 degrees. I started the grain in a cold oven. Stirred every 10 minutes or so until past the 40 minute mark, then kept stirring every minute or so. I heard the chaff/husk popping off the grains like popcorn. Odd thing is in the oven, the husk didn't change color but the inner grain turned almost black. A bit of smoke, but man the grain tastes good!

I then tried my hand in a cast iron pan over high heat (33.5Mbh) on the gas cooktop. Stirred constantly, this method produced a darkened husk very rapidly. Eight or so minutes into the process I pulled half the grains out (after grinding, this appears the same as the oven-roasted malt). I let the rest go for another 5 minutes or so until it smoked heavily. I stirred the whole time it was cooling down, too.

What I can tell is that the grain from the oven didn't taste as good as the 8-minute cooktop version, but the 13-minute cooktop version had a heavy roasted/almost burned flavor (think espresso roast instead of city roast).

So what did I make? Chocolate malt? Black patent? Pile of crap I need to throw in the trash? Pile of stuff I need to mash and ferment?

Any criticism on the process? I think I'll try the cooktop version again on lower heat, but I'm not sure if browning the husk will help the flavor.

Jack · 04-24-2009, 03:51 AM

I have but limited experience making malts at home (I tried making brown malt, but then I gave up and bought brown malt).

The cast iron pan idea is probably the right material to use since cast iron can "hold" a lot of heat. However, cast iron is almost always (i.e. should be) treated with a layer of oil to prevent rusting. I don't know if some of this would absorb into the malt and kill your head, but it might be something to think about.

Chello · 04-24-2009, 12:19 PM

i vote for mash it and see what happens...

jkpq45 · 05-13-2009, 08:04 PM

Mashed in my RIS. Hit my color, looks really nice. I'll update on flavor.