toasting malt

**the_bird** · 01-07-2007, 01:01 AM

Simple question:

I'm developing a recipe for a toasty, smallish brown ale. I've got some Victory malt, have to figure out how much to use.

But, the question for now - I also want to toast some 2-row in the oven, probably a couple of pounds.

Is it better to toast the whole grain, then crush it, or to toast already-crushed grain?

Does it matter?

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-07-2007, 01:04 AM

When it rains, it pours! I asked a similar question earlier. I think I got great results by roasting my malt at 350 F for a few hours. I was looking for a roasted barley-type product, so I let it go until it was a nice, deep brown (made the whole house smell roasted/slightly burned). I did a bit of reading about this in Papazian and via Google, also. For toasted malt, an hour or less at 350 F should probably be sufficient. I think you'd probably want to toast whole grain and mill it afterward.

**Brewing Clamper** · 01-07-2007, 02:09 AM

Two words: Yumm.... Aroo!!

**Yooper** · 01-07-2007, 02:29 AM

Do you have the book "How to Brew"? On page 249, he talks about toasting your own malt and actually has a table on temps/time and wet/dry, based on the flavor you are trying for. As an example, he says to toast dry malt at 275 for 1 hour for light nutty taste and aroma, all the way up to 350 with wetted malt for 2 hours for a stong toast/roast flavor. He says that toasting wet malt will result in a slighter sweeter flavor due to paritial star conversion taking place from the heat. He also says to put the toasted malt in a paper bag for two weeks before using (but I didn't do that when I toasted some victory malt. ) He said that you can get some grainy flavors when you overtoast malt and don't age.

But, since I didn't have the Palmer book before, when I toasted victory malt, I toasted it in a 300 degree oven for about 20 minutes until it was brownish and smelling slightly like grape nuts. I tasted it and liked it, and used it like that. It was already crushed, as I don't own a crusher. It was fine, but I really have nothing to compare it to.

FWIW,
Lorena

**the_bird** · 01-07-2007, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

When it rains, it pours! I asked a similar question earlier. I think I got great results by roasting my malt at 350 F for a few hours. I was looking for a roasted barley-type product, so I let it go until it was a nice, deep brown (made the whole house smell roasted/slightly burned). I did a bit of reading about this in Papazian and via Google, also. For toasted malt, an hour or less at 350 F should probably be sufficient. I think you'd probably want to toast whole grain and mill it afterward.

So how did that come out? I know roasted barley isn't malted (at least, I';m pretty sure), so I'm curious how close you came.

You also may have subconsciously influenced me, as the plan *was* for some biscuit and some victory malts, but then I figured I'd experiment with some home toasting.

I actually don't have "How To Brew" yet - *shame* - I'm thinking of picking it up, I have some $$ to spend at both Barnes & Noble and at Amazon. I finally found my copy of Complete Joy, so I need to re-read and see if he discusses this at all.

Thanks, y'all!

**Yuri_Rage** · 01-07-2007, 03:55 AM

Not sure how it came out as far as the brew goes (I'm brewing later this month). However, it came out nice and dark. Not quite as black as roasted barley (and not the same product, certainly, as you're correct in that roasted barley is not malted), but it smelled good, and I didn't have a problem adding it to my grains.

mbreen01 · 01-07-2007, 04:22 PM

Ditto as above for toasting malts (wet/dry, temps, etc.); but I've always heard that you should toast whole grains and then crush/mill after toasting. I'm not quite sure why...perhaps you are primarily toasting the hull to get the flavor and avoid a lot of conversion/carmelization of the sugars in the seed?...
Marc.

**JonK331** · 08-10-2011, 06:38 PM

Thought I'd revive this old thread. A few months ago I started milling so I have whole base malt laying around and would really like to try roasting some. I'm thinking of doing some at 275 for 45 mins to an hour as Yooper stated above. My question is how would I use it? Should it be treated the same way as biscuit or victory? How fermentable would the wort produced from it be? Hypothetically speaking, if I did a grain bill like this:

9 lbs Rahr
1 lb Roasted Rahr (275 for 45 mins)

Would it still be too light? Would you still use a bit of crystal or Munich along with it? Are melanoidins produced when roasting the malt?

**JonK331** · 08-11-2011, 11:05 PM

Anyone?

**corkybstewart** · 08-11-2011, 11:16 PM

My house pale ale is 9 pounds of 2 row, 2 pounds toasted at 350F for 20 minutes, 1/2 pound of carapils. Since I've never used Victory or biscuit I can't tell you how it will compare, but is it an excellent beer. When I've brewed it without toasting the malt my wife will complain that the beer isn't right.