Roasting grains using a coffee roaster.

I've been roasting coffee for a couple of years now, and it just dawned me that I could roast my own grains for brewing.

I'm definitely not going to try and malt the grains myself, so I'm thinking I could start with a base malt like 2-row and go from there.

I know I won't be able to achieve any crystal like malts as the grains used in that process are roasted green, but I think I could produce something along the lines of a brown or black patent type type malt...or even a carafa given its an air roaster and it would naturally dehusk.

Anyone have any experience doing this? Any recommendations on roast temp/length?

Btw, this is the roaster i'm using:

https://www.i-roast.com/asp/index.asp

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I cant help with the specific roaster, but you can still make crystal grains even with a base malt. Just need to soak whole grains in water first, dont know specific time though. A day-ish I think.

i roast coffee for a living, i have always wanted to see how grains would roast, but i also dont need grains imparting any off flavors in my bosses roaster.. i recommend using much lower temps than coffee roasting but im afraid i dont know what temps would be preferred. I am interested to hear how it works out ... subscribed!

I'm going to give it a try this weekend and I'll post the end results.

I have a vague recollection of folks using the old air popper popcorn poppers to roast smal batches of green coffee.
It might be worth a try.

I tried making my own "torrified wheat" for my last ale. Used a hot air popcorn popper. I wouldn't go much more than 30 seconds in a preheated popper. For what it's worth, it came out great!

I roast 5 to 10lbs a week; sell french press and a little whole bean coffee at a farmers market. Just toasted some oat malt yesterday in my 'roaster', a bread maching with the lid off and a heat gun. Oat malt has a shortbread smell, lightly baked and buttery/oily, but the toasted malt has a much richer smell. Good luck.

TNGabe said:

I roast 5 to 10lbs a week; sell french press and a little whole bean coffee at a farmers market. Just toasted some oat malt yesterday in my 'roaster', a bread maching with the lid off and a heat gun. Oat malt has a shortbread smell, lightly baked and buttery/oily, but the toasted malt has a much richer smell. Good luck.

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Have you ever roasted barley? If so, what temps/length are you going with?

tinytowers said:

Have you ever roasted barley? If so, what temps/length are you going with?

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I haven't yet, but next time I get malt, I might see if I can get a little raw barley to play with. I'd think I could only do a few ounces at a time, since the barley is steeped before roasting. I wouldn't want to throw steeped grains in a real roaster.