Home Roasting Malts

[Delaney]

Hey,

I just went overboard and bought >150lbs of 2-row from a local brewery. I was interested in home roasting my own malts but found a very serious lack of info in my searches...Does anybody have some good, free literature on home roasting grains?

I just made some Gold Malt following these instructions:
http://barleypopmaker.info/2009/12/08/home-roasting-your-malts/

I wasn't sure whether to leave the grains on the trays to cool, or cool em as quickly as possible. I just chucked em in the freezer.

~Delaney

 

[Hobanon]

I have no idea how but its unclear what you're trying to do. Your 2-row is already malted or is it raw?

 

[aryoung1980]

I have no idea how but its unclear what you're trying to do. Your 2-row is already malted or is it raw?

He wants to roast his malt so he can have different degrees of lovibond.

As per the OP's question, I do not know of any free literature. I bought the eBook for my Kindle from the same website you were reading. I made some crystal following his procedures for a pale ale. It's currently carbing up in the keg.

 

[aryoung1980]

I wasn't sure whether to leave the grains on the trays to cool, or cool em as quickly as possible. I just chucked em in the freezer.

~Delaney

I forgot to answer this part. I made 1lb of crystal and after roasting I put in a paper grocery bag for 3 weeks before using it.

 

[Delaney]

I put it in a plastic bag...think there is any difference?

My question related more so to the rate of cooling; should the grain be removed from the hot tray to cool, or allowed to cool in the tray. I assume that it would get roasted a bit more by staying on the hot tray.

 

[Jmarsh544]

I use directions from the same blog and let them cool in the tray. I would store them in a breathable container (paper bag) so they can off-gas while they mellow for a few weeks after toasting.

 

[tally350z]

I use Palmers how to brew directions here..Check it out..

 

[chuckstout]

Barlypopmaker.com is some awesome info, I always reference his site when homeroasting grain. I will sit my grain in a stainless bowl and stick it infront of a fan to cool the grain.

 

[Epimetheus]

http://barleypopmaker.info/ It is dot-info instead of dot-com. Not criticizing, just some people might get frustrated trying to view it.

Yes, I roasted some Maris Otter for a SMaSH with East Kent Golding hops. About 300F for 20 to 30 minutes. It looked like Crystal 60 when it was done. Then I let it sit for 2 weeks before mashing. It definitely tasted more bitter before it was aged. I mashed a 2.5 gallon batch, 4 lbs MO with 1 lb roasted MO, and it was a little darker wort with some toastyness. It is fermenting now with 2nd generation Safale 04 yeast. -- edit -- The OG was spot on (1.044) with the prediction made by a brewing program, substituting Crystal 60 for my home roasted 2-row. So I think you can use Crystal N to represent your home made stuff.

Making crystal malt is not the same as simply roasting malt. Seriouseats.com describes how to create crystal malt from malted and dried 2-row. This thread, post 4, describes how crystal malt differs from pseudo-crystal malt you make from already dried 2- or 6-row malt. It may not be true crystal, but it is fun and interesting to do. And that is the point of the hobby.

paper bag - good idea - much simpler than Mason jars covered with paper.

 

[aryoung1980]

Making crystal malt is not the same as simply roasting malt. Seriouseats.com describes how to create crystal malt.

No one said crystal malts were the same as roasted malts. That's certainly not what I meant to imply either. I used the book from that same website for how to make the crystal malt. It involved an oven mash, drying, then roasting.

 

[MetallHed]

No one said crystal malts were the same as roasted malts. That's certainly not what I meant to imply either. I used the book from that same website for how to make the crystal malt. It involved an oven mash, drying, then roasting.

I think Epimetheus was just stating that the literature from the website in OP's post is inferring that roasting pre-dried grain was making true crystal which, as the post Epimetheus linked to points out, isn't true crystal. True crystal grain is made that way right from fresh cut grain, not the sacks of malted 2-row you get from a homebrew shop.

He was just clarifying as to not confuse anyone or spread false info that you're making the same crystal that you buy from a homebrew store.

 

[Channel66]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=403559

I've dabbled there is some more information here that people posted

 

[MetallHed]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=403559

I've dabbled there is some more information here that people posted

NICE! I like how that guy steeped the grains to show the color.

I did this yesterday and it looks pretty good. Roasted them for approximately 16 minutes. I didn't stir as they were roasting though, so some were scorched. I assume this will cause a darker color than I planned, but no worries.

Gonna do a Zythos pale ale with a pound of my home roasted malt! :rockin:

 

[Channel66]

NICE! I like how that guy steeped the grains to show the color.

I did this yesterday and it looks pretty good. Roasted them for approximately 16 minutes. I didn't stir as they were roasting though, so some were scorched. I assume this will cause a darker color than I planned, but no worries.

Gonna do a Zythos pale ale with a pound of my home roasted malt! :rockin:

Thanks haha, I've done a few different levels of toast since then but I didn't record it the same way. Maybe next time I well put together a full write up

 

[MetallHed]

Thanks haha, I've done a few different levels of toast since then but I didn't record it the same way. Maybe next time I well put together a full write up

Lol. Dammit I didn't even see that it was you who made that write up! Good job!

 

[Delaney]

so....does anybody have an idea as to what the diastatic power of barleypopmaker's Gold Malt (2-row roasted 30 min @ 300F) is? Or his other malts?

Somebody mentioned that they used such a malt for a SMaSH recipe, but I'm just skeptical that there would be enough diastase.

 

[hasenman]

old thread but thought I'd try...

Anyone tried to roast a Munich malt? I know it's an already pre-roasted malt, but then, so is pale. Any ideas what it would do if I dry roasted this?