Homemade Malt? Is it doable?

[fifelee]

My father raises malt barely and wheat. Someday I would like to try to make my own malt. I have only found limited info around the web. Is this possible for a basement brewer? Has anyone every tried it? Is wheat malt made the same way?

 

[zoebisch01]

This was recently discussed here:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16748

Hope that helps!

 

[fifelee]

Thanks. I figured it must have been discussed at one time. I noticed in the thread you linked someone pondered buying feed barley to attempt to make malt.

I can add some information on this from my father. Malt barley needs to have a low protein and a high plump rating. Most farmers try to raise “malt” quality barley, but the weather doesn’t always cooperate and poorer quality barley is produced. The farmer then has to sell it as feed barley. Basically I am saying if someone tried to use feed or store barley I am guessing they will be doomed from the start.

 

[zoebisch01]

Nice that your dad raises it. What I wouldn't give for a local Malt Barley producer. I may experiment in the future with a few small plots, just enough to get me a couple of batches. Just for the fun of it.

 

[fifelee]

My father didn’t get any malt quality this year, so I don’t even have any right now. If and when he raises some in the future I will gladly send it to anyone. We only get about $6 per hundred pounds from the grain elevator, so I could sell it really cheap. Shipping would cost more than the grain.

 

[david_42]

As you might imagine, barley growing is a big topic around here. Oregon State in Corvallis has a hybrid malting barley that would be great for home growers. One of the big problems with barley is laydown due to the weak stems. This stuff doesn't have that problem, but at 6" is too short to harvest mechanically!

 

[Jim Karr]

Actually, if the stalk stands straight instead of falling down (the proper agricultural term for that is LODGING) (Not to be confused with Peter Frampton's The Lodger), a grain header on a combine could easily cut a six inch stalk. The big problem would be making sure it doesn't pick up any rocks or other soil clods and feed them into the machine.

 

[dantodd]

hmmm.... I'm guessing that the maltsters buy up all the malt-grade barley and it is probably impossible for us to buy cheaply. Anyone know if this is the case?

 

[zoebisch01]

hmmm.... I'm guessing that the maltsters buy up all the malt-grade barley and it is probably impossible for us to buy cheaply. Anyone know if this is the case?

Most likely yes. Although, I am getting my base malt now for $0.80/lb which is pretty good for small scale imho.

 

[bummerkit]

if any of you guys live in Idaho Falls you could just sneak into the budweiser fields and cut some out...

 

[mew]

if any of you guys live in Idaho Falls you could just sneak into the budweiser fields and cut some out...

Good idea. Seriously. Oregon's Willamette valley if full of free hops lining the fields, I think there's barley to the east.