How i made my first wheat malt

[BrewingWisdom]

Hi fellow brewers
Where I live there is no such thing as DME or LME exists. So I had to start from scratch but the good thing there is lot of learning and knowledge grasping here.
1)First cleaned the wheat grains three times and removed stones, dust and other sediments.
2) Then I soaked them for 8 hours in a cooking pot I have at home(2 intervals)
3) Then I spread then on a newspaper and trays and kept them moist.
4) After 4-5 days the germination was completed with a reasonable uniformity.
5) I sun dried it for two days.
6) Rubbed the grain in between hands to remove the chits. Filtered the grains through sieve and I was left with malted grains without chits.
7)Put them in a microwave oven for 2 minutes to get the moisture out and to crisp them a little.
8) Grinded the malted grain coarsely in a spice blender.
9)Finally packed the crushed malt in a zip lock plastic bag for storage.
What's missing?
I've noticed that there was a issue with germination uniformity. The acrospires were not equal and few grains were not even sprouted.
And there was a weird smell coming from grains.
I think next both issues can be avoided by spreading the grain in a thin layer(2 cm).
Planning to brew it a ancient gruit style with spices because I am still without hops. Will let you know the results. Cheers
(please find the attached images)

 

[RM-MN]

I've noticed that there was a issue with germination uniformity. The acrospires were not equal and few grains were not even sprouted.
And there was a weird smell coming from grains.

Grains never all sprout evenly. Some will never sprout. Farmers have to deal with that and they might plant a few extra to allow for that. When I sell grains to become seed the grain is tested and if the germination rate is in the high 90 percent range the grain elevator will buy it for seed. Lower germination is bought for food or animal feed at a lower price.

If the weird smell is bad, it may be that the unsprouted grains have begun to decay. They should be removed from the sprouted grains but I don't have a way to tell you how to do that.

 

[BrewingWisdom]

Grains never all sprout evenly. Some will never sprout. Farmers have to deal with that and they might plant a few extra to allow for that. When I sell grains to become seed the grain is tested and if the germination rate is in the high 90 percent range the grain elevator will buy it for seed. Lower germination is bought for food or animal feed at a lower price.

If the weird smell is bad, it may be that the unsprouted grains have begun to decay. They should be removed from the sprouted grains but I don't have a way to tell you how to do that.

I think the smell part happens when the grain layer is thick and ventilation can, t reach inside. A mold like thing can grow and hence the smell.

 

[ZunedManha]

I think you need to spread grains on cloth instead of a newspaper or tray. A cloth helps it to balance moisturization and passes the air. You can keep it a ventilated place to pass the fresh flow.

 

[BrentinArkansas]

I’m new to all this. All of it. you can buy cheaply huge ”cookie” sheets at a well stocked restaurant supply house. They might be good for spreading and still being large enough to move around the house. They won’t fit your oven though. I think finding a local malting house is just hugely easier. And they’re out there more and more.

 

[lurker18]

What you did is just fine. Grains will pick up a musty smell, sometimes it is a nice fermenting smell, other times is can be a bit sour. Unless you see fuzz growing on the kernels, I really wouldn't be too worried. If it gets to be a really bad rotten garbage or sewer smell, or a chemical smell indicating something has been done in the field, then I would also question if it is any good.
As mentioned, as a malt selector, we are looking at 95% minimum germination, but do go down to low 90% on bad years, so if you are about that, you are doing just fine.
It shouldn't matter if you use paper or cloth as a bed, but I don't think I would use newspaper, that is the cheapest of the cheap paper and when wet will probably rot just as fast as the grain does. You would be better using a few layers of kitchen paper towels, something that does not have ink in it.
When spreading out the grain, as long as you are getting in there a couple times a day and moving them around, that is all you need. Malt houses have grain beds that are several feet deep, but they also have rakes and paddles running through the beds a couple times a day to keep everything loose and let's the air exchange.

 

[RWurster]

I am drying 30# of fully modified wheat as we speak. First brew I ever made was a 100% wheat beer like the guys on basic brewing made and I have really come to enjoy a good wheat beer. I think I will malt another 30# - 50# of wheat and experiment with smoking it to make a Grodziskie. I live in the SW so not much oak out here to use.

Anyone know of a good substitute for smoking wheat to make a Grodziskie?

 

[TheHardWay]

I am drying 30# of fully modified wheat as we speak. First brew I ever made was a 100% wheat beer like the guys on basic brewing made and I have really come to enjoy a good wheat beer. I think I will malt another 30# - 50# of wheat and experiment with smoking it to make a Grodziskie. I live in the SW so not much oak out here to use.

Anyone know of a good substitute for smoking wheat to make a Grodziskie?

smoking the wheat is a thing?! Oh, that's freakin' awesome. I'm going to have to jerry-rig something in the back yard to try this.

 

[TheHardWay]

Hi fellow brewers
Where I live there is no such thing as DME or LME exists. So I had to start from scratch but the good thing there is lot of learning and knowledge grasping here.
1)First cleaned the wheat grains three times and removed stones, dust and other sediments.
2) Then I soaked them for 8 hours in a cooking pot I have at home(2 intervals)
3) Then I spread then on a newspaper and trays and kept them moist.
4) After 4-5 days the germination was completed with a reasonable uniformity.
5) I sun dried it for two days.
6) Rubbed the grain in between hands to remove the chits. Filtered the grains through sieve and I was left with malted grains without chits.
7)Put them in a microwave oven for 2 minutes to get the moisture out and to crisp them a little.
8) Grinded the malted grain coarsely in a spice blender.
9)Finally packed the crushed malt in a zip lock plastic bag for storage.
What's missing?
I've noticed that there was a issue with germination uniformity. The acrospires were not equal and few grains were not even sprouted.
And there was a weird smell coming from grains.
I think next both issues can be avoided by spreading the grain in a thin layer(2 cm).
Planning to brew it a ancient gruit style with spices because I am still without hops. Will let you know the results. Cheers
(please find the attached images)

nice. Very similar to what I did, but I skipped drying and I skipped removing the extra growing bits, and went straight into the mashing stage. mmmmm

 

[TheHardWay]

nice. Very similar to what I did, but I skipped drying and I skipped removing the extra growing bits, and went straight into the mashing stage. mmmmm

oh I skipped the cleaning part too. I'm all about skipping, and crossing my fingers I figure if it's good enough for horses to eat, then it's ok with me too.

 

[BrewingWisdom]

nice. Very similar to what I did, but I skipped drying and I skipped removing the extra growing bits, and went straight into the mashing stage. mmmmm

Was it a success later? It turned out to be a beer or something else?

 

[TheHardWay]

Was it a success later? It turned out to be a beer or something else?

I've had 3 consecutive batches of really nice beer this way.