Malt Conditioning... WOW it rocks!

[The Pol]

SO, did a little side by side test today with malt conditioning.

Using Kai's information and using 2% water added to the grain before the milling. Wow, here are the photos, unREAL!

Conditioned Malt

NON Conditioned Malt

Side By Side! (Conditioned on the RIGHT)

 

[KingBrianI]

I've had very similar results. The crushed conditioned malt feels so fluffy. The downsides I've found are that crushing requires a bit more pressure, the rollers need to be cleaned afterwards since some grain will stick, and the grain bed doesn't filter as well, though. I've not noticed any astringency either way.

 

[flyangler18]

Most definitely! Should take care of your recirc issues handily. :rockin:

 

[IrregularPulse]

So what is the benefit?

 

[Tonedef131]

I've been thinking about playing with this, did you just spread it out and mist it with a spraybottle or what?

 

[flyangler18]

So what is the benefit?

Keeps the husk intact for improved lautering, for one.

 

[The Pol]

I didnt have anything stuck to my rollers...

The grain bed filters WORSE? How is that even possible when you have more intact husks? Isnt that the whole point of conditioning malt, to create a more free flowing grain bed????

The benefit is that the grain bed is supposed to flow more freely.

 

[The Pol]

I've been thinking about playing with this, did you just spread it out and mist it with a spraybottle or what?

Put it in a container, misted it, mixed, misted, mixed... I crushed it by hand (crank) too, worked very!!

 

[KingBrianI]

I didnt have anything stuck to my rollers...

The grain bed filters WORSE? How is that even possible when you have more intact husks? Isnt that the whole point of conditioning malt, to create a more free flowing grain bed????

The benefit is that the grain bed is supposed to flow more freely.

I always have some stick.

As for filtering worse, since the hulls are intact, they don't compact as much, and yes, it flows more freely, but small particles make it through at a much higher rate. At least they do in my system.

 

[IrregularPulse]

and the grain bed doesn't filter as well,

Isnt that the whole point of conditioning malt, to create a more free flowing grain bed????

The benefit is that the grain bed is supposed to flow more freely.

That's what I thought but was confused then by KingBrianI's Post.....

 

[KingBrianI]

don't confuse flow with filtering.

 

[Tonedef131]

I've had very similar results. The crushed conditioned malt feels so fluffy. The downsides I've found are that crushing requires a bit more pressure, the rollers need to be cleaned afterwards since some grain will stick, and the grain bed doesn't filter as well, though. I've not noticed any astringency either way.

That doesn't seem right. Victory (as well as Sierra Nevada, Deschutes, and New Belgium) has a wet mill and spends A LOT of money on it for the purposes of improved lautering.

the malt is wetted very carefully so that the husk gets wet and soft, but not the kernel. This way, when the malt hits the rollers -- which are set quite tightly -- the kernel cracks as always, but the husk is not broken up, like it is in a dry mill. This makes for a better filter bed, and less tannins from the husk

 

[remilard]

Just to reiterate, KingBrian is saying it filters worse because it flows better.

So need to recirculate longer perhaps to get the same wort clarity.

 

[The Pol]

I dont think I will have a problem with particles in my wort after 90 minutes of recircualting. We will see! But I am completely blown away by the results, I have never seen such a nice crush and such whole husks!!!

 

[RighteousFire]

Told you. It's freakin crazy.

Can't wait to here about the results. Won't be able to watch live though.

 

[The Pol]

Told you. It's freakin crazy.

Can't wait to here about the results. Won't be able to watch live though.

It will be recorded, and I will post the links for ya. I have a ton of rice hulls now too that Bad_Coffee sent to me, but I will leave them out and just condition the malt this time.

In the crush that was DRY milled, some husks are sorta intact, but most are broken into slivers. The WET milled grain is just about 90% intact husks at a BC setting of .035". Crazzyyyy

 

[scinerd3000]

do you get increased efficiency doing this? If so im just curious how much

 

[bob1852]

do you get increased efficiency doing this? If so im just curious how much

and if so, which efficiency?

Does it help with conversion efficiency (seems it might - with "fluffier" grain), or lauter efficiency (seems it might, since the grain bed acts differently).

So maybe both?

 

[The Pol]

and if so, which efficiency?

Does it help with conversion efficiency (seems it might - with "fluffier" grain), or lauter efficiency (seems it might, since the grain bed acts differently).

So maybe both?

It depends...

It will let you crush finer if you are looking to get a finer crush without sticking the mash, since it keeps the husks intact. My conversion eff. is about 97%, so that is not a factor for me. But for some, it would improve conv. eff. and allow them to keep a good filter bed at the same time.

It could definately improve lauter eff. since you are creating a less compacted grain bed. If your grain bed becomes too compacted, the water will flow by the path of least resistance... along the wall of the cooler or MLT. Keep a nice light grain bed and you will promote more even sparging of the bed. Again, in my case my lauter eff. is about 91% so this isnt a factor for me.

What is a factor for me is being able to get the MOST free flowing grain bed possible without sacrificing the crush that has come to allow me 97% conversion eff. The intact husks will allow me to maintain the eff. I have while allowing me to recirculate faster, which when running a HERMS, is of great value.

 

[The Pol]

do you get increased efficiency doing this? If so im just curious how much

I would think you MAY get better lauter eff. as stated above, but to what degree? I dunno. This is not to boost my eff. I am actually in the process of trying to lower my own eff. by 8%

 

[bob1852]

Thanks Pol;

I see a barley crusher and a squirt bottle in my future

 

[The Pol]

4 sprays was about .1oz

I used .3oz on 1 pound of malt.

Truely, it is amazing, you cannot even fathom the difference, the photos dont do it justice.

THANKS KAI!

 

[bob1852]

THANKS KAI!

yeah, that braukaiser.com website just gets better and better!

 

[3 Dog Brew]

Does this require a specific mill, an adjustable mill, etc.? The results look incredible and I would like to try this on my Malt Mill, but it is the non-adjustable variety.

Thanks for the pics. That's awesome.

 

[pjj2ba]

Conditioning also helps to keep the dust down.

I measure out my water and then add it while mixing with my other hand. I find that by conditioning, the malt does swell ever so slightly, but enough such that I have to open my gap a smidge to keep the belt drive from slipping. I also now routinely double crush and can get a quite fine crush and still have mostly intact husks. The second crush is with a narrower gap.

I use a pump to do my vorlauf and then to drain the MLT and with the nice big husk pieces, I can drain it fairly fast with no danger of a stuck sparge.

 

[The Pol]

Does this require a specific mill, an adjustable mill, etc.? The results look incredible and I would like to try this on my Malt Mill, but it is the non-adjustable variety.

Thanks for the pics. That's awesome.

No, you do not need a special mill, or an adjustable one. If you like the crush you have, this will give you the SAME crush, BUT it will keep the husks INTACT. Yes, that is the only thing that changes.

It will work on your mill. Use 2% by weight of the malt, as your water quantity. So 10 pounds of grain will need 3.2oz of water added.

Try it, it is AMAZING!

 

[MultumInParvo]

Well, I guess if its better I'll have to go get a grain mill just so I can spray down the grains before they're crushed...

 

[user 22118]

Hey Pol,

What is your reasoning behind having/wanting such high efficiency? It seems to me that tannins aside, you are getting more than just sugar out the higher the efficiency. Does your beer taste any different than 70-80%? You are a bit far away for a sample and critique, so I have to just go from what you say. Just interested.

 

[babalu87]

yeah, that braukaiser.com website just gets better and better!

Site has always been a great resource and keeps getting better.

Malt conditioning

IT WORKS!

I cant even brew without doing the fast ferment test, its GREAT to know what your FG will be three days after brewing

BTW
It doesnt work the same with Mead

 

[babalu87]

Hey Pol,

What is your reasoning behind having/wanting such high efficiency? It seems to me that tannins aside, you are getting more than just sugar out the higher the efficiency. Does your beer taste any different than 70-80%? You are a bit far away for a sample and critique, so I have to just go from what you say. Just interested.

Where did this come from?
I keep hearing it and seeing it...................

Budweiser and BIG TIME commercial German breweries get HUGE efficiency, I've never tasted tannins in their beers.