malt conditioning

[stickyfinger]

I've been conditioning my malt for a long time and got into the habit of milling it right after conditioning it. Lately, I've been letting it rest 20 mins and then milling. I think it is giving me even better flow and better husk integrity. Try it if you haven't!

 

[IslandLizard]

Malt conditioning is letting it soak up for 20-30 minutes before milling...

 

[day_trippr]

Don't push that time window too far, however. Bad things can happen.

I do the 2% by weight thing with a spray bottle while hand mixing in the buckets, then lid them and let them sit for 15 minutes or so before milling. All well and good, crush goes easily, nice fluffy husks.

Then the first brew that I pre-boiled the strike and sparge liquor I didn't account for that extra time, and when I finally got to milling the grain it was a major gluey mess of a chore. That evening I had to totally tear the mill down to clean the "cement" out of the rollers...

Cheers!

 

[stickyfinger]

Don't push that time window too far, however. Bad things can happen.

I do the 2% by weight thing with a spray bottle while hand mixing in the buckets, then lid them and let them sit for 15 minutes or so before milling. All well and good, crush goes easily, nice fluffy husks.

Then the first brew that I pre-boiled the strike and sparge liquor I didn't account for that extra time, and when I finally got to milling the grain it was a major gluey mess of a chore. That evening I had to totally tear the mill down to clean the "cement" out of the rollers...

Cheers!

weird. my malt seems to get drier as it rests. does then go through a glue phase?

 

[day_trippr]

Honestly, I have no idea what the heck happened. It was just that one time, and the only difference was the extended lidded "rest" - which I've scrupulously avoided repeating. I use a spray bottle with ounce marks so I doubt I over-did the misting.

But...now I'm wondering if that batch had some flaked grain...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

But...now I'm wondering if that batch had some flaked grain...

There's your cement!

 

[ESBrewer]

weird. my malt seems to get drier as it rests. does then go through a glue phase?

During the rest, malts (optimally the husks only) absorb water by diffusion so the surface where the water was applied is not that wet anymore, but the layers deeper inside get moisturized. If you wait too long some water could enter the kernels, bacteria may start to grow and possibly other unwanted things may happen.

 

[pvpeacock]

I condition the night before and let the unmilled grain sit in a sealed container overnight with no issues. Not sure what the concerns are.

 

[mabrungard]

I found that over-wetting the grain results in concrete on your rollers. You've added excess water that not only moisturizes the husk, it moisturizes the kernel. When that kernel is crushed, there is enough moisture to enable some of the grain flour to adhere to the rollers.

I don't add a predetermined amount of water to my grain. I spray water on the grain and mix by hand. I keep adding water until my hand is no longer dusty. If your hand comes back slightly wet, you've gone too far.