Possible stupid question and maybe an experiment..

[seatazzz]

So today I'm going to make my own Crystal and roasted malts for the first time, 2 pounds each. Following Jon Palmer's directions, soaked 2 pounds of two row in water overnight, let them drain, and they're now in the oven for 2 hours. When those are done will roast 2 more pounds dry.

Okay, here's the stupid question; we have an air fryer. I'm wondering if I could do the dry roasted malt in there? One of the google results I got yesterday stated that convection ovens are the best way to kiln malt, and that's basically what an air fryer is, a small convection oven. I think I'll try a pound in there just to see what happens, and will report back. And if anyone has any stories about roasting/caramelizing your own malt, by all means please share!

 

[mongoose33]

It's not a stupid question. The logic is reasonable.

Give it a shot, see what you get. Best way would be do do the air fryer and the oven both at the same time so you have some basis for comparison.

 

[SanPancho]

Did you clean all of the oil out of it?

 

[seatazzz]

Did you clean all of the oil out of it?

Nah, I'm planning a French Fry Porter and wanted the flavor.

YES I cleaned it out first. It's going now, I set the timer for 20 minutes and will give the grain a stir and taste one to see what's happening.

 

[Rodent]

interesting idea

 

[seatazzz]

About 25 minutes in, just tasted some. Has a great toasty flavor, not quite where I want it yet, going to let it go until the malt is pretty dark. Here's a pic, with another one of unroasted for comparison.

 

[Rodent]

any details on the 2-row you started with?

 

[seatazzz]

any details on the 2-row you started with?

Just plain old straight two row from Great Western. Next trip to the LHBS I'll get some Munich and try roasting that to get Dark Munich for ambers. Super stoked about making my own color/flavor malts. In two weeks what I'm making today will be used for a Nut Brown, if it turns out well might be one of the beers I'll enter in the Fair this year.

Next experiment might be malting my own two-row if I can find unmalted barley somewhere.

 

[bracconiere]

Just plain old straight two row from Great Western. Next trip to the LHBS I'll get some Munich and try roasting that to get Dark Munich for ambers. Super stoked about making my own color/flavor malts. In two weeks what I'm making today will be used for a Nut Brown, if it turns out well might be one of the beers I'll enter in the Fair this year.

Next experiment might be malting my own two-row if I can find unmalted barley somewhere.

Would your air fryer hold 5 lbs? that looks like a beautifully even roast on the malt....I use my oven, and have to do it low and slow to get anything near even...like 260f for 12 hours....not sure if you know, but the reason it needs to be wet is so that you can mash the kernel in the husk...that way when you roast it's caramelizing sugar and not starch...

And you'll have a lot better luck finding 6-row then 2-row.....try the local feed store, if they don't carry whole barley, they'll order you a bag, can also get whole wheat, and whole oats..i malted a couple 20lb batches of oats, did 100% oat malt beers...smelled like heavy cream while boiling, unfortunately...not poured from the keg

And back to the beginning, it's not a stupid question...lol

edit: (in fact 5lbs of malt fills a 6qt tub perfectly, and they sell 6qt air fryers! thanks for the idea! i'd like to see the finished result out of the fryer)

 

[seatazzz]

I didn't take a pic of the finished malt, but it was a tad darker and tastes like darker biscuit malt. Sorely tempted to do a mini-mash once it's rested for a week to see what color I get, but will hold off.

One pound of malt is a bit much for the air fryer, in the basket lined with aluminum foil; I don't have any of the accessories for it, and not sure if it will work just dumping the grain in the bottom without the basket. Let me know how it works for you not using the basket, if it works I can do a lot more at a time.

We do have a couple of feed stores nearby, will check them for barley. For it to make sense financially will have to be about $30/55lb bag, since I can get 55lbs of malted two row for $39.99 from the LHBS in Snoqualmie.

The Crystal I'm making just started the drying process, smells terrific and should turn out well. Aiming for something close to 120l for that.

 

[seatazzz]

Crystal is almost completely dried. Tastes super sweet and delicious. Once the current timer goes off will up the oven temperature to 300 and start the roasting process.

 

[bracconiere]

most feed stores charge about 13-14 for a 50lb sack of whole barley...makes 40lbs malt, with enough left over for some crystals....

 

[bracconiere]

if you have a newer digital oven, they have 12 hour auto shut off cycles....300f is going to toast it quick, and without stirring, it won't be even....in my experience anyway....if you have it dry, and mashed in the kernel, i'd say use the air fryer for it, from what i saw the evenness of the other malt...

 

[seatazzz]

I have time in hand today, and stirring it up every 10 minutes or so to keep from burning. I have a gas stove/oven, so need to keep an eye on it during the process. Have to say, the entire house smells damn lovely with this going. And the malt itself tastes terrific.

For anyone else considering doing this, get thee some cheap nonstick cake pans. I'm using my good ones, and they will be a bitch to scrub out once done. Cannot believe the smell they are putting out, though. Might even cut the time down to 40 minutes as they are already browned nicely.

 

[SanPancho]

No need for snark.
Dont know your model, only that similar thing was tried before and oil was found to have been left behind. Main bin was cleaned. Nooks, crannies, yes. Unreachable places, no. Results were as expected when you add oil to beer.

 

[day_trippr]

A "French Fry Porter" could actually be interesting - I love a good porter and if my wife would let me I'd have french fries with every dinner...

Cheers!

 

[seatazzz]

No need for snark.
Dont know your model, only that similar thing was tried before and oil was found to have been left behind. Main bin was cleaned. Nooks, crannies, yes. Unreachable places, no. Results were as expected when you add oil to beer.

Sorry, didn't mean to be snarky! I cleaned the heck out of the thing before adding the grain. And tempted to do a mini-mash of it to make sure there's nothing residual that will add off-flavors. If it's good will just use the wort as a yeast starter. Will probably do another batch in the oven to have "clean" roasted malt.