Toasting Crystal Malts

[Aristotelian]

I don't think I have seen this answered anywhere. I know you can make your own biscuit malt by toasting base malt. Can you similarly make a darker crystal malt by toasting a lighter one?

I have a bunch of 20L and I am wondering if I can toast it a bit for recipes that call for 40L or 60L.

 

[RedlegEd]

Check out this forum: Home Roasting Malts

 

[Aristotelian]

Check out this forum: Home Roasting Malts

I saw that but it doesn't quite answer the question. I know you can make it from 2-row if you soak it and go through a crystal process. I don't want to go through all that trouble. I want to know if I can make 60L crystal malt out of 20L.

 

[m00ps]

From what I remember, you cna make your own crystal malts by wetting them, and then toasting them. This converts some of the sugars like you do when mashing before the heat dries out the malt

 

[RedlegEd]

That's a really interesting question. IDK if you can continue the process once a Crystal malt has reached a certain level and stopped/stabilized (i.e. 20L to 60L.) Different posts explain how to soak & roast to get Crystal or Special B, but none I've read indicate you can start with a 20L and (re)start the process to go to on to 60L+.

 

[RM-MN]

Here's a nice description of how one homebrewer makes his own caramel malts. http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2012/...n-crystal-malt-for-beer-how-to-technique.html

 

[Aristotelian]

That's a really interesting question. IDK if you can continue the process once a Crystal malt has reached a certain level and stopped/stabilized (i.e. 20L to 60L.) Different posts explain how to soak & roast to get Crystal or Special B, but none I've read indicate you can start with a 20L and (re)start the process to go to on to 60L+.

Thank you for understanding the question. So, I went ahead and tried this today. Toasted some 20L for 10 min at 350. It certainly changed the color and looks like 40L. I can't compare the flavor but I would guess that it will turn out close.

 

[RedlegEd]

Isn't that what you were after? I'd hope it hasn't lost any of its sweetness, just darkened due to roasting (maybe with a corresponding toastier flavor.) I'm subscribed, so I'm interested in finding out your experience using it. Are you planning on letting it rest for a week or two before brewing with it? It might also be interesting to hold back an ounce or two so you can compare with "real" C40/60 the next time you get some. It might not taste exactly the same, but there's always something cool about doing it yourself that seems to add its own special flavor. Ed

 

[Aristotelian]

Isn't that what you were after? I'd hope it hasn't lost any of its sweetness, just darkened due to roasting (maybe with a corresponding toastier flavor.) I'm subscribed, so I'm interested in finding out your experience using it. Are you planning on letting it rest for a week or two before brewing with it? It might also be interesting to hold back an ounce or two so you can compare with "real" C40/60 the next time you get some. It might not taste exactly the same, but there's always something cool about doing it yourself that seems to add its own special flavor. Ed

I really just did it on the fly more for proof of concept than a systematic test. I just toasted it while measuring the other grains and added directly to the mash. Once this batch is conditioned I will at least be able to rule out off flavors. So far so good, the color is exactly what I was looking for.

Honestly I am a small batch brewer so I don't keep too much adjunct malts around (therein lies the problem), so it may be a while before I get a chance to do a systematic test.