Yet another wheat malting thread. Easy method.

[Fart Vader]

Hi folks, I've done lots of reading on the various ways members have been malting wheat and other grains.
I've used this technique 5 times now and I can report 100% success every time.

Materials needed:
6 X 5 gallon plastic buckets.
2 x Plastic storage totes 37Gal(125L) Tote http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubbermaid-3 ... /100347929
55lbs wheat berries.

Take 3 of buckets and drill 6x 1/8" holes in the bottom.

Holes in the bottom

Take the 3 other buckets and divide the sack of wheat into 3 equal amounts.

3 buckets of wheat

Fill the three buckets with water up to the rim.

Soaking buckets

Soak the seeds for 12hrs, more or less. 12hrs works with my schedule, before I leave for work, and once I get home.
After the 12 hours, pour each bucket into each of the buckets with the holes drilled in them. This allows the water to drain slowly.
I use the hose to spray the berries sticking to the bucket to fall into the draining bucket.
Make sure you have a drain in your floor
Lay a piece of cardboard, a piece of wood or a towel on top of the buckets so the top layer doesn't dry out.
Leave in the draining buckets for another 12 hours.

After 12 hours have passed, transfer the berries back to the soaking buckets and fill with water again.
Another 12 hours and back to the draining buckets.

You can repeat the process one more time, but if the chits have appeared (little white tips on the berries). You're ready.
I've done 3 cycles on 4 of my maltings.
This last malting I only did 2.

Sprouting.
Transfer 1/2 of the berries into each of the storage totes (from the drainage buckets).

Storage tote

Close the covers and wait 12hrs.

Waiting twins

After 12 hours, open the cover take your hand and dig into the bottom, turn everything around mixing the bottom to the top. This stops the seedlings from creating a solid mat of roots.
If you wish, you can spray a little water on top to make sure there is enough moisture in the container.
Repeat this 2 more times for a total of 36hrs

[Fart Vader]

After 12hrs

12hrs

After 24hrs

24hrs

After 36hrs

36hrs

Drying.
After 36hrs the acrospire should be 3/4 to 100% the length of the berry. We're ready to dry.

If you're malting indoors like I do, spread out the berries on a 12 foot by 12 foot tarp and point an oscillating fan at them.
Mix them up as best you can to ensure they all get a chance to dry.
Depending on local humidity, this can take up to a week! if you have a nice hot sun, move it all outdoors during the day.

That's it!
How does the malt work for me?
I've been getting a pretty consistent OG of 1.05 with 100% malt.
My sacks of wheat cost me $12

Cheers !

P.S. When I get back home, I'll post a picture of my rotary dryer experiment.

[shadylane]

Looking good

[MichiganCornhusker]

Nice write up, always good to see successful malting techniques.
Have you done any kilning with your malt? Toasted wheat malt is very nice in whiskey.

Malting is magic, carry on and keep us posted.

[Hank Reardon]

Fart, thank you.

That is likely the only time I've said that in my life, and it is a relief. Pun intended.

Cool process. I have a drain (of sorts) to figure out in order to give it a try. Maybe some sort of block to elevate the drained wheat from the fluid...

Anyway, thank you for the posts sharing your process.

[Fart Vader]

Ok, here's a video of my prototype dryer/roaster thingy.

It's mostly working but still needs some fine tuning.
The orange patches are silicone heaters, 3x 500Watts.
I need to insulate the drum because I've been unable to get the temperature to rise significantly inside.
On the back I have a couple of fans blowing through the drum to exhaust the moisture ladden air.

So here she is ...
https://youtu.be/SYSWvaSXzow

[shadylane]

That looks like something I'd build

[hellbilly007]

Thanks for sharing this, FV. This is something that I am going to do/make in the near future. The closest, decent HBS is almost 2 hours away so malting my own is the best option. I've been granted permission from SWMBO to occupy the laundry room for extra curricular activities this winter, since the garage isn't up to par yet.

Has anybody used a pipe-burner for their homemade malt kiln? Be it internal or external?

[Andy Capp]

Hey Fart, Doin well with the malting.
If i may make a suggestion, it's easier to use the storage crates from the beginning without using the buckets. Just less things that need cleaning and storing.
Drill a line of small holes along the bottom at one end of the crate. When soaking the grain, fill the crate with water and chock up the end with holes so the water doesn't drain.
After the grain has chitted, slightly lift the other end so the water drains. Filling the crate with water and draining 2 or 3 times a day will allow the grain to mix and stay moist.
I've had great success with this method but so are you with yours so any change is entirely up to you.

[Fart Vader]

Has anybody used a pipe-burner for their homemade malt kiln? Be it internal or external?

I think a pipe burner wouldn't work very well for drying the malt. If you submit the green malt to temperatures in excess of 80C-100C, you will denature the enzymes. Unless of course you have very fine control of the temperature.

When soaking the grain, fill the crate with water and chock up the end with holes so the water doesn't drain.

Hmm, good idea.

[shadylane]

Fart, I've been experimenting with a minimum of soaking the grain.
The grain is washed in a bucket to remove floating debris for only a few hours
Then the grain is placed on top of a screen to drain and malt.
I keep the grain covered and only moist to the touch.

[hellbilly007]

I forgot to add that thus said burner would be controlled by a PID with a temp probe, along with a pilot. This seems to over complicate a simple process though. I think I'll just send SWMBO on a sugar run so I can use the dryer

[shadylane]

Just a thought before sending the "SWMBO on a sugar run so I can use the dryer"

Old, broken cloths dries and ovens are cheap or Free.
A mad SWMBO can get expensive

[shadylane]

If you submit the green malt to temperatures in excess of 80C-100C, you will denature the enzyme

That's true, the malt will lose it's diastic power.
If your using enzymes for conversion, the malt can be stewed or made into crystal malt.

[Fart Vader]

A mad SWMBO can get expensive

Oh yes, we've all learned that lesson the hard way.

Hmm, an old clothes dryer.
Didn't think of that.

I bought a used laboratory oven that I converted to a smoker.
Made a bunch of stack-able shelves last weekend to dry my malt in it (what a job that was!!!).

I have my latest malt batch in there as we type. We'll see how that works out.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow.
Batch #1 is just a drying run. 90C to see how long it will take.
Batch #2 for next week will be a smoking run. Really looking forward to that. 90C also, but with a nice smoke too!

My rotating drum was a failure.
Cheap Chinese shaft actually broke at the keyway. 1" supposedly hardened shaft. Incredible considering the light load.

[shadylane]

Hmm, an old clothes dryer.
Didn't think of that.

The electrics on Modern cloths driers and ovens have a circuit board that commonly fails
The heaters and motors are usually good.

I bought a used laboratory oven that I converted to a smoker.
Made a bunch of stack-able shelves last weekend to dry my malt in it (what a job that was!!!).

I have my latest malt batch in there as we type. We'll see how that works out.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow.
Batch #1 is just a drying run. 90C to see how long it will take.
Batch #2 for next week will be a smoking run. Really looking forward to that. 90C also, but with a nice smoke too!

My rotating drum was a failure.
Cheap Chinese shaft actually broke at the keyway. 1" supposedly hardened shaft. Incredible considering the light load.

It's a shame the rotating drum experiment didn't work out.
The basic idea is good. But a hot sunny day on a metal roof also dries malt pretty good

[hellbilly007]

Old, broken cloths dries and ovens are cheap or Free.
A mad SWMBO can get expensive

That's actually in the stages at the moment. I agree with the expensive SWMBO statement. At least we'd need a new instead of getting one just because she wants it, lol.

I found a used appliance store about 30 minutes from the house. I'll have to check them out for a dryer

[shadylane]

Post an add on craigslist
"Wanted broken appliances or junk, will haul off for free"
One man's junk, is a smart man's building material

[hellbilly007]

Post an add on craigslist
"Wanted broken appliances or junk, will haul off for free"
One man's junk, is a smart man's building material

That is a good idea. I just don't have the time, working on the road and all. It does help with patience while aging spirits though.

[shadylane]

Post an add on craigslist
"Wanted broken appliances or junk, will haul off for free"
One man's junk, is a smart man's building material

That is a good idea. I just don't have the time, working on the road and all. It does help with patience while aging spirits though.

My Bad
I was thinking your retired and had the time

[hellbilly007]

Post an add on craigslist
"Wanted broken appliances or junk, will haul off for free"
One man's junk, is a smart man's building material

That is a good idea. I just don't have the time, working on the road and all. It does help with patience while aging spirits though.

My Bad
I was thinking your retired and had the time

I wish. Next year when the homestead is paid off I'm gonna take it easy, work-wise.