my malt dryer

[absinthe]

i have built myself a prototype malt dryer from an old clothes dryer (no need for a pillow case) i covered the inlet holes and replace the front filter with heavy duty fly-wire..

i had an old drum that matched the dryer i had so i cut the back outta the drum and bolted it to the back of the complete one sandwiching the fly-wire in between..

i also removed the original thermostat and the timer so i can run as long as i like and what temp i like..

the only problem so far is it makes lots of fine dust (and the rootlets on the floor in front of the door but that i can handle) so i might have to have it outside under the bbq area or something

some pics:

malt sitting inside:


it running (taken through the door):


the fiy-wire in the back:


the old drum minus the back:


the fly-wire in the door:

[Aces High]

thats awsome absinthe... i was just trying to work out how i am going to dry the malt that I'm currently doing, as its so damn cold here at the moment.

[absinthe]

the dust is a REAL prob though so i think outside is the only way to go... (also build this at you own risk as its a fire risk) the heavy fly-wire seems to let the rootlets through enough that at the end of the kiln i think they will all be gone from the malt

[absinthe]

what i have learned so far.. (plus how i malt)

DO NOT RUN THIS INSIDE!!!

after running it for about half an hour in the shed i thought it was on fire as the shed was filled with a smog like hase..

it wasnt smoke it was VERY fine dust and it messed me up a little (i'm still feeling clogged up) atleast its not toxic.

but back to the malting etc, to malt my grain i use the "hole in my bucket" method. simply put you get a bucket and drill about 5 3-4mm holes in the bottom then you fill to about 3/4 with barley (otherwise it will over flow when it swells)..



stick the bucket in the laundry sink and fill with water..

the holes will let the water slowly drain so the barley gets both water and air. stir and refill the bucket 3-4 times a day (less will work like in the morning before work as soon as you get home and once more before bed).

after about 2-3 days you should see the "chit" start to poke outta the blunt end o the grain: (like the middle grain, the bottom is unsoaked, and the top is almost ready for kilning)



once you see the chit spead the grain about 3-4inchs thick on plastic (i use the black stuff for under concrete) and as offten as you can mix the grain around so they dont get tangled and so they get some air. if the weather is hot you might need to put some back in the bucket (about half the grain you started with will almost fill the bucket now) and resoak then mix into the grain well to keep it moist.. i have used spray bottles but had infections from this and i find the bucket works the best







you will know when its finished when the shoot (acrospire) reaches the pointy end of the grain..

you will need to split open some to see it. the shoot is on the smooth side of the grain.. you will also notice that as the malt modifys it becomes easier to pull the roots and shoot out as the protin in the grain it being consumed



this grain is not quite ready but its close as the roots and shoot pulled out in one peice

once shes finished malting its ready to kiln:



start by drying the malt gently (i am using 37°C)



and as she drys the screen on the front will remove all the rootlets etc:





once shes dry then you can ramp up the temps "Pale and pilsner malt are generally kilned at temperatures of about 176-185° F (80-85° C) . Vienna and Munich malts are kilned at a somewhat higher temperature. They are kilned at about 185-194° F (85-90° C) and 221° F (105° C) respectively" #



and for darked malts just roast in your oven : (notice they still have lots of rootlets as this malt was made before i had my "rolling malt kiln" )






#(taken from a great site: http://mosquitobytes.com/Den/Beer/Hmbrewing/Malt.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow )

[blind drunk]

Where's the dust escaping from? Through cracks and crevices? Cheers, bd.

[HookLine]

Excellent tutorial. Thanks for that.

[Hack]

Maybe you could remove the screen and plumb the outlet to something along the lines of an old shop vac canister with a filter. Then you might be able to catch the rootlets and dust. Or maybe you have to keep the screen but at least you could catch the dust.

I've got a cabinet with trays that slide into it in a stagger pattern to create a duct. I put a small ceramic heater in an inlet hole in the bottom of the cabinet for heat. It works really well for drying the malt.

EDIT- I also use the bucket method to sprout my malt. Usually, every time, right after I fill the bucket with water, I gently stir up the grain. This helps it sprout evenly and keeps the rootlets from getting tangled. I also leave the malt in the bucket and fill it with water twice a day until it's ready to go into the drying cabinet.

[absinthe]

so you malt in the bucket? the advantage with the screen is that it removes all the rootlets and the dust is most likely flammable so i wouldn't want to use a shop vac as the use a brushed motor and some blow throw the motor BOOM!!

[Hack]

Yes, I leave the malt in the bucket until it's ready to dry. I've had great success doing it that way. You don't want to start with more than five pounds of grain in the bucket though because by the time all the roots and shoots have grown it will be pretty full.

I was meaning that you attach the dryer outlet to some kind if canister, like an old shop vac, and that the outlet of the canister would have a filter on it, like a shop vac filter. The shop vac motor would be unneeded as the blower in the dryer would be doing the work. This would be working much like the original lint trap, just on a larger scale.

[Dee]

Using an old clothes dryer is a great idea for a malt kiln. I did the same thing, but cut a hole in the door so that I could attach a shopvac with a filter on the tip to pick up dust and chaff. The malt drys faster and the temperature is lower. I put finer screen on the hot air inlet and the moist air outlet just like you did. At first I attached the shopvac in series with the moist air outlet, but later cut the hole in the door.

[WalkingWolf]

Re: my malt dryer
by Hack » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:54 am

I've got a cabinet with trays that slide into it in a stagger pattern to create a duct. I put a small ceramic heater in an inlet hole in the bottom of the cabinet for heat. It works really well for drying the malt.

Hack,
Would you give us a little more detail on how this is constructed and heater placement and such?? I think, for those of us interested in malting, we would benefit from something that works well and is not too complicated.

many thanks
WW

[Hack]

Re: my malt dryer
by Hack » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:54 am

I've got a cabinet with trays that slide into it in a stagger pattern to create a duct. I put a small ceramic heater in an inlet hole in the bottom of the cabinet for heat. It works really well for drying the malt.

Hack,
Would you give us a little more detail on how this is constructed and heater placement and such?? I think, for those of us interested in malting, we would benefit from something that works well and is not too complicated.

many thanks
WW

I'll try to get some pictures put up of it. It get's a bit complicated trying to explain, but it's real simple when you see it.

[thebrewer]

Brilliant! Question. Did you slow down the rate that the dryer rotates (and hence the fan speed too if they're driven off the same belt)?

I've been scheming a similiar plan, but to peat smoke pre-malted grain for use in scotch. General plan is to pipe the inlet air from above a small peat "fire". I was concerned however that the dryer would be too vigorous in its current state, hence the question above. There's a few niggles to work out such as how to keep the smoke cold enough to not activate the enzymes, but it looks like a cracker plan

oh, and one more question, how do you know when you've done enough drying? I've been toying with the idea of weighing the entire dryer with grain and running until the 'dry weight' is reached... but maybe thats just a crackpot idea...

[Cartierusm]

LOL after this tutorial sales of used clothers dryers on craigslist go up 300%...no one at craigslist can figure out why

[still crazy]

Please control those dust clouds.
Dust is a volatile condition.
Just a spark, such as turning on a light switch or static electricity can ignite the dust.
It will happen so fast it will create an explosion.

This is what make grain elevators explode.