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So I tried malting barley and it never took on the sweet almost molasses flavor.. Does it only have that flavor when dissolving in water? Or did I not wait enough?

Since when does barley taste like molasses. Tastes like beer or scotch to me. So how did you soak, lay out and keep it damp turning every day for like a week and then kiln dry at what temp and to what color. That is malting.

wow, you have allot of projects on the go....

I had it in a large container but I left for a night and couldn't turn it and it got moldy so I guess I have to try again .. But ha i don't know I thiugt it did smell like molasses but made some rum mash last night and it's a little different gaha I still don't think it smells like beer or tastes like it though .. And I've only tried extracts so that might taste a lot different .. And yea I have a lot I projects haha brewing and distilling is mostly what takes up my free time haha work at a lousy job and likker are my days

Here we go again. So, I think malting barley (or any grains for that matter) are not in your wheelhouse. I'd suggest sticking with the tried and true recipes until you KNOW you're an expert, and I don't mean "a drip under pressure".
ss

Your problem with malting barley is directly related to you diving into the deep end without your floaties.
Knowledge is very buoyant. You are drowning because you want to do it all right now and you can't even dog paddle.

See where I'm going with this? Slow down and take the advice above. If you don't soon even the lifeguards will not help.

I think a lot of you jump I conclusions

Less jumping to conclusions than looking out for you. No one is saying you can't do it just don't try to do it all right now. By doing so you are inadvertently delaying true progress in the craft.
You are not saving money by doing it yourself if your screwing it up. Barley is tough. It's very particular and is a challenge to maximize when malting. Your desire is really cool but I would slow down. Get malted corn down first, you will use it for something. Then move on to barley.
Get enough runs under your belt with something easy and buy some grain. When you know your still like a lover branch out to some of the more enriching aspects of our craft such as malting and recipe development.

TheSerious1 wrote:I think a lot of you jump I conclusions

Your enthusiastic exuberance is admirable. You'll try anything.

But your reckless abandon is what has me worried. You rarely, if at all, will heed the wise guidance of experience. In fact, you're at times very closed minded to caution. That's dangerous to you AND the progress of this hobby for all.

If you ask a question, don't disregard the answer even if it's not the answer (vote of approval) you want to hear. Our concern for you (personally) is safety first, then success. In fact, we want that for ALL the members.

Bottomline, be safe, be responsible, and be discreet.
ss

TheSerious1 wrote:I think a lot of you jump I conclusions

Please tell us, oh wise one, what it is that you know that we don't...!!! You're the one making all the mistakes... You're the one rushing things and not taking any advice to slow down... You're the one that left wet barley in a jar so it molded because it couldn't air properly... You're the only one who doesn't want to admit that you have too many balls in the air... You're not the first nor will you be the last new member here who wants it all and wants it now... You're probably a member of that generation... And only you can change any of that...

TheSerious1
Use smaller amounts of grain for your experiments.
And make sure the temperature is right for germinating grain.
Start out by soaking the grain for 8 hours and letting it drip dry for 1 hour.
You can drown the grain if it doesn't get enough air.
After a day or two of alternately soaking and draining, the grain will have soaked up the water it needs to sprout.
When you get a 5 lb batch of barley malt to this stage, ask what needs done next.

Practice with making sprouts in your window sill. Been doing this for years to make a healthy and tasty addition to a sandwich.

Yea I'll just have to slowly scale up and then get to the 2 pound batches but this is all for fun for me I'm not doing it for money .. Forums are for debating are they not? How can I just listen I everyone? I can't because everyone tells my different stuff... I'm just trying to peice together what you all have to say and I think a lot of you have good ideas but that doesn't mean I'm gonna do everything someone tells me haha

None of us are doing it for money. We're all telling you the same thing as far as I can see, slooow dooown.

Please read my signature lines

Have fun and B safe

Coyote

I'm a new member ... That doesn't mean I'm new to distilling ... You see that I'm doig all sorts I stuff and think I'm going to fast but I've been doing this for about a year now and I know that's not long but I've spent a lot of time doing it in that time .. Just about every night I distill.. But yea I just had a bad time with this malt I'll have to try it with a tarp I'm thinking. I don't mean to be a dick but I think a lot of people on here jump to conclusions. It's not like you all can see what I'm doing so I understand but ask questions or something don't act like your a know it all

*sigh*

tp

A lesson I learned recently is the grain has to be viable.
If it's not then your going to fail for sure.