Roasting malt at home

[admin]

Reading Randy Mosher's book Radical Brewing, and he says it's handy enough to home roast malt like Amber or even Crystal. However he says it's not possible to do black malt or anything seriously roasted as it catches fire!

In anticipation of the All-Irish Brewfest I want to make a stout from 100% locally grown materials, so I want to roast either malt or barley to within an inch of its life.

Has anyone roasted their own malt before?

[nigel_c]

I've roasted pearl barley at home to get black malt when i was short before. Was ok but toasty enough. With a bit more practice is say its possible to achieve what you want.

[Will_D]

However he says it's not possible to do black malt or anything seriously roasted as it catches fire!

Has anyone roasted their own malt before?

Yes, But only so far!

For real dark roasting how to stop it catching fire?

Fire needs oxygen, you put out fires with a CO2 extinguisher!!

So, stick a thin bit of metal tubing onto a CO2 line from your reg, stick it into the oven and when you get up to temp  you purge your oven with CO2.

No O2, No fire!

Simples!


BTW: When roasting food ( Beef/Duck/Chickens/WHY ) The food has never caiught fire!! So is Randy relating "old wifes tales" or first hand experience!

[brenmurph]

I have a few times, once I had a mash prepared and had not got black malt as I thought I had so stuck some pale in oven on an oven tray and cranked up the heat slowley to I think 150c. The barley slowley turns brown then black.....dosnt go on fire!!
I experiment a lot when I brew (every week) and I recomend everyone else does too. get a handfull of maris otter (whole not crushed) or other malt and stick it in the oven on an oven tray, shake or stir regularly as it will burn too much on top depending on what oven you have.
Taste as you go and learn what barley tastes like the darker it gets.
Also I have made stouts using raw barley straight from the field. It smells like wet earth and cut grass on a wet day, however.......stick in in the oven and before long it magically fills the house with an aroma of toast...play around taste and test thats how u learn about beer! Break the rules a bit and have fun trying.
hope this helps..
regards Brendan

[brenmurph]

Reading Randy Mosher's book Radical Brewing, and he says it's handy enough to home roast malt like Amber or even Crystal. However he says it's not possible to do black malt or anything seriously roasted as it catches fire!

In anticipation of the All-Irish Brewfest I want to make a stout from 100% locally grown materials, so I want to roast either malt or barley to within an inch of its life.

Has anyone roasted their own malt before?

see my post . Tube Ill ask my client if hes got some real raw barley, Im sure hes got shed loads of it, however dunno whether its in storage or sold from last years crop. I really enjoyed the stuff he brought over last year for me to try. Stout was fab if Ive a bottle left ill sample it at next meet up.

[brenmurph]

I've roasted pearl barley at home to get black malt when i was short before. Was ok but toasty enough. With a bit more practice is say its possible to achieve what you want.

Never thought of that! great idea for experimenting as most people know I do all the time.  Could be worth trying, Ill grab a bag in the shop! Could be a good add on because I love the maltiness when I make soup with it..

[Shanna]

Hi there,

Food especially meats such as chicken can and will catch fire inside an oven. Unfortunately from my days as a student I once had a narrow run in where I nodded off while cooking chicken legs after returning from the pub. I awoke to a kitchen full of smoke and the baking tray ablaze in the oven Thankfully it was only chicken legs (full chicken might have been rip). The baking tray took mostof the damage. The chicken looked like charcoal and the flames appears to be from the fat. Hate to think what might have happened if I had not woken up.

By the way I have a bag if unmalted barley and would be interested to hear if somebody comes up with a way of doing this. Some kind of rotisserie would.probably work. Have visions of doing a barbeque and malt at the same time. I wonder whether and old keg or corney put on a spit with a handle to turn it.over a fire would do it.

Declan

[johnrm]

http://barleypopmaker.info/2009/12/08/home-roasting-your-malts/

I tried using a popcorn maker (the air-dry, cyclone type) but I think it would take way too long for results for a device that is only supposed to be in use for 5 min bursts.

We also have the Agitator type type popcorn maker...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBqiTGqnvLA[/media]
Which might be better.

We like popcorn in our house...

[Ciderhead]

my malt is into my tefal air chip fryer at the week-end

[Shanna]

Hi there,


I finally took the plunge and tried the home roasting barley power the.previous url linked by Tube (googked it independently). Couple of observations don't use tinfoil but instead get caustic soda too clean your roasting tray. Stirring barley in the oven easily rips the tin foil. Also use 230 degrees not 210 (wife insisted fan assisted oven that 230 was not necessary). Other thing is that.most of the house.now smells like a fire. Am going to make a stout with it. Not sure.how dark it will be but you.live and learn.

Shanna