Floor Malting

edited July 2020 in General

Anyone here ever try to do their own floor malting or have a small malting machine?

I am just investigating the process and what would be required. I looked at it a while ago trying to get package imported machines but they are all super expensive and if I got one into Argentina they would cost another 150%. But a small floor malting setup makes sense economically for me for using some local malts, at least it will be when I finally finish building my galpon. I realise that malting is an artform in and of itself. But I am very curious.

Comments

  • Floor malting is all labor. You could probably make everything you would need.

  • It would be so much easier to build a drum malter i'd reckon.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • I am just dreaming right now. Thanks for your comments guys.

  • edited July 2020

    Search for "drum malter project" @ Google

    There's a stack of info on google. I remember someone here in Aus did one years ago out of a washing machine or dryer on Artisan.

    The top one is pretty much what i was talking about. Handle to turn when malting and a dryer.

    Micro malt house DIY for home malting automation @ HomeBrewTalk

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • edited July 2020

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • On a very small scale, I did some experimental malting using a 200 Lt barrel on a pivot motor. System worked beautifully. Drying was achieved using an old tumble dryer that had two settings; eco (30C and normal (60c). The system worked well and to that end I am going to build a small malting unit that will do about 500kg of barley at a time. Plan is to have the washing, steeping cycle in a long waterproof channel with a mesh box that will rotate. This way, the washing, steeping and actual malting can be done in one unit by draining the water once steeping is finished. Drying to be achieved by a forced air system whilst the box still rotates.

  • I was thinking of something along the same lines or a large tank with a fixed rake system. That could be used for all three processes. It should be too hard to make and I only need to make about 800kg per week. Hmmmm... Anyway back to work. Thanks for everyones comments.

  • Ultimately making your own malt is fun for the experience but the lost economy of scale will kill ya. I've done it but what i learned first was that a setup to make it worthwhile is cost prohibitive unless you are malting constantly.

  • @beerideas. Well I did the numbers on it a while ago and it didnt stack up, atlhough I was thinking of getting one of those package systems but then I was talking to a craft malster here who got into it by making their own kiln and steeping vessel and this guy said that he would make the gear for me. Importing equipment here is insanely expensive as there are 150% import duties. The only reason why I would do it is I am 1000km from my nearest malster and a couple of the local farmers here do grow some decent wheat and Rye and sometimes triticale. So I am considering it as much for the "farm to glass" concept rather than an economical propostion. I can get malt here for about US$.7 per kilo so its already cheap. Thanks for the feedback.

  • @DonMateo Well in that case you've got a great new way to add to the hobby. Wonder how toasted Rye would be...

  • @beerideas. I just did a wash with a toasted rye. I added 30% rye and 10% toasted rye. The result in the white whiskey was in between rye and chocolate. Quite intriguing really. Although in the barrle the chocolate flavors are dying away quite rapidly. If your thinking of making rye whiskey then you need a bainmarie boiler. I tried a few times to do it with immersion elementa and it never worked.

  • edited August 2020

    Bain Marie isn’t lost on me. Realistically how big a still can they power? My electrician guy says it makes lots of sense if it has enough hits as electricity is cheap here. @DonMateo

  • Bain marie electrics can go up to 2000l. But @smaug will chime in on that. If you just need a starter system 1000l is a start amd you can do whatever sort of whiskey you want. If your looking to explore. A 1000l will pull about 30kw or 120 amps.

  • @DonMateo thanks for that. I’m sure steam is best, but it works well enough?

  • @DonMateo said: Bain marie electrics can go up to 2000l. But smaug will chime in on that. If you just need a starter system 1000l is a start amd you can do whatever sort of whiskey you want. If your looking to explore. A 1000l will pull about 30kw or 120 amps.

    If a one hour heat up time (or the like) is the bench mark standard, then you'll need about 70 watts per liter. So 70w x 2000L=140,000 watts.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • @smaug, I dont have a 1 hour heat up time requirement. I would be happy with an automated system that turns it self on at 4 am and is ready when I arrive at 9 am. The tech is available now and its cheap. But you guys are the experts.

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