How To Malt Barley At Home - Advice From A Professional

Matt Drew is a professional maltster and student of the craft of Single Malt. In other words, the perfect person to get advice on how to malt barley for distilling.
What equipment do you need to malt barley at home? How do you go about malting your own barley for distilling? We have you covered!
In this video, we talk about the equipment and process you can use at home to malt your own barley.
Listen to the full podcast here:
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Grain Father (Like we talked about using to malt in)
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Robobrew All Grain Mash Setup (Like we talked about using to malt in):
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Jewlers Scales:
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Craft Maltsters Guild:
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Listen to the full podcast here:
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Matt Drew has an interesting a varied history in music, advertising, marketing and coffee.
Now he brings all of that to bear in the world of American whiskey as a maltster and the host of a kick-ass new podcast called Single Malt Matters.
In this episode, we talk about the process of malting and how to get stuck in your self at home with minimal equipment. We also get into the state of single malt in the USA and many other things.
Listen to Single Malt Matters at:
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[@BeardedBored]

This is really helpful since I'm going to start malting some barley soon instead of just corn. Just have to grow the barley first cuz I like doing things the hard way. Just ordered some from amazon with your link. Now I need to learn how to farm🤔

[@seymourpro6097]

Gold hunters have sieves in many mesh sizes ready made into plastic frames. They'd make ideal malting frames.

[@adammitchell3462]

Hey Jesse, I'm actually trying this out in practice myself and I'm glad to have this info,it sure does save me alot of failure lol

[@josephbXIX]

I dried a very small batch of malt with a fan in autumn

[@gu-oai69]

Thanks

[@Barcodum]

The video goes black from 1:00 to 1:20. So, everything there is lost.

[@findingfreeblade]

Would you be willing to do a collaboration contest with bearded and bored, and barley and hopps? I think some of us would really benefit if there was a taste comparison between neutral spirits that each of you are able to make and like 3-4 off the shelf ones in a blind test. Personally I want to get into the craft to try and make something that is more pleasant to drink in the neutral spirit category and then maybe work my way up to whiskey's and it would be nice to know what I can realistically expect before I actually make a still. Not sure if anyone else wants to see this but I think it could be really cool after the pandemic scare is over.

[@PoppaLongroach]

First get the book "MoonShine" by mathew b rowley, it has great beginner recipes including a few tasty whiskey recipes. basic ingredients, basic equipment still plans and alot more r in this book. the still in my profile pic is a 4 gallon version of the still plans in the book. built in in around 8 hours

[@PoppaLongroach]

the book and the Jesse, Bearded, and George made it easy to figure it all out for me

[@BeardedBored]

I'd love a collaboration:-)

[@PoppaLongroach]

@@BeardedBored my rye i put in wet towel folded in half malted in lil less than 4 days. its only 2 pounds but i know this method works for me now so ill make more

[@BeardedBored]

@@PoppaLongroach Awesome, thanks for the tip!

[@jock5656]

Really looking forward to seeing you malting your own barley Jesse. It seems to be an art that the old time distillers had perfected, but on the whole the skill has unfortunately been lost over the years apart from an elite few and the professionals. Fingers crossed it all goes well 🤞🏻😊

[@PrinjPal]

so I'm having Acrospire on my graines but some of the grains having chit so what can I do ? the Acrospire is coming out from the grain is that ok?

[@TimSlowey]

Can temperatures used during drying kill the malting enzymes? Like always keep below 180 F etc?

[@chrislnflorida5192]

After watching all these videos, I still havent found out what u save after the Dry out process

[@stinkymart3173]

4:40 an accuracy trick when doing this is to count out 100 kernels 3 times, take the weight of each, then find the average between the 3

[@delpurslow1180]

Jesse can I do this with mung beans? I ask this because I make a lot of sake and makeoli.

[@scottmcneill6333]

Is it just me or was there any mention of corn in this video? Lol Great information though. Keep it comin!

[@StillIt]

That would be because I typed the wrong word lol sorry, fixed! Thanks for the catch.

[@BeardedBored]

If you're interested in corn malting you can click on my username to find several videos I made on malting corn, including one on making a malt tumbler to make germination easier.

[@scottmcneill6333]

@@BeardedBored Thanks and will do. I'm interested to see what a 100% corn mash would produce.

[@BeardedBored]

@@scottmcneill6333 I'm considering making a batch of chicha (100% corn beer) this year. Got 50 pounds of deer corn ready to malt for projects during the lock down:-)

[@strapassassin]

We didn’t hear anything on kilning when it’s ready. At home in the oven? What temperature?

[@wormytom]

You want to drive off the moisture at 50C until the grain is at 12% moisture then for a low colour malt ramp up to about 75 C till the malt reaches 4% moisture. Kiln time after that is going to start roasting the malt

[@StillIt]

Its all in the full podcast dude. I will cut another video out of it to throw on YT soon tho.

[@projetchalet]

@@StillIt and the removal of the roots ;)

[@lucaszbiernat]

Why don't you use food dehydrator when your grain is ready?

[@ifell3]

I never knew there was a maltster, what a cool job!

[@PoppaLongroach]

i have 15lb corn malting rite now. my first 2 attempts at malting rye were complete failures lol. my wife however put handfull in a wet dish towel and kept it damp and it worked perfect!! 2 beach towels inside big trash bag to keep moisture in is what im trying today

[@jackb4581]

Thanks for producing this video.

[@james.carnahan]

Great video - and the detailed explanation has helped me sort out the process in my head! One question regarding the % moisture content. If you want a 25% moisture content then the final weight of the grains would have to be 133, if the starting pint was 100 (using the example that you mention). 33/133 = 25%. 125 would only give you 20% moisture content as it is always calculated on the final weight, not the starting weight. :-)

[@StillIt]

Very good point sir!

[@luckysevenairammo1217]

Hi, hey malting my own barley, looking for something different, so decided to malt some husked (pearl barley) soaked 12 hrs with 3 water changes. Sprouted great, almost 100% germination. Chits 3/4 length .. Got it on trays in the oven at 100deg F And it has a strange vinegary sourdough type odor ? Not bad or overpowering..maybe It's just since I never smelled malt being dried before ?..Without the husk it is really sticky like strands of stickyness and it moves by itself like kinetic sand.. Tastes sweet and tangy.. sourdough like with a hint of vinegar.. Jusy wondering if the vinegar type smell is normal ? Using it for 20% part of a bourbon grain bill.. Any thoughts would be appreciated !

[@valeriechaumeziere377]

Hello guys. Great video. I am going to make beer, but probably, Nettle beer, or Dandelion and Burdock. That's the plan,....However, the reason I started looking for info re malting Wheat or Barley etc, is because I am baking my own Sour Dough breads. I am buying various grades and varieties of ancient wheat grains, rye, spelt, buckwheat from small farmers who only do organic. I am doing my first wheat and barley malts today. Very small test batch of 150g of each. I have washed them through three times to get rid of any crap and once they sprout, I will dry them. ***** I don't think I'm worried about CO2 becuase I actually want the CO2 which will help the fermentation of the dough and help it rise. It seems that it is difficult to recognise when the barley has sprouted enough because, unlike with the wheat, you can't see it because it is inside the seed husk. Anyhow, once the grains have dried I will then toast them in the oven at about 80c for 90 minutes or so. Hopefully I will then be able to bake some next level Fuck Off Bread! All very exciting and it stops me hanging around on street corners sniffing glue etc etc Big thank you to both of you guys and especially to Still It for the great vids. I am going to be distilling my own eau de vie in various forms once I have built my still. Oh yes and I'm also experimenting with Freezer Distillation. Basically, I have been freezing my home made Apple Cider, Sloe Gin and Sloe Vodka, and Cherry Brandy and Plum Brandy. I then defrost them allowing the alcohol to drain out. I do this three times. You end up with stuff that could possibly make you go blind if you drank too much of it. AND, check this out. Every time you defrost your alcohol, "KEEP the icy stuff that is left behind", put it in a plastic icecream tub and keep in the freezer. You will be absolutely amazed because you will end up with Apple Cider, Sloe Gin, Sloe Vodka, Cherry Brandy or Plum Brandy flavoured Granita ! It tastes like heaven and all my friends rave about it. Who Knew you could make wonderful things just by freezing? Happy days!

[@garrymcgaw4745]

Can I do this with corn as well using these rough guide lines?... Great vid informational and easy to follow. Chur bro.

[@StillIt]

Rough outlines yup. Specifics. . . . I'm not the best person to ask on that one haha

[@BeardedBored]

Corn is a little different since the kernels are so hard. They usually take 3-4 soaks. You can click on my username to find several videos I made on malting corn, including one on making a malt tumbler to make germination easier. Let me know if you have any follow up questions:-)

[@garrymcgaw4745]

@@BeardedBored thanks mate I'll go over to your site and check those vids out. Stay safe B n' B & family. From Down under 🙏👍

[@BeardedBored]

@@garrymcgaw4745 You stay safe too:-)

[@johncummings9740]

Eventually I’d like to learn to malt and smoke at home. So much to learn about fermenting and distilling first.

[@DGPHolyHandgrenade]

Excellent info here! I wanted to start malting some heritage grains; locally sourced and developed for the desert region I live in. Was worried this would be difficult. Worst case scenario it looks, I'll just be growing my own which is a bit more involved...but still not bad. Now to see if local wheat and barley is available raw on a smaller scale (lots of growers around here, but typically on a larger commercial/industrial scale)

[@dannoonan7094]

Why not just use screen window screens and some chairs with a fan use a air rock and fish tank pump

[@dannoonan7094]

To keep a oxygen to the grain will not go bad

[@dannoonan7094]

Word keeping it in dark help germinate

[@floydjamison6959]

Excellent information all round. Especially noted the cucumber odor as a cue. It sounds like the rotating germination basket that Bearded and Bored made would be ideal. After the steeping/hydration phase it rotated the grain gently, based on a timer, providing excellent oxygenation with easy escape of the CO2. Even has ability to add extra air flow with a fan if needed, and to start the drying process during the later stages of the malting process, before drying/kilning. Note one: while I understand the reason for the process of measuring out a small amount of the grain as a sample for weight dry and at each hydration step to evaluate the rate and percentage of hydration in a large batch, for a small batch can't we just weigh the entire batch. Note two: If using the screen method for your germination bed, couldn't you gently Toss it instead of turning it, and get the same result. Of course you have to consider the depth, size (area) and weight of the bed (smaller, lighter multiple beds vs larger heavier single bed).

[@rocketsroc]

I found food service steam trays work great. I use the 2.5" perforated trays lined with fiberglass window screen to keep the kernels from falling through. I soak these grain trays in a 4" deep steam tray. There should be enough water to cover the grain in the perforated tray when placed in the deep tray. It is easy to drain by placing couple of paint stirs underneath the raised perforated tray. I found it best to keep the grain level about 1/2"-3/4" deep and not more. This let's the grain breathe. Turn grain couple of times a day. When ready to dry, I use a food dehydrator. Takes about 4-5 days to sprout a batch.

[@saraswatadatta758]

This channel deserves a lot more views than it gets, I learnt a lot from here especially about UJSSM, watched all the videos related to it, now i am into brewing beer as a friend of mine really loves beer then will switch to all grain whiskeys. I just started making my own malt, and learnt a lot from this video. Thank you jesse for being such a great guy, hope u having a kickass week.!!

[@sfimperial6726]

Is there any procedure, how to make pale ale malt at home, temperatures, times for drying etc?

[@rickmilkovic]

Hey Jesse, great info from a a trusted source👊👊✌

[@StillIt]

Yeah Matt knows his stuff man!

[@jacklegminercanada3866]

Is there aerated steeping?

[@jacklegminercanada3866]

With an air bubbler I mean

[@BETTERTOMARROW]

Set a nother screen on top , then flip it over ..Done.

[@StillIt]

ohhhhhhh . . .. . . .I like this sugestion!

[@BETTERTOMARROW]

@@StillIt Seems that it would work goid on the screen method..

[@BETTERTOMARROW]

Good

[@jasongannon7676]

Can't wait to see how your malting goes.

[@PoppaLongroach]

the corn i have down pretty good. consistant results every time. the rye tho lol. i figure its same as starting seeds in a wet paper towel placed in a baggie.

[@StillIt]

I should be getting my hands on some raw barley soon . . . . .

[@Omnificuser]

Please just record your own video, the quality on your end is so bad, I want to see that musky beard in full detail meight.

[@StillIt]

Yeah its bad, internet connection is all over the place with all the extra people jumping online I guess. Unfortunitly its not just that easy.