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AR15.COM
5/19/2015 12:56:32 AM EDT
I browse through the homebrewing forum from time to time and I hear them referring to malted grains to make beer, wine, ect.  I put back quite a bit of these grains and contemplating trying to malt some of it for added value.  From what I have read its not easy but not that hard either.  I just want to maximize the potential uses for anything I store.  

For those that don't know what malting is you take a dried grain (wheat,  rye,  corn, barley=starch) wet it and put it in a dark place and trick the seed to sprout.  When this happens the starches convert to sugars (for the sprout to live off of)  and then you stop the process by re-drying the seed.  From here you can easily make beer (yeast + sugar) or a number of sweet breads.  Even drying the sprouts with the seed give you extra nutrition (microgreens) to store up.  

So in doing this would it be adding to the value of something we store anyway?  Thoughts?  Anyone interested in me documenting an experiment to give it a shot?
5/19/2015 7:10:16 AM EDT
[#1]
I've thought about tying it. Read about it in brewing resources. Haven't tried it yet.
5/19/2015 7:23:02 AM EDT
[#2]
There was a member here that sprouted wheat and used the wheat-grass to make a drink.
Said it tasted pretty bad, but it was nutritional.

ETA:
Here is one that I found:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_17/643063_Sprouting.html
5/19/2015 8:46:07 AM EDT
[#3]
malted grains dont keep as well as nonmalted grains and unless your brewing is a complete waste of time.


all the sprouting does is encourage the grain to produce a enzyme that converts carbs into sugar for the plant to use.


If you want all your grain "maltable" just get a pack of amylase, when your ready to brew, add a very small amount of enzyme to non malted grains and it will convert at the correct temps. 1lbs is 10 bucks or so


5/19/2015 9:10:38 AM EDT
[#4]
Are you saying to store it long term after you sprout it, or sprout on demand?



We store wheat berries. Lets just say a lot. It is in plastic lined barrels and coated with diatomacious earth.




I have intended on looking into this sprouting thing, as I hear that it is much healthier to eat sprouted grains than just grains. I imagine we would just take some grain, sprout it, use it. Leave the rest in the barrels undisturbed until needed.
5/19/2015 9:43:58 AM EDT
[#5]
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Quoted:
malted grains dont keep as well as nonmalted grains and unless your brewing is a complete waste of time.


all the sprouting does is encourage the grain to produce a enzyme that converts carbs into sugar for the plant to use.


If you want all your grain "maltable" just get a pack of amylase, when your ready to brew, add a very small amount of enzyme to non malted grains and it will convert at the correct temps. 1lbs is 10 bucks or so


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Ok that is very interesting.  I take it that is a derivative from grains that have been malted and the enzyme extracted and put in powder form?  In other words don't go to the trouble of the whole malting process to store for long term but stock up on the amylase which is just concentrated enzyme and add that to your unmalted corn (which stores better?) later down the road if needs be.
5/19/2015 2:39:04 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote History
Quoted:
Are you saying to store it long term after you sprout it, or sprout on demand?
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Quoted:
Are you saying to store it long term after you sprout it, or sprout on demand?
Sprout as needed

Quoted:We store wheat berries. Lets just say a lot. It is in plastic lined barrels and coated with diatomacious earth.
The DE to kill the critters trying to get in, or get out?


Quoted:I have intended on looking into this sprouting thing, as I hear that it is much healthier to eat sprouted grains than just grains. I imagine we would just take some grain, sprout it, use it. Leave the rest in the barrels undisturbed until needed.
Soak the grain then put in in a tray with cloth covering, spray with water every day or when they start to dry out, when they sprout the roots will come out first, and you will be able to see when the stalk gets about 3/4 of the way up the husk (inside), then dry the seed.  Bot the root and the stalk exit the seed from the same end.

Rancher
5/19/2015 7:18:20 PM EDT
[#7]
We sprout. Wheat sprouts are ok. We don't juice it or anything like that. It's a way to have fresh "greens" in the winter. We have our own spicy radish sprouting mix. During the winter we usually have 3 sets going at a time.

Everything I have ever read about malting seems to imply it's only real use is in brewing. I don't think I have read of just eating them.
5/19/2015 10:57:43 PM EDT
[#8]

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Quoted:




The DE to kill the critters trying to get in, or get out?

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Quoted:




Quoted:We store wheat berries. Lets just say a lot. It is in plastic lined barrels and coated with diatomacious earth.
The DE to kill the critters trying to get in, or get out?

Both, and it absorbs any moisture that may get in.



We put the grain in our sifter and get most of the DE off before milling. A little is actually good for you, but we try to get most of it off. We use just enough to give the grain a light coating. Doesn't take much. Just make sure you use white fresh water, food grade DE.