Grains.
- Thread starter Dopeydog
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Growing malting barley is an art in itself. The maltster often contracts to the farmer who has to produce a barley with low protein with a high yield. This is no easy task, the protein needs to 12-13% or lower for North American barley varieties and as low as 10.5% for Continental varieties. This often means the fertilizer (nitrogen) is kept to a minimum to keep the protein down.
Now when you malt the barley, this is where it can get complicated. The grains must sprout, but it can't go to far or you break down too many proteins and your S/T ratios are messed up, plus your yield decreases. Cut the germination too short and the malt is under-modified, the enzymes haven't done their job and the malt doesn't perform well in the mash. When the grain is kilned, you have to have tight temperature control to avoid denaturing the enzymes.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but there is a reason there are separate disciplines for maltsters and brewers. It would be interesting to try at least once, but it will be tough to beat a modern commercial malt. In the end, it's likely the beer will suffer.
Now when you malt the barley, this is where it can get complicated. The grains must sprout, but it can't go to far or you break down too many proteins and your S/T ratios are messed up, plus your yield decreases. Cut the germination too short and the malt is under-modified, the enzymes haven't done their job and the malt doesn't perform well in the mash. When the grain is kilned, you have to have tight temperature control to avoid denaturing the enzymes.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but there is a reason there are separate disciplines for maltsters and brewers. It would be interesting to try at least once, but it will be tough to beat a modern commercial malt. In the end, it's likely the beer will suffer.
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Despite what I said, I would like to try a small area, but actually more keen to do some wheat for baking (no need to malt) and I would love to do some rice, but with rain only about 3 months a year, I think that's a no no
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As others have said, it's a lot of work and very tricky, but it would also be very, very cool!
Do you live near a river or other water source? You have plenty of water, just in the wrong place. Solar water pump?
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Decided against solar pump, will go electric and hook up to my full solar system.
Main reason: the extra panels I need for the electric pump can be used for more than just pumping water
AND
The panels will be at my house. Just need electric cable to connect. With solar pump, the panels need to be next to the pump and they will go awol pretty quickly
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Hey...they both work with pumps but....would you want your plumber to do your heart surgery?
Some plumbers make more than heart surgeons. At least the ones I seem to hire do.
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I'm no plumber, but I play one on TV. Next time you have plumbing problems, I'll put the plunger in my black bag and head over.
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How far from the river are you Zambezi?
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30 metres or so, but also 25 metres above.
Meaning I can't see my side of the shore line.
I've been told my extra solar panels are coming next week.
But then, this has been promised before, so I believe it when I see it
That'll be a decent pump with a 25 meter head pressure on it.
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It's just a small standard petrol pump. The most sold model around here.
I'll start doing my proper calculations when I put a "fixed" pump in the river
Good luck with it Zambezi I've no real idea about pumps except for my work pumo which is a little Honda pump for pumping chemicals and such they are bullet proof along with the motorcycles Bomb proof.
My numbskull work mate was even running his on full choke one day lol without it cutting out until I went to investigate the spluttering lol
!I bet you'll get some zoom questions on it... lol
