hist-brewing: Blown Malt

[jibber at hushmail.com]

Brew Info wrote:

 >   If you (or anyone on the list) can provide some instructions for making
Blown malt, I would be very grateful.

> Hello all,
    My fellow brewer Adam ask me to cover this one which makes sense as 
he is always swopping my malt for his mechanical services. I believe all 
brewers should make their own malt as companies like Crisp charge to much 
and drum 
malt is never very good. It utterly amazes me that any Americans, urban 
Europeans 
and Britons make ale anymore let alone grut ale but i suppose that some 
kind 
of volkish interest may be out their and not just among the volven..
    Blown malt is quite hard to make as their is little tolerance of error. 
 Basically, i make a mild malt that i torrify then set in a small wood chamber 
on racks.   Steamed water is blown through circular opening  with a small 
industry 
style fan for four hours and let stand for another twelve hours.  One carries 
on like 
this for 2 days.
    The malt is then heated very quickly over birch, hornbeam or oak with 
short, intense heat under which the malt must be turned quickly when it 
turns a mid copper color.  After about 3-4 minutes the malt has been turned 
two to three times before it swells and bursts open.  The malt is taken 
off the heating rack 
immediately and let stand to cool before sacking.
    The taste is rich, full and complex like a smoked Belgian B malt if 
 you can picture such a thing.  Such malt is best for strong English or 
French ales or with 
rye and oats.  I use it for 20 to 50% of grist in several ales and always 
keep a sack about.  If 
anyone wants recipes for such malts let me know.

I hope this helps,

Finnbogi Kvamsdahl