Removing rootlets from home malted grains

[okiedog]

Recently I started malting grains on a small scale. Usually I malt and roast a pound at a time, to supplement an AG recipe. The entire malting process goes smoothly except for removal of the rootlets on the grain. I use a stainless steel mesh strainer to knock the roots off the dried grain, but this is a slow process and only takes off about half the rootlets

1. Is there an easy way to remove the rootlets from sprouted grain (barley, wheat, rye)?
2. What type of screen/device works best?
2. Are the rootlets easier to remove before or after drying?

Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[DirtyOldDuck]

I've never done it, but everything I've read says to remove them after drying. If you have dried the grain to about 10% moisture, the rootlets should fall off by abrading against each each other when stirred. Good luck.

 

[okiedog]

DirtyOldDuck, thanks. I'll try drying to about 10%, then give it a try. Maybe I have been drying the grain too much before trying to knock off the rootlets. They seem a little wirey and tough.

 

[StompingClover]

I have a friend who uses landscape fabric to dry his grains. The rootlets stick in the fabric and when almost dried he kind of moves them around which pulls the rootlets off. He seems to get good results and the landscape fabric is fairly inexpensive.

 

[okiedog]

StompingClover, I don't quite understand how to set up the fabric for drying and de-rooting grain. I am willing to try it, but just need to know how to set it up. Does your friend spread the landscape fabric over a frame?

 

[VladOfTrub]

Once the malt is dry. Put the malt into a pillow case, don't pack the grain in tight, leave some room. Tie the open end closed real good. Then, toss the pillow case in your clothes drier. Run the drier on the no heat cycle for about 15 minutes, then, look at the grain. If the roots are knocked off, good. If not, you didn't dry the grain enough.

 

[StoneHands]

Once the malt is dry. Put the malt into a pillow case, don't pack the grain in tight, leave some room. Tie the open end closed real good. Then, toss the pillow case in your clothes drier. Run the drier on the no heat cycle for about 15 minutes, then, look at the grain. If the roots are knocked off, good. If not, you didn't dry the grain enough.

I second what Vlad states. I haven't done it, but I remember reading a thread about this awhile back. They'd use the pillow case/clothes dryer method, and then put everything in a bucket. With a large fan running they'd dump the grain from one bucket into another in front of the fan. The fan would blow away the lighter rootlets and allow the heavier grain to fall into the bucket below. Obviously this was done outside.

 

[StompingClover]

He deosnt have frame but that would probably work. He actually dries them on his patio. Lays the fabric out and just puts a rock on each corner to hold it down.