Roasting - Proximity Malt

Roasting

WHAT IS ROASTING?

In roasting, barley is first germinated, then taken from either the germination bed or the kiln and into a roaster. Here, closely monitored, higher heat is applied over specific times. Color and flavor develop.

proximity malt roasting chart

PROXIMITY MALT – ROASTING TECHNOLOGY

The process starts with a stainless steel tube coiled around motors that provide vibration. Grain is fed into the bottom of the roaster, the motors shake the roaster-coils causing the grain to travel upward through it. Rapid and precisely controlled heating of the metal coil in different zones allows for greater process control accuracy than traditional drum roasters. By controlling the grain’s contact with the hot metal, we manipulate the color and flavor development by varying the batch time, temperature and moisture from start to finish.

Our roasting process also maintains grain integrity more successfully than traditional roasters. When the husk of a grain is skinned, the endosperm is exposed. And since the endosperm tends to burn faster than the husk, a skinned kernel results in uneven coloration, as well as burnt and acrid off-flavors. Our process minimizes husk breakage, creating more consistency within the grain, which means more consistency within the entire malt batch. The vibrating stainless steel tube is designed to eliminate paddles’ mechanical agitation.  This ensures a gentler, less abrasive process, – and most importantly, less skinning of the husks.

Proximity’s roaster, in the hands of our seasoned team of maltsters, brings greater product development flexibility and quality control than ever before. We make as much of a specific product as necessary, without the need to blend between batches. It allows us to offer an extensive range of products either in stock, or readily available. Each of our two malthouses in Monte Vista, Colorado and in Laurel, Delaware operates a continuous coil roaster, producing a full range of colors and flavors using barley, wheat and rye. The sky’s the limit when it comes to Proximity Malt’s specialty offerings.

roasting
Proximity Malt