When you see Chit...

Batch #2 is well underway.  I tested the moisture level of both varieties last night and it was at 42%.  45% was my goal so I allowed it to steep another 8 hours over night and this morning prepped for germination.  Nearly all the grains have begun to chit which is another sign it is ready to begin to germinate.

The next step is germination, which I'm making a few modifications to from my first batch.  Last time, I felt the barley became too dry and took longer to germinate.  This time I put the barley into containers with a moist paper towel at the bottom.  I put aluminum foil with a few punctures over the top to keep contaminants out and moisture in.  I am going to leave the barley in our cold room the entire time, unlike last time when I brought it out and it rose in temperature.