Newest Threads

Budzu · 08-18-2009, 02:26 PM

Someone else mentioned it, but you definitely want a small amount of Chocolate, Roasted Barley, and maybe Black Patent for your stouts. I also get Pale Chocolate always. Its delish and critical in a couple of my recipes.

I like Special B alot but its pretty close to C120.

If you're going to make many continental beers, you really need some Pilsner malt. A big ol' bag.

Also get a nice high Alpha hop variety. It will go a long way and last a long time for bittering additions. I use Summit in my American Ales (18.5%AA).

cheers

Synovia · 08-18-2009, 02:48 PM

Have you looked to see if someone sells bulk locally? The shipping online pretty much kills it for dealing with Bulk 2-Row (or other 55lb bags). Most places will charge $20+ per bag to ship, and the guys who do fixed shipping just build it into the grain prices.

aeonderdonk · 08-18-2009, 02:52 PM

Places like northern brewer or brewmaster warehouse have a flat shipping rate of ~$7. In bulk at the LHBS is $54 for 50 lb, online it is as low as $43. Once I get a big enough order the shipping fee is worth it.

camiller · 08-18-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synovia

Have you looked to see if someone sells bulk locally? The shipping online pretty much kills it for dealing with Bulk 2-Row (or other 55lb bags). Most places will charge $20+ per bag to ship, and the guys who do fixed shipping just build it into the grain prices.

Good point, I just checked one of the popular online shops and a 50# bag of 2-row was 59.99. My LHBS sells a 50# bag of 2-row for $45 or so. That $15 is your shipping built into the price.

Best bet is if you know other brewers in your area (Home brew club?) and can get a full pallet order (40 bags IIRC) do a group buy from North Country Malt. Our home brew club does a group buy once or twice a year.

Synovia · 08-18-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeonderdonk

Places like northern brewer or brewmaster warehouse have a flat shipping rate of ~$7, online it is as low as $43.

You will not find cheap grain and flat shipping at the same place. If its $7 flat shipping, expect to pay $55+ for a bag of 2-row. If its $43 for a bag of 2-row, expect to pay $20+ to ship it.

Now, the flat shipping places tend to have pretty good prices on specialty grain. Crystal 40L (first thing I checked) is $1.35/lb at Brewmasterswarehouse, and I can't get it for lower than about $2.50 a pound here, unless I want to buy a 55lb bag (yeah, right). So, there definitely are some savings to be had online, but its not with bulk base malt.

**Pappers_** · 08-18-2009, 04:18 PM

For what it's worth, I buy bulk Maris Otter and Pilsner as my two main base malts. One of my reasons for buying by the 55# bag is that I can get organic malt that way. I also have the advantage of being a reasonably short drive from Mid-Country Malt, so I don't have shipping costs.

thedude123 · 08-18-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YooperBrew

I've never found a reason to use it. If you're already using crystal malts (carapils is a crystal malt), then you're duplicating. If you're not using crystal malts, and you have a beer unlikely to have good head retention, I guess you could use it. But I almost always use specialty grains in my beers, so don't find it necessary.

Carapils and Crystal malt aren't the same. Carapils is kilned while crystal malt is roasted. If you eat the kernels they taste different.

aeonderdonk · 08-18-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camiller

Good point, I just checked one of the popular online shops and a 50# bag of 2-row was 59.99. My LHBS sells a 50# bag of 2-row for $45 or so. That $15 is your shipping built into the price.

Best bet is if you know other brewers in your area (Home brew club?) and can get a full pallet order (40 bags IIRC) do a group buy from North Country Malt. Our home brew club does a group buy once or twice a year.

Yeah, looks like you are right on the shipping jacking up actual malt price.

**Brewmasters Warehouse** · 08-18-2009, 10:22 PM

I will be the first to admit that there is no free lunch with flat rate shipping, especially with base malts. The price we charge for a sack or 2-row + shipping is certainly not cheap compared to the price of picking it up locally. For specialty malts that you are looking for 5-10 lbs of, then I think we have some great deals to be had.

Ed

marc06 · 08-19-2009, 12:58 AM

Although it depends on your lhbs, its cheaper by far for me to pay any sort of shipping than pick it up there