Spent Grain
 

Ok, I just moved up to 10 gallon batches, and am brewing more often than in the past. Until now, I've just put my spent grain into the compost bin. But now, my compost bin is full (about 80% with barley). It's more of a barley-rot bin than anything else at the moment. Recycling is big here, so trash is only picked up once a month.

So for all who do bigger batches, what do you do with your spent grain??

Can you form it into small blocks, dry it and burn it in your fire place? (Assuming you have a fire place or wood stove?) Portland's a cold place right?

You know, I hadn't really thought of that. But I think I'd need to dry it out first. Otherwise, it would only dry on the outside of the 'block', and mold in the center. So I'd need to think of a way to dry a 10 gal mash worth of grain...
Worth some thought though... Thanks.

Most local breweries seem to leave their grain in 55 gal barrels outside for farmers to pick up. You might be able to check with your local and see if you can add a few pounds to their farmer pile.

Last winter I left some of the grain out for the animals. It was a horrible idea. It attracted moles, or rats, or molerats, or mole people or something - but they tore up the back yard. The rest goes into the compost.

That's a good idea. Hair of the Dog is only a couple of blocks from me. I wonder if he'd mind a few extra pounds of grain sitting outside of his place...

I throw it in the yard and the birds eat it.

It's great feed for farmers' stock. It also makes great compost, but I hear what you're saying about volume. We have 40 acres and just sort of spread it around to dry quickly. Still, the whole hillside is covered in grain.

We have a flock of 30 wild turkeys who *love* brew day ;)

You can grow mushrooms in it too. But obviously, that would be a whole other tremendous project with the volume you have.

I just spread it on the veg plot, if no bare patches just mulch standing crops, you should see the crops and the worms. The chickens like a small amount as well.

Hehe. That's work well if I had crops or chickens.... or even a bigger yard.

I have heard it is supposed to be good for your soil in the garden, although I have not tried this but the deomposition of it will fertilize the garden......