Atlanta Area Group Buy

I just got my Grain Miil today and was wondering if anyone is interested in a group buy.

Conversely I wonder if the savings are worth the extra hassle.

So any advise or opinions from anyone who's done this type of thing before would also be welcomed.

Such as would I be better off joining a club or just buying in bulk from my LHBS.

Thanks in advance

If I had a mill I would be interested. How much are you looking at a sack locally?

I too may be interested if we can set up a day or two in the future to come by and crush the grain until I get a mill of my own =) What side of HOTlanta are you on?

abracadabra said:

Conversely I wonder if the savings are worth the extra hassle.

So any advise or opinions from anyone who's done this type of thing before would also be welcomed.

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I put together a group buy back in the summer. To answer your question if it's worth the hassle, it depends. How much grain do you forsee using in the next 6-12 months? What are the prices for a 50# bag of 2-row from your LHBS?

I figured that I would use 6-8 bags within a 6-8 month time frame. My LHBS was charging $61 out the door with tax for 2-row. By doing a grain buy from NorthCountry, I got my Domestic 2-row Pale for something like $24 a bag. I'd say that was a pretty good savings. Prices are a little higher now, but if you can get enough people interested to fill a pallet (60 bags) it works out in the long run. They give you a discount if you fill out the pallet and the shipping charges worked out to just a few dollars per bag. I ended up taking 11 bags to help fill out the order and am still sitting on 7 bags unopened plus what I have in plastic storage bins.

If I could do it over, I would probably take a few fewer bags, and try to order in another 6 months. It also meant I had to lay out $350 in advance, but I figure that it was worth the savings.

I would also suggest trying to get in touch with any of the local brew clubs to see if they do bulk buys. After we had ours up and rolling, I found that one of the local clubs puts one together every 6 months or so. I had just missed their last order, but will be going with them next time around as they ended up filling out 2 pallets.

Beerfic: I don't know exactly but est. around $50-$55 for a 50# sack. Could be more could be less, as I understand the prices are going up as the value of the $ goes down.

Nobes: I be happy to let anyone involved have use of my mill. And was thinking about a central location inside the perimeter for distribution. But I'm 40 minutes south of ATL airport so it'd be quite a haul for most folks just to mill 10# or so.

Jdoiv: Thank you, for all the info. Better than 1/2 off is pretty good savings. I'd researched it a while back. And knew a grain mill would save me some $ but had forgotten the exact numbers. Also good suggestion to check out all the Local clubs. Thanks again.


I've got a post on another forum where I understand they are putting together a group buy here in the ATL but don't have any info yet. If I find out more I'll post it on this forum. I'm figuring I'd like 4 bags but I'd take more if I had to. So if 14 more people took 4 bag or 28 people took 2 or any combo it's doable.

It looks like posting a message on Brew Board about a group buy is a violation of their policies. I didn't see it on the Statement I had to agree to but it's appearently in their official policies but not their agreement statement. Unless I just missed it which is certainly possible.

So anyway my post was deleted and I was sent a warning PM.

On the off chance I get any more Info out of that forum I'll post it here.

As far as location for distribution goes, they will drop the pallet off at any business location, or you can pick it up at the freight terminal. We picked ours up at the freight terminal and then took it to one of the guys houses for distribution.

On a related note does anyone know how long you can store grain before it starts to not be so good?

I'm no where near ATL but the idea of buying in bulk is starting to look like a good idea!

I live down in Newnan, and I usually get my grain through inhbc.org, but it is quite a haul to get up to marietta and on this last buy acworth. A pain but if you can buy enough to last half ths year its worth it. I work every weekend so its hard to do the club thing, but their site is good for keeping up.

bking said:

I live down in Newnan, and I usually get my grain through inhbc.org, but it is quite a haul to get up to marietta and on this last buy acworth. A pain but if you can buy enough to last half ths year its worth it. I work every weekend so its hard to do the club thing, but their site is good for keeping up.

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I'm trying to get in on a group buy. I want a couple of bags of US 2-row. If anyone knows of a group buy, please post about it.

I've been thinking about a group buy also, but after seeing Brewmaster's Warehouse prices, I doubt I'd save that much money. I don't work for them or anything, it's just where I've always bought my recipes.

I think they quoted me $46 for 50lb Briess 2-row. And they'll mill it for you too. Just bring a container.

Of course, this isn't for sale on their website otherwise they'd have to ship it for their $6.99 flat rate.

I live below the atl but I would take between 2 and 4 bags if we can get this going just let me know

Yes, the savings are worth the hassle.

I go to Newnan often and I could use 4 sacks.

I've done a couple group buys- so I may be able to help with info and such.
Heck, I'll do the spreadsheet to get this going.

Here are some of the points;
You buy sacks- usually 50-55 lbs.
A pallet holds 42 sacks.
You pay a certain amount shipping per pallet regardless of how many sacks are on the pallet.
So, you pay less shipping per sack the closer you get to 42.
Also, access to a loading dock is important.
Without it you pay extra for the thingy to unload.
You'll have to pay with a credit card for the entire pallet.
Usually whoever is doing the buy gets everyone else to pay him or her before the order.

I am not sure if you guys are interested or not, but you guys are more than welcome to order with is. Our pallet is almost full, so we could order two pallet. I have an account with NCM so that wouldn't be an issue. I could even help fill the second pallet. We would have to have to have the pallets delivered to the Nashville area. PM me if you guys are interested.

Zoinks- how did I miss the date on the OP?

1234 said:

I am not sure if you guys are interested or not, but you guys are more than welcome to order with is. Our pallet is almost full, so we could order two pallet. I have an account with NCM so that wouldn't be an issue. I could even help fill the second pallet. We would have to have to have the pallets delivered to the Nashville area. PM me if you guys are interested.

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Thanks for the offer.

Does anyone who wants to do a group buy have a large enough vehicle that can drive up to TN and pick up grain?

A full size truck can fit all 42 sacks of grain on it. I could probably get about 4-10 sacks to help fill the second pallet. You could could also do some splits to help fill the pallet.

1234 said:

A full size truck can fit all 42 sacks of grain on it. I could probably get about 4-10 sacks to help fill the second pallet. You could could also do some splits to help fill the pallet.

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When are you guys looking to pull the trigger?

We could wait a couple of weeks if need be.

1234 said:

We could wait a couple of weeks if need be.

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Thanks.

Seems like 10-12 sacks so far.

While I need grain- unless a bunch more jump on board soon, I wouldn't hold you order too much.

I am in South GA and am considering something similar.. it isn't out of the question to drive to pick it up in ATL if the price is right. Or possibly put together another group buy for our area soon?

John Beere said:

I am in South GA and am considering something similar.. it isn't out of the question to drive to pick it up in ATL if the price is right. Or possibly put together another group buy for our area soon?

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What's your best guess for how many sacks you/ those with you want?

John Beere said:

I am in South GA and am considering something similar.. it isn't out of the question to drive to pick it up in ATL if the price is right. Or possibly put together another group buy for our area soon?

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What part of south ga? Maybe only one of us have to go to Atlanta I would take 2-4 bags

1234, can you confirm the pickup point is Nashville?

I have a 1/2-ton PU that can safely handle 25 sacks from a weight and volume perspective. The economics are tough since my truck gets ~12MPG, which adds about $6/sack if I have to go to Nashville. The cost of using my truck to go get this load (~$150 ~ $3.65/G) is slightly less than what it would cost to have NCM ship a pallet directly to ATL ($200/Pallet with the fuel surcharge). Does someone else have a cheaper way vehicle?

For the effort involved in picking up the stuff from Nashville, I'd rather pay $1.50/sack extra and have it shipped directly to ATL if someone has the right connections for a supplier & loading dock and is willing to do the work.

Regardless of the solution, I will take 3 sacks of base malt plus I'd like to get in on some specialty grains and possibly some other stuff.

clark123456 said:

1234, can you confirm the pickup point is Nashville?

I have a 1/2-ton PU that can safely handle 25 sacks from a weight and volume perspective. The economics are tough since my truck gets ~12MPG, which adds about $6/sack if I have to go to Nashville. The cost of using my truck to go get this load (~$150 ~ $3.65/G) is slightly less than what it would cost to have NCM ship a pallet directly to ATL ($200/Pallet with the fuel surcharge). Does someone else have a cheaper way vehicle?

For the effort involved in picking up the stuff from Nashville, I'd rather pay $1.50/sack extra and have it shipped directly to ATL if someone has the right connections for a supplier & loading dock and is willing to do the work.

Regardless of the solution, I will take 3 sacks of base malt plus I'd like to get in on some specialty grains and possibly some other stuff.

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The Pallet we have coming will be dropped in the Nashville area. If I had a way of making it easier on you guys I would. It is up to you guys if you want to get in with us, I am just trying to help you guys out. I also probably have one or two people who could probably help fill your pallet, if you guys had a problem filling it.

The gas charge to drive to/fro Nashville would be in addition to the freight charge. The pallet charge from NCM is $165. (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.)

So if we got in on the TN buy, and the TN folks finished filling a pallet, the per sack freight charge would be about $4 per sack. Additionally we would need to split the cost to drive up.

To my thinking the math doesn't work to add a drive to TN. It's about the same cost to split a pallet shipped to our area.

But thanks to the TN folks for the offer.

Our pallet charge has been about $90

1234 said:

Our pallet charge has been about $90

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Hmm- assuming 42 sacks- that's about $2.15 per.

So far we're only looking at 11-15 sacks.
A small truck with good gas mileage could carry this- which would bring the numbers down.

Does anyone have a small truck that could make the trip?
The rest of us would chip in on gas.

You guys could probably get 2-4 sacks out of some speciality grain splits. We might be able to help fill some of them as well. We had a couple of guys who wanted some splits that just didn't make the pallet.

I wouldn't mind splitting a bag of pilsner, Munich, Vienna and maybe dextrose.

My guys would love for 2-3 guys to join them on a split of Flaked rice, Unmalted Wheat, and they would love for about 10 guys to jump in on a split of Lactose.

1234 said:

The Pallet we have coming will be dropped in the Nashville area. If I had a way of making it easier on you guys I would. It is up to you guys if you want to get in with us, I am just trying to help you guys out. I also probably have one or two people who could probably help fill your pallet, if you guys had a problem filling it.

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1234, I sincerely appreciate the offer and wish the math would work out for us to come to your location. I also wish we had a dock we could use down here and just use your connection to NCM to order a pallet or two with direct shipping to Atlanta. Again, thanks for the offer.

Does the delivery cost per pallet drop as you add pallets?

clark123456 said:

1234, I sincerely appreciate the offer and wish the math would work out for us to come to your location. I also wish we had a dock we could use down here and just use your connection to NCM to order a pallet or two with direct shipping to Atlanta. Again, thanks for the offer.

Does the delivery cost per pallet drop as you add pallets?

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I don't believe that delivery cost drops per pallet, not sure though since we have always ordered one pallet. I will be sending an e-mail to NCM, for a price quote, so if you guys want to get in on this one I will need to know by Monday

Ga guys. Message me later. We do a buy here in north atlanta about once every 3-4 months. The last one was a month ago. Base malts are about $30.

hoppymonkey said:

Ga guys. Message me later. We do a buy here in north atlanta about once every 3-4 months. The last one was a month ago. Base malts are about $30.

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If nobody can drive to TN with a fuel efficient vehicle, the N. Atlanta buy would be the best alternative. Thanks.

chucke said:

If nobody can drive to TN with a fuel efficient vehicle, the N. Atlanta buy would be the best alternative. Thanks.

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I'll see if anyone is interested sooner. We have to buy 42 sacks to really be worth it.

I would be interested in an Atlanta area group buy. Please keep me in mind

I'm in ATL a good bit for work, so keep me in mind as well next time one comes up.

We are trying to get a another bulk buy together and now. It is the Insert Name Here Brew CLub and we are about 20 bags short of getting a full order. Who wants in?

I'll take 2