Bulk Grain Inventory Question

Greetings,

I just started buying bulk grain, which brought the question of what should I keep in stock? So what do y'all keep on hand? I'm thinking of stocking bulk bags of 2-Row and Marris Otter and walking over to austin homebrew for the minor components. What do you consider "must haves" in the inventory?

Kinda silly to have both 2 row and MO if you ask me, but others will disagree I am sure. I keep MO and Munich in bulk, plus a healthy stocking of Pils.

I keep the following on hand.

2 row Pale
2 row Pils
Wheat
Vienna
German Caramel Malt Light (15L)

I buy all my specialty grains from Austin Homebrew Supply and keep a few pounds of those on hand as well as a supply of hops & dry yeasts. That way, I can brew whenever I feel like it.

MO - Full sacks
Pils - Full sacks

Munich & Vienna - half sacks
Flaked Wheat - half sacks
Wheat Malt - 20#
Flaked Corn - 20#

Crystal #10, 40, 60, 120 - 10# each
Pale Chocolate - 10#
Rye Malt - 10#
Carapils - 10#
Roasted Barley - 10#
Flaked Barley - 20#

That's a sampling of what I keep, but it should let you brew pretty much any style you like.

BierMuncher said:

MO - Full sacks
Pils - Full sacks

Munich & Vienna - half sacks
Flaked Wheat - half sacks
Wheat Malt - 20#
Flaked Corn - 20#

Crystal #10, 40, 60, 120 - 10# each
Pale Chocolate - 10#
Rye Malt - 10#
Carapils - 10#
Roasted Barley - 10#
Flaked Barley - 20#

That's a sampling of what I keep, but it should let you brew pretty much any style you like.

Click to expand...

That covers most things right there!

I've noticed that sometimes the LHBS stock of specialty grains is pretty iffy - both selection wise and quality wise (at least here in Knoxville). You can vacuum seal your specialty grains and get quite a shelf life out of them. I've had some flaked corn in Food Saver bags on hand for a couple of years now and it has worked out quite well.

Prosit!

Nice suggestion tnlandsailor. I vacuum seal my hops but had not thought to do it with grains. I'm going to need a bigger freezer... Thanks for the answers so far. This is exactly what I was looking for. Muchos gracias!

tnlandsailor said:

I've noticed that sometimes the LHBS stock of specialty grains is pretty iffy - both selection wise and quality wise (at least here in Knoxville). You can vacuum seal your specialty grains and get quite a shelf life out of them. I've had some flaked corn in Food Saver bags on hand for a couple of years now and it has worked out quite well.

Prosit!

Click to expand...

+1 on the Food Saver. I've made great beer with malt that I have had for over a year.

DSV said:

Greetings,

I just started buying bulk grain, which brought the question of what should I keep in stock? So what do y'all keep on hand? I'm thinking of stocking bulk bags of 2-Row and Marris Otter and walking over to austin homebrew for the minor components. What do you consider "must haves" in the inventory?

Click to expand...

My own inventory based on all the different brews I make.

Ger Pils
Ger Munich
Ger Wheat

M.O. Pale Ale

If you can split bags of specialty grains with other brewers it makes buying them in bulk feasible. Otherwise I would buy the Spec at the LHBS.

I store all my grains in food grade 55 gal drums that have a tight sealing lid. You can keeps grains uncrushed for at least a year this way.

EdWort said:

I keep the following on hand.

2 row Pale
2 row Pils
Wheat
Vienna
German Caramel Malt Light (15L)

I buy all my specialty grains from Austin Homebrew Supply and keep a few pounds of those on hand as well as a supply of hops & dry yeasts. That way, I can brew whenever I feel like it.

Click to expand...

That's pretty much what I keep on hand (sans Malt light). I do try to keep a sack of Munich around though.

I try to keep a bag of 2-row, MO and pilsner on hand. When ever I go and buy anything else, I buy extra. If at all possible, I bump it up to 10 lbs so I get the better price.

This is roughly what I have on hand now and is probably a minimum of what I'll try to maintain.

50# Pale
20# MO
20# pils
20# white wheat
20# torrified wheat
20# munich
20# vienna
10# rye
10# chocolate
10# each crystal 10/20/60/90
10# carapils
5# special B
5# black patent
5# Biscuit
5# aromatic

Is anyone using any inventory software to track this so you can check quickly?

nathan said:

Is anyone using any inventory software to track this so you can check quickly?

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I thought about it, but I am not devoted enough to enter it all in every time I brew. I just eyeball it, and when the sack is about 1/4 remaining I get more.

nathan said:

Is anyone using any inventory software to track this so you can check quickly?

Click to expand...

I haven't really tried it, but I'm almost certain that brewsmith will track your inventory as well as everything else it does.

nathan said:

Is anyone using any inventory software to track this so you can check quickly?

Click to expand...

I have been running the beta version of the new beertools, which includes an inventory feature....quite nice.

I use the inventory in promash, it's not the greatest but at least I can check easily if I have enough to brew a particular recipe.

The inventory function on Promash works very well if you are diligent. You always have to "finalize inventory" on every brew session and remember to add inventory when you get it. If you can do that, and have a good scale, it's very accurate.

Prosit!

This was my first year to have bulk.
but I think a did alright on my projections.
I like and have on hand.

Pale
Pils
Wheat

then I get my Carmel or other malts from AHS.

I keep plenty of Notty and 05 and hops in my freezer...
Like Ed said.. so I can brew when I want to...

T
I am a HUGE fan of the simple recipes.