Use for spent grains

Brewers,

What do you do with your grains after steeping? I was wondering if they could be dried and fed to birds? Anyone have an opinion?

Thanks

NRS

Birds, Dog Biscuits, Mulch, Compost, Horse Feed.

Lots of ways to keep it out of the trash and do something more useful with.

I dump mine into a bucket after brewing. Whatever my dogs don't eat gets composted. Doesn't seem to me that the dogs can digest them very well because I find doggy bombs full of grain all over the yard.

Bread.

http://beerreviewdude.com/beer-recipes/spent-grain-beer-bread-recipe/

Second the bread. Here's a curiosity I've had.

What is the difference between bakers yeast and brewers yeast? Could I use a small amount of wyeast for some bread?!

Crackers.
http://acutecuisine.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/homebrewed-wheat-thins/

Ben_Persitz said:

Second the bread. Here's a curiosity I've had.

What is the difference between bakers yeast and brewers yeast? Could I use a small amount of wyeast for some bread?!

Click to expand...

Probably, but what a waste of money.

We keep some for bread, and the rest get fed to our friends chickens....in return, we get eggs!

I've been bringing mine over to my in-law's farm and feeding it to the chickens and goats. They love the stuff!

I save some for the dog (he loves them!), some get composted, and some get made into dog treats. I had 24 pounds on Sunday- that's alot, so the dog's portion got stuck in the freezer in tupperware bowls.

This time, much of it went to my deer blind. Baiting is legal in the UP, so I took it out there for the deer.

I either give them to my neighbor for his chickens (gets me free eggs) or they go into the garden if he's not home.

I dry out spent grain and add it to pizza dough and bread. I once scooped some fermenting wort out of a batch when I was out of bread yeast and it worked for my pizza dough, but not fantastically.

jbrookeiv said:

Bread.

http://beerreviewdude.com/beer-recipes/spent-grain-beer-bread-recipe/

Click to expand...

Any thoughts on temperature and time for you recipe without a dutch oven?

Thanks for the suggestions........

NRS

When you give them to chickens, do you dry them out first?

dunnright00 said:

When you give them to chickens, do you dry them out first?

Click to expand...

Nope. They'll peck at it right out of the MLT...

dunnright00 said:

When you give them to chickens, do you dry them out first?

Click to expand...

Nope, they eat them hot right out of the MLT. The term "bird brain" didn't come about for no reason.

baybrewer said:

Any thoughts on temperature and time for you recipe without a dutch oven?

Click to expand...

I would not try this without an oven-proof pot with lid. Google for "no-knead bread" and you will find the 2006 NYT article that made this recipe a sort of internet craze (at least among those who bake bread). In order for recipe to work, this wet dough needs to be baked in a small closed space, so that steam that will quickly come out of dough does its job with crust creation. You can get an inexpensive ceramic over-proof pot with lid, it will do the job just fine. I have that as well as nice dutch oven, and which one I use for this recipe makes very little difference.

baybrewer said:

Any thoughts on temperature and time for you recipe without a dutch oven?

Click to expand...

Don't think it would work very well. You can get great quality cast iron Dutch Ovens from Walmart for about $50.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-6.5-Qt.-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-Green/5716477

That's the one I have, and it's awesome. I make chili, stews, and all kinds of other stuff in it. They're also great for frying.

baybrewer said:

Any thoughts on temperature and time for you recipe without a dutch oven?

Click to expand...

We do it in a pyrex bowl with lid. It's a crapshoot without the cover- foil won't work, but covering it with a oven safe plate might. That recipe is all about using steam to make the crust.

well it sounds great. Looks like I'm gonna have to go out and buy a dutch oven now

I compost all of mine. City bylaws prevent any wildlife that would appreciate it being around me.

A guy I know who brews commercially gives his grain to a local dairy farmer for the cows. The first time I went to see his brewery, I arrived just in time to help load garbage cans full of spent grain into the farmers truck. I asked him if the cows got a hot meal. He said no, that he let it cool overnight or they don't really like it. Funny that chickens don't mind.

Ben_Persitz said:

What is the difference between bakers yeast and brewers yeast? Could I use a small amount of wyeast for some bread?!

Click to expand...

Propogation and mutation screening.

I'll be another guy that can now say that mine will get used as chicken feed. A friend has some chickens and said that he'd give me a chicken every so often for the grain. I figure if he can use it, he doesn't have to give me anything because I'd be throwing it out otherwise. I do like chicken though!

Yeah I have friends with chickens, I figure I could give them my spent grains, but I don't seem them but every couple weeks.

I guess I'll ziplock them and put 'em in the fridge?

dunnright00 said:

Yeah I have friends with chickens, I figure I could give them my spent grains, but I don't seem them but every couple weeks.

I guess I'll ziplock them and put 'em in the fridge?

Click to expand...

I would go freezer