Do you eat your crushed grains?

I am a firm believer in tasting every stage of the beer, but for some reason I had never tried the raw crushed grain. My friend came over before I brewed yesterday, he grabbed a few pinches of crystal 60 and ate it! I tried it, it was delicious! Over the past 5 years of brewing I don't know why I hadn't tried it sooner. I will be trying other grains jn the future.

Agreed. When tasting a fine beer having tasted the raw grains will sometimes help me pick out what they might have used to make the beer. I also like to taste all the grains I am planning on using a couple days before brew day to make sure they are fresh so I can buy new ones if needed.

I try my spent grains nearly every time. Ironically, Never thought to try em pre mash.

I always try the grain before it is crushed especially dark grains and different base malts.
Base malts can vary quite a bit in sweetness and flavor. Try to sample all the different grains that are out there.

shutupjojo said:

I always try the grain before it is crushed especially dark grains and different base malts.
Base malts can vary quite a bit in sweetness and flavor. Try to sample all the different grains that are out there.

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Same here.

I regularly try post-mash grains and once in a while try pre-mash grain.

I've munched on some grains a few times and even let my coworkers try some when I run to the LHBS on my lunch break. It's a good way to get the taste.

My son used to like eating a tiny bit of crystal malt each time I brewed so I got him a little bag. That was right at the time he lost interest.

My lhbs let me try some while measuring out my grain bill. Tasted ok...wouldn't make it a meal. Final product though...different story, delicious.

neko said:

My son used to like eating a tiny bit of crystal malt each time I brewed so I got him a little bag. That was right at the time he lost interest.

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That's one of the quickest trips from Awww to Ohhh I've ever made

I like to try them. Marris Otter and Munich tast amazing to me.

i got into the habit of trying raw grain after i sampled some Crystal 60 on a whim. now i do every time i brew. delicious

I usually snack on a bit of pre-crushed grain while I'm crushing. I like the flavor.

On my last batch of beer i took a handfull of spent crystal malts grains and added it into a small loaf of bread. it tasted good and added a little bit of texture inside the loaf

I'd love to pour milk over some M.O. and have it for breakfast, but I refuse to waste it!!

I have sprinkled spent grains over my homemade bread which is good, and tried eating them straight up but that's not very good.

I usually eat some right out of the bag, uncrushed, when I'm weighing out my grist

I cook with it, FTW!

MC

How much can you tell of the final product from eating the raw grain?
I know a lot of people sample grain at their LHBS, but what does that really tell you?

I could almost pour milk over some special B and have it for breakfast.

Halbrust said:

How much can you tell of the final product from eating the raw grain?
I know a lot of people sample grain at their LHBS, but what does that really tell you?

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Next time you visit your brew shop, do a side by side taste test of the different base malts. Taste different crystal malts, American vs. English, etc.. It just helps you familiarize yourself with some of the subtleties each will impart. You won't get the final product, but it really does help you learn each ingredient. Follow this with some SMaSH brews (split these batches to test multiple yeast strains), then do it again, and add one specialty malt on a follow up brew day.

Always.

Man I am chewing on grains right before I crush. I like the taste of different kinds going into the mash. I love chocolate malt!