Bottom line cost of bulk grains?

CornyKegs 728
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cweston

cweston

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I'd like to buy a grain mill, but I have to justify the cost to SWMBO and to myself...

After paying shipping, it looks like the best one could do for 50 lbs of two-row is about $45 or so. Considering you can get it from Austin Homebrew for $1.10 per pound, that's not an enormous savings.

I'm not a real high-quantity brewer, so two-row and maybe pilsner are probably the only grains I could realistically purchase in bulk.

So it looks to me like the principal advantage of milling your own grain is choice, not cost. (i.e. you can keep several grains on hand and brew more sponatneously.)

Am I missing something? Where do folks get their grains in bulk? (I don't have a LHBS nearby--that would obviously be the most cost effective solution.)
 
Well the way I do it, is just pick it up from my LHBS (although 45 minutes away it is still better than paying shipping cost on 50 lb). It is a choice thing, you can always continue buying in smaller quantities and that is fine. There is nothing like crushing the grain fresh a few minutes before you brew, imo. It is also one of the things you can tweak if you get an adjustable mill (although I haven't done this yet). Plus having 50 lbs of grain on hand means you can brew till your heart's content for quite some time before re-ordering. All in all though, if you have a good supplier, are happy with the crush and cannot justify the cost...then I'd say stick with it. I like being able to brew on a whim, and having plenty of uncrushed grain at my disposal gives me what I want, when I want.

One more thing, I love the whole process of Brewing and this brings you one step closer....
 
Do you have any breweries close by? You could always ask to pick up a 55lb bag right there.

The type of base malt also makes all the difference. Rahr 2 row is 30 bucks a sack, while Maris Otter is 50 bucks. If there is someway you can avoid the shipping costs, then yes, you save almost half of what you normally would
 
Chimone said:
Do you have any breweries close by? You could always ask to pick up a 55lb bag right there.

The type of base malt also makes all the difference. Rahr 2 row is 30 bucks a sack, while Maris Otter is 50 bucks. If there is someway you can avoid the shipping costs, then yes, you save almost half of what you normally would
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Sheeyat....why didn't I think of that! Hmmm, I wonder if the local brew pub would be willing to get me a sack every-once-in-a-while.
 
zoebisch01 said:
Sheeyat....why didn't I think of that! Hmmm, I wonder if the local brew pub would be willing to get me a sack every-once-in-a-while.
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Don't forget that 5.99 shipping for every batch.
 
zoebisch01 said:
I am not following? :tank:
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When you figure the cost per batch remember you have to pay to ship every time. Unless you are getting it local from Austin?

Shipping all the batches can add up throughout the year which is just another way to justify the mill.
 
I'm envious of you guys! My "local" supplier is five hours away, and I'm payin' like, seventy bucks for 55 lbs! It does get here quickly, though...

cheers, p
 
perry said:
I'm envious of you guys! My "local" supplier is five hours away, and I'm payin' like, seventy bucks for 55 lbs! It does get here quickly, though...

cheers, p
Click to expand...

Austin Homebrew has a flat $5.99 shipping per order, and as near as I can tell, that includes bulk grains. Should be cheaper.

You might also want to check out http://www.northcountrymalt.com/index.html
 
I think they ship via fed-ex ground for 200 lbs or less, but they use cheaper carrriers for larger orders. They have pretty detailed information on their site but it's a little convuluted--you might have to poke around there a little.
 
Todd said:
When you figure the cost per batch remember you have to pay to ship every time. Unless you are getting it local from Austin?

Shipping all the batches can add up throughout the year which is just another way to justify the mill.
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Gotcha....

No what I was basically saying was "Why hadn't I thought of picking up a sack at my local brewpub instead of ordering through my LHBS". (I live in PA as well, btw). I have been driving to my "L"HBS which is roughly 45 minutes away to get the 50 lb bag because I don't want to pay shipping. Granted, I spend gas money and time but I did the calculations and it is better for large orders to just pick it up...so I tend to put together large orders and pick them up.
 
I pick up a 55lb sack of Crisp Marris Otter for $35.95

I average about 12lbs grain for each 5 gal batch, so my fermentables bill is about $7.85.

If I bought by the pound, and had it cracked my grain bill would cost $1.40/ lb or $16.80. I'm "saving" allmost $9 per batch by buying in bulk.

If I used extract, 6.6lbs of Briess Golden LME would run me $19.90. So I'm now saving about $12 per 5 gal batch by going AG in bulk!

I could save even more, but you gotta love Marris Otter for Brittish ales!
 
zoebisch01 said:
Gotcha....

No what I was basically saying was "Why hadn't I thought of picking up a sack at my local brewpub instead of ordering through my LHBS". (I live in PA as well, btw). I have been driving to my "L"HBS which is roughly 45 minutes away to get the 50 lb bag because I don't want to pay shipping. Granted, I spend gas money and time but I did the calculations and it is better for large orders to just pick it up...so I tend to put together large orders and pick them up.
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Where in PA? I'll have to try and talk to troegs or ABC and see if either of them will unload some grain. I think they both use the large silos I wonder if that would matter.

Do people actually have luck getting sacks from brewpubs?
 
Todd said:
Where in PA? I'll have to try and talk to troegs or ABC and see if either of them will unload some grain. I think they both use the large silos I wonder if that would matter.

Do people actually have luck getting sacks from brewpubs?
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State College area. I have heard some brewpubs don't mind, others do. I guess it doesn't hurt to try. You may have better luck with smaller brewpubs if they turn you down.
 
I have no connection with these fine folks other than being a very happy customer!

Great prices on bulk grain:

http://www.homewinery.com/
Home Winery Supply Company and
River Raisin Brewing Company
208 Main Street Dundee, MI 48131
(734) 529-3296

American 50# Briess Pale Ale $ 26.95

American 50# Briess 2 Row Pale $ 26.95

German Malt 55# Durst Pale Ale $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Durst Turbo Pils $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Munich (Lite) $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Munich (Dark) $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Vienna $ 32.95

English Malt 55# Crisp Pale Ale $ 34.95

English Malt 55# Crisp Maris Otter $ 35.95



They also brew up an AG wort to sell each month:


"The Brew Day: January 20th
Brewing that day: Red Ale/Lager

For those of you not familiar with the big brew day, once a month River Raisin Brewing Company will brew a popular wort for our customers. Please call for more details and pricing."

Great people to deal with!!
 
jma99 said:
I have no connection with these fine folks other than being a very happy customer!

Great prices on bulk grain:

http://www.homewinery.com/
Home Winery Supply Company and
River Raisin Brewing Company
208 Main Street Dundee, MI 48131
(734) 529-3296

American 50# Briess Pale Ale $ 26.95

American 50# Briess 2 Row Pale $ 26.95

German Malt 55# Durst Pale Ale $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Durst Turbo Pils $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Munich (Lite) $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Munich (Dark) $ 32.95

German Malt 55# Vienna $ 32.95

English Malt 55# Crisp Pale Ale $ 34.95

English Malt 55# Crisp Maris Otter $ 35.95



They also brew up an AG wort to sell each month:


"The Brew Day: January 20th
Brewing that day: Red Ale/Lager

For those of you not familiar with the big brew day, once a month River Raisin Brewing Company will brew a popular wort for our customers. Please call for more details and pricing."

Great people to deal with!!
Click to expand...


Man that is cheap for Briess 2 Pale. I like that as a base malt. And you have ordered from them often? Have the ingredients been fresh always?
 
jma99, what do they usually charge for shipping? I'm on the west coast, so using someone like north country malt is out of the question due to $40/bag shipping charges.
 
aseelye said:
jma99, what do they usually charge for shipping? I'm on the west coast, so using someone like north country malt is out of the question due to $40/bag shipping charges.
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I did a quick check on ups.com and from there to PA is going to be about $27 a bag, puts me over the lhbs price.
 
well bird, Ill let you know soon. I ordered a bag, and they didnt even tell me at checkout.

watch it be like another 35 bucks for shipping
 
I just pick up from them. I work only about 2 to 3 miles away.

The one time I did have them ship, they used fedex ground and they charged the actual shipping with no markup or handling.

They move a ton of grain, and it has always been fresh.
I'd give them a call and they should be able to get you a shipping quote.

This is a family run business and I often see three generations working there!
 
Chimone said:
Do you have any breweries close by? You could always ask to pick up a 55lb bag right there.

The type of base malt also makes all the difference. Rahr 2 row is 30 bucks a sack, while Maris Otter is 50 bucks. If there is someway you can avoid the shipping costs, then yes, you save almost half of what you normally would
Click to expand...


While you're at the brewpub, take along a sanitized mason jar- maybe they'll give you some yeast slurry. A lot of them will.
 
zoebisch01 said:
Man that is cheap for Briess 2 Pale. I like that as a base malt. And you have ordered from them often? Have the ingredients been fresh always?
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I was quoted to pa $18 shipping. Pretty good deal.
 
Todd said:
I was quoted to pa $18 shipping. Pretty good deal.
Click to expand...


Yeah my LHBS guy charged me $40 and I spent about $5 in gas so cost wise it is about the same but would be less time spent. Hmmm. I do like supporting local business (although @45 minutes away I dunno how local it is heh) but I also like to optimize efficiency with things. I still need to contact the local brew pub on this one.
 

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