Using the grains after steeping

I would like to use the chocolate grains I steeped in my Brown Ale for something else. I've heard that I can use them to make bread. Is this true? Any other suggestions???

I make bread and dog biscuits with my spent grain.

How do you do it???

The best way to do this IMO is to 1st dry the grains. A dehydrator or your oven set on the lowest setting will work as long as the grains are spread out on a cookie sheet.

Once they are dry you can easily grind them into a flour like consistancy with a cheap or old blender. NOTE: Wet grains in a blender = mess. Then once you have the flour you can sub out some flour for your spent grain stuff. For bread I useally do a 1 cup substitution per loaf.

There are a few recipes here on HBT. Just search for the item with "spent grain" in front of it like : Spent grain pizza dough, pretzels, real bread, dog treats, ect.

I use mine in the flower bed. If the plants don't get anything useful out of it, at least the birds will...if they ever stop eating everything else in my yard...

Composting grains makes excellent compost. Great composition for plant nutrition.

Zamial said:

The best way to do this IMO is to 1st dry the grains. A dehydrator or your oven set on the lowest setting will work as long as the grains are spread out on a cookie sheet.

Once they are dry you can easily grind them into a flour like consistancy with a cheap or old blender. NOTE: Wet grains in a blender = mess. Then once you have the flour you can sub out some flour for your spent grain stuff. For bread I useally do a 1 cup substitution per loaf.

There are a few recipes here on HBT. Just search for the item with "spent grain" in front of it like : Spent grain pizza dough, pretzels, real bread, dog treats, ect.

Click to expand...

I put mine into the food processor wet. It's enough to break up the husks while leaving some nice larger pieces that give the bread a nice visual, and a bit of texture. It's a little messy, but not too bad at all.

I measure it out in 1/2 cup increments, and cover a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Freeze them first, then bag the measured grains. I also freeze bags filled with 12 oz of second runnings from that batch. Thaw out 1/2 cup grain, 12 oz of second runnings per loaf of bread.

I also use the grains for dog biscuits and pizza dough.

I give all my spent grains to a buddy with chickens...my dogs like to eat some too

I tried mixing my spent grains into my garden but all I did was attract ants.

Spartan1979 said:

I tried mixing my spent grains into my garden but all I did was attract ants.

Click to expand...

big difference between composting and throwing them in the garden.

Let's say I have 17lbs of spent grains that have been sitting in my (sealed) mash tun since last week... obviously I'm not making anything edible with them now, but would they still be good for composting or something like that?

Hypothetically speaking of course...

I've decided I'm going to made my dog some treats out of the spent grains... Check out this recipe:

4 cups spent grain
2 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Press down into a dense layer on a large cookie sheet.
Score almost all the way through into the shapes you want.
Bake for about half an hour at 350 F to solidify them
Loosen them from the sheet, break the biscuits apart and place them, loosely spread out on the cookie sheet.
Bake in the oven at 225 F for 3-4 hours (or until they are really dry) to prevent mold growth.
Store in an air tight container to keep them dry and mold free.

Thanks everyone for your help!

29thfloor said:

Let's say I have 17lbs of spent grains that have been sitting in my (sealed) mash tun since last week... obviously I'm not making anything edible with them now, but would they still be good for composting or something like that?

Hypothetically speaking of course...

Click to expand...

I think by now they are composting themselves...that is going to be one stinky mess to deal with...

gunner65 said:

big difference between composting and throwing them in the garden.

Click to expand...

Just relating my experience, but thank you for pointing that out.

Your welcome

We make those same dog treats with our spent grains! My schnauzer loves them!

Brew_Force said:

My schnauzer loves them!

Click to expand...

As does mine, but schnauzers will eat anything.

I throw them in the woods behind my house. The coons and deer eat them pretty quickly.