Number of Bags of Grain

I can't find an answer for this so I'm hoping homebrewtalk can help.

Why do some homebrew supply shops crush the individual grains and put them in separate bags when others just mill it all together and send it in a single bag?

Is there a reason for it?

Edit: I am meaning recipe kits.

It depends - are you making only one batch? Or is this an order of specialty grains for multiple batches? How do they know which ones go together?
It's easier for them to err on the side of caution and package them all separately for you to blend.
When I go into my LHBS they always ask if it can all go together. It might be easier, but it's not worth the hassle of throwing out grains if you wanted them kept separate and they assumed you wanted them mixed.

When I mill it, it all goes into a big bucket.

When I weigh it at the LHBS, I'll usually put it all in one big bag unless there is rye or wheat-- something that isn't about a standard barley malt grain size. That way I can adjust the mill gap.

I'm talking recipe kits. I edited my post.

I almost never buy by the batch so if all my grains came in one bag that would be very bad.

I didn't vote since I buy in bulk and mill my own.

For the LHBSs that package in one bag they are assuming one batch.. If separate bags they are not making that assumption.

My local shop will do it either way, but they default to bagging separately if you don't specify. Once the grains are mixed, they can't be unmixed (well, not easily anyway). Can't unscramble an egg.

If it is kits they might have differing packaging routines. All in one bag is making each kit individually. Separate bags - maybe they package grains ahead of time then pick the proper bags to put into the kit??

If it is a kit I wouldn't care one way or the other. But, I haven't bought a kit in over 3 years and most likely will never buy a kit again.

My LHBS gives both options in terms of milling or non-milling and gives the choice when ordering online if the grains are part of a particular grain bill. This way even if you are ordering for multiple recipes you can put them together into the different grain-bill bags.

I am awkward and always like to have all the different types of grains seperately bagged and un-milled. I like to weigh everything before I mill the grains myself to make sure the grain bill is as I intended.

I have 3 types of grains in 55lb bags (Pils MO and 2 row) and a bunch of other specialty grains that I bought buy the pound from online vendors. Generally nothing goes to waste once it's all stored correctly.

Gavin C said:

I am awkward and always like to have all the different types of grains seperately bagged and un-milled. I like to weigh everything before I mill the grains myself to make sure the grain bill is as I intended.

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I only buy unmilled grain, but I like it kept separately. I generally buy in bulk, so I just measure it and mill it myself.

The downside to buying your grains milled and mixed together is that it is extremely difficult to alter your recipe after that point.

Like the rest said. It all depends on what your plans for the grain are. If it is a kit, go ahead and throw it all together in one (no sense in wasting bags), if it is bulk, I wouldnt bother buying it milled unless I am doing a lot of brewing. I do own my own mill though.

Some stores don't sell grain in less than 1# increments, so if you want .25 # of aromatic malt in your recipe, you'd have to buy a pound and weigh it out yourself.

If we sell a kit, you have the choice of milled or not milled and it's all together. If you add grain to your cart one by one, you can specify non milled and we keep it separate. If you want it milled, each grain can be assigned a batch number or you can ask to keep it separate (which no one has ever requested)