Good place to buy bulk grain in NH/MA?

I'm looking for any homebrew shops in either MA or NH that sell grain in bulk. I'm really looking to purchase at least 1 50# bag of 2-row to last me through the winter. I would purchase a bag through mailorder but by the time you pay for shipping on it you aren't really saving much.

Anyone have any leads or know of any shops in MA or NH that will sell grain by the sack?

Thanks in Advance!

- Chris

There's a guy I know in Pittsfield who sells bulk grain at modest cost. http://shop.berkshirecountyhomebrewsupply.com/main.sc. No physical address, but if you had business to conduct in the Western part of the state, I'm sure something could be arranged.

The regular shop I go to, Hennessy Home Brew Emporium, I know has a couple of locations (different name) out in West Boylston and in Cambridge. He sells bulk grain (OK cost, not phenomenal) at my shop, I would image he'd do the same at the other locales. http://www.beerbrew.com/

I shop at www.nfghomebrew.com. in Leominster, MA. He has good prices on smaller amounts of grain (never bought bulk, although I have seen the 50lb bags).

Check out the website as he has limited hours.

Have you checked the cost at northcountrymalt.com?
I know shipping can be a real killer, but their grain prices for 55-lb sacks are pretty low so it might even out - especially since they're in new york so shipping is a little more reasonable for those of us in new england. you can get 2-row pale or pilsner malt for as low as $33 a sack at current prices. Costs about $17 shipping for me in Maine, putting it at about $50 a sack total.

There is a brew shop in Woburn that has average grain prices, their website is www.beer-wine.com. They don't say if they do grain by the sack, but I would give them and find out.

If shipping charges are an issue, it might just be a matter of going to the closest home brew store, this is just another one to add to the list. You might be close to them, personally, my car only gets about 15 miles to the gallon, the closes HB store is about 20 miles away, so driving to the HB store and back costs me just about as much as shipping.

If I were up your way, I would give these guys a gingle. Their prices on the web are more than reasonable, however they do not list the bulk pricing.

http://www.brewbyyou.com/

Ryan_PA said:

If I were up your way, I would give these guys a gingle. Their prices on the web are more than reasonable, however they do not list the bulk pricing.

http://www.brewbyyou.com/

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This is my LHBS. I get my 55 lb. sack of MO from this place for $35. Not sure on other malts but it may be the same. Bit of a drive from Boston though. There is Stout Billy's in Portsmouth. I have not dealt with them so I cannot say one way or the other.

knights of Gambrinus said:

This is my LHBS. I get my 55 lb. sack of MO from this place for $35.

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I hate you.

Donasay said:

There is a brew shop in Woburn that has average grain prices, their website is www.beer-wine.com. They don't say if they do grain by the sack, but I would give them and find out.

If shipping charges are an issue, it might just be a matter of going to the closest home brew store, this is just another one to add to the list. You might be close to them, personally, my car only gets about 15 miles to the gallon, the closes HB store is about 20 miles away, so driving to the HB store and back costs me just about as much as shipping.

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I've already checked with beer-wine... they stopped selling in bulk. The excuse they gave me was they need to save their grain to fill regular orders in facing the "great grain shortage" that is upon us (hint of sarcasm there). Is anyone else a big fan of this place?

Currently, for the Boston area Modern Brewer in Cambridge is in the lead with their phone estimate of $45-50/sack... just an FYI for others, you'll need to give them a week notice as they don't have a lot of storage space and may not have it readily in stock. Those closer to Leominster can go to NFG and get a sack around $38.

WWW.kettletokeg.com would be something to look into too. Thats where i go and the owner there is helpfull, im sure he would order a sack for someoone if he didint have one in stock. He sold me what he had left of marios otter a few weeks ago and i dont even know what he charged me but i dont think it was much.

ctkach said:

I've already checked with beer-wine... they stopped selling in bulk. The excuse they gave me was they need to save their grain to fill regular orders in facing the "great grain shortage" that is upon us (hint of sarcasm there). Is anyone else a big fan of this place?

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I've been there a few times, the experience has been degrading with each trip. The last time I was in there they a) suggested a substitute that I came to learn was not a substitute b) offered no substitute for a yeast they told me they had but did not upon arrival (I just happened to stumble upon the right one I also found out later) and c) generally didn't seem interested in my business or answering my questions.

I think I may have spent my last $.10 in that place unless they solve their rectal cranial problems.

carl spakler said:

I've been there a few times, the experience has been degrading with each trip. The last time I was in there they a) suggested a substitute that I came to learn was not a substitute b) offered no substitute for a yeast they told me they had but did not upon arrival (I just happened to stumble upon the right one I also found out later) and c) generally didn't seem interested in my business or answering my questions.

I think I may have spent my last $.10 in that place unless they solve their rectal cranial problems.

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beer-wine.com and their store is supposedly the biggest vendor on the east coast. This MAY be true, however they didn't know what an MLT was. I elaborated, and said Mash/Lauter Tun. The guy put down the phone, and asked someone "Do we sell Mash?"

I hung up. If there was one shop that I would visit it would be Jasper's in Nashua, New Hampshire. You might have to talk to them about bulk grain, but the guys are super friendly, and can talk shop for hours on end.

I have checked the following stores off my list:

1. Strange Brew - Marlboro, MA : Guy is a dick, crap selection, over priced equipment

2. Beer-Wine - Woburn, MA : As I said, i was not looking to buy "Mash"

3. Modern Homebrew - Cambridge, MA : Decent shop, but small. Their grain mill is problematic at best. Thats the main reason I won't go there. The nice thing with their shop is you get to weigh out all your own ingredients and the guy is pretty friendly. He did give me a lecture because I bought 10 oz of hops for a big IPA, but after talking shop for a few he understood why (AAU conversions).

4. Jaspers - Nashua, NH - The guys are awesome. Their shop is small, but they have a huge selection of just about any recipe you could want. If you like extract, they have 55 gallon pressurized drums full. www.boomchugalug.com
***This is my favorite shop***

If you go to Jaspers, you gotta go across main street and hit up The Nashua Garden. Good sandwiches, lotsa good beers. If you like cigars, go to Castro's next door, watch the game, have a smoke. This is what my brew crew does once a month...

I'd like to check out NFG, but his hours are really tough for me. Maybe I'll give it a shot this weekend.

I drive over a couple of times a year and stock up. Its about an hour from Burlington VT & a pleasant drive. Even with gas prices its a deal. They also have bulk chemicals like StarSan.

Caveats: They appreciate it when you call ahead with your order and they are only open on weekdays.

ditto on Jasper's in Nashua. Great shop, friendly owner, and a pretty good bottled beer ( and wine ) selection. Just got my ingredients for my 1st All Grain recipe there a couple weeks ago.

vtchuck - ouch on your avitar!

Hey guys, I am new to this site, and I have to say that I feel the same way about Beer and Wine. I have been brewing for about eight months and at first thought they were the best place in the world. I was never satisfied with extract and my third brew was an AG. As soon as they noticed that I started noticing I was filling my own grain bills, I would get the beer-wine look. I have been questioned and so on. There was this big Irish guy who worked there, he helped me alot, but was really the only one. The other thing, as I read and read and read, I have found other sites out there that have been able to crush their prices.

As for bulk grain, I just bought a 50lb bag of 2row from midwest supplies, I did pay for the shipping, but their selection was great. I am really looking forward to taking a trip to Jaspers.

I have begun to buy everything online with the exception that during the warmer season I buy yeast at one of the two local stores...grudgingly.

I am bumping this thread....

We are driving up to New Hampshire next week and I am looking for things to entertain myself. I can't get very good prices on bulk malt around here, and we are driving an SUV that should have a little extra room, so...

Does anyone know if the bulk prices online are correct at NFG? They have very good prices, but with it being a little out of the way and having weird hours, I wanted to see if the prices were current.

Does anyone know the bulk prices at Jaspers? I might go by there to pick up some beer that I can't get here.

Appreciate the help.

Where are you going to in New Hampshire? You should stop in Brattleboro, VT, if at all possible and have a few pints as McNeill's. If you do (and if it's when I'm in town), I'll meet you there for a drink, I've got to get some kegs over to Glibbidy anyway.

the_bird said:

Where are you going to in New Hampshire? You should stop in Brattleboro, VT, if at all possible and have a few pints as McNeill's. If you do (and if it's when I'm in town), I'll meet you there for a drink, I've got to get some kegs over to Glibbidy anyway.

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We are driving up on July 31st and probably not leaving until Aug 11th.

Staying at the MIL's in Canterbury (15 miles north of Concord).

When are you going to be there? I don't have many plans that are set in stone.

Well, if you want to make a day-trip down to Bratt, I could come out on Saturday the 9th. There's a few guys in the area; Glibbidy, kappclark, evanmars come to mind immediately. Maybe we could do a little welcome-to-NE, let's have a pint-night. Bratt's a nice little town, about an hour and a half from Concord (about the same distance from where I live). McNeill's is worth the drive (bring your wife and make her drive you back!)

the_bird said:

Well, if you want to make a day-trip down to Bratt, I could come out on Saturday the 9th. There's a few guys in the area; Glibbidy, kappclark, evanmars come to mind immediately. Maybe we could do a little welcome-to-NE, let's have a pint-night. Bratt's a nice little town, about an hour and a half from Concord (about the same distance from where I live). McNeill's is worth the drive (bring your wife and make her drive you back!)

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The 9th would be tough. We are getting married up in Plymouth on the 8th.

I might try to make it over that way, but I will have a buddy of mine with me and I am already going to be dragging him to a couple other beer "things." We are going to go up to Portland to the Allagash brewery and over to Portsmouth to Smutty Nose and Red Hook.

If I decide to head over to Brattleboro I will start a thread to see if anyone is interested in meeting up.

Well, congrats! Going to be tough for me to make it out any other time (we're going out of town ourselves). I'm sure you'll have "plenty to do" after the 8th.

Beerrific said:

I might try to make it over that way, but I will have a buddy of mine with me and I am already going to be dragging him to a couple other beer "things." We are going to go up to Portland to the Allagash brewery and over to Portsmouth to Smutty Nose and Red Hook.

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If you're in Southern Maine, don't miss Gritty's & SeaDog. Both have good food as well.

How about Tractor Supply for cracked corn? Any reason not to use this?http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/producers-pride-cracked-corn-50-lb Price is awesome

8 years...remarkable!