Disposing of grains

Where/How does everyone dispose of their grains? I'm having issues so far getting rid of them, and I don't seem to have an answer for this yet...

Common methods include:
- Trashcan (in a trash bag of course)
- Compost Pile
- Make dog biscuits with it (there's a good recipe on here)

Give them to someone with chickens. They will love you

Throw it over the back fence

Compost. Compost the hops too, as long as there are no dogs around.

I've been brewing at a friend's place, where the grains are put into his compost bins. I'm planning on bringing them to my sister/mother's place moving forward to put them into the compost heap there. Just means that on brew day I'll put them into a garbage bag, into the back of the truck, so that it's easy to transport them the following day.

I'll have to see if there are any farms fairly close to where I'll be living. If so, I'll offer them up the post-mash grains for use.

I've also used the spent grains in making bread before. They can add something really nice to a bread recipe.

Trebuchet

AndrewD said:

Trebuchet

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Winner!

I've been digging a big hole in my compost bin and then covering them with dirt. I did 5 10 gallon batches earlier in the summer and am surprised the neighbors didn't call the cops about the smell of death coming from my yard. Between the smell and the swarms of flies... Lesson learned I guess.

I've done the dog biscuits a few times. The dogs love them but it's just one more thing to dirty up on brew day.

For the past two years I've just been dumping them in the unsold lot two houses down. I'll be screwed once someone starts building there...

If you put them into a plastic bag on about the fourth day when you open the bag to see what you forgot you put in there it will smell almost the same as a feedlot for hogs.

I dump mine on the lawn or in the woods. Animals eat some, the rest will add to the soil.

JonM said:

Compost. Compost the hops too, as long as there are no dogs around.

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Why no dogs? Was thinking of doing that but if it will hurt my dogs I cant.

trailbrew said:

Why no dogs? Was thinking of doing that but if it will hurt my dogs I cant.

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Hops can be dangerous to dogs.

I dump mine into my lake of my dock and feed the fishes

Personally I compost it. I mix it into the working compost and have never had a smell issue. Or at least no worse then rotting potatoes.

Feed to wife's horse. He knows when I'm brewing, he stands next to the gate the whole time!

Echo the chicken feed. Find someone who has chickens and barter for fresh eggs!

I can't deal with the flies... Maybe I'll take a look at the dog treats recipe, thanks for the replies, any more are welcome...

I compost most of mine. You just have to mix in some dried shredded leaves with them to cut downon the stink.

Dog treats are awsome. I have two dogs that absolutely love them. I give some of the spent grain to my neighbors that have dogs so they can make their own treats.

For those with fly/smell issues - spread it thin and it dries out before it has a chance to smell. Then you can pile it back up. Compost is great, also over bare spots in the lawn, temporary mulch, etc.

TyTanium said:

For those with fly/smell issues - spread it thin and it dries out before it has a chance to smell. Then you can pile it back up. Compost is great, also over bare spots in the lawn, temporary mulch, etc.

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Good call with this. If only I could come up with a way to keep the rats and mice away from it too. I fattened up this one rat so big that the standard rat trap only wounded him. I should get a free standing compost bin that can spin. That'd keep the little buggers (giant in my case) out.

There's a really good spent grain bread recipe here somewhere. I keep a cup or two for that and compost the rest.

i tried putting them in a pile by my shed in the back yard. that is where i dump my ashes from the grill. the stench was incredible. double trash bag and into the trash can. i do make dog biscuits when i brew in the winter

The bread recipe is a good idea, Although the spent grains really don't add any flavor just texture since everything is extracted in the mash. They also make a mean crispy pizza crust. I don't have the recipe, but I'm sure it would turn up in a search.

I have a hill at the end of my back yard. It's overgrown with whatever was native and wild before the neighborhood was built. I dump it there with the other piles of grain. It gets eaten by animals, as the piles are never as big as they were the day before.

most i throw over the fence. some i make into dog treats. i have 2 mini rat terriers. i make the grains into "doggy brews", dog biscuits from the spent grains. it's their favorite treat, even over "bacon" (the bacon and cheese dog treats)

Well I --

Make spent grain bread.
Feed it to my chickens.
Compost it.

Go here: http://brooklynbrewshop.com/themash/category/spentgrainchef/

The blueberry cobbler with ice cream was fantastic, and the veggie burgers were hands down the best I'd ever eaten - even if you're not vegetarian, give them a try - they were amazing!

I tried Barley & Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars but they were WAY too sweet for my taste...but there's a ton of recipes on there!

Save some to bake with, compost the rest, just cover with green leafy material to help break it down...wish I had chickens to give it too!
If you have no room for composting, see if your township has a compost facility you can drop it off, or a local organic farm

natureboy68 said:

Save some to bake with, compost the rest, just cover with green leafy material to help break it down...wish I had chickens to give it too!
If you have no room for composting, see if your township has a compost facility you can drop it off, or a local organic farm

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I have a 3 can system: recycling, green waste, and regular trash. BEWARE: I learned the hard way that dumping soggy grain into the green waste container may lead to concrete stains from where the moisture leaks through the holes for the wheel axles. I found this thread by searching for a way to dispose of my grains. The last two batches went into the half barrel planters where the hops are planted, and the latest batch went into the tomato planter (My yard is 99% concrete).

I give some to my chickens, some to my compost bins, and this last brew I donated the rest to a buddy who is raising a few pigs.

I compost most of them but my friend has chickens so now I'm thinking I'll try and give him a small bag full for them.

well......there's a storm drain in front of my house....washed down with a bucket of water....

I put them out for the trash man. Heavy plastic leaf bag with a zip tie so the crows won't smell it.

I've been tossing mine in the trash and now that I think about it, what a waste. When I brew next Monday I'll take some and spread it in the yard and compost an area that I'm going to try and grow hops in next year. Yet another win from HBT!

Make this (spent grain bread tastes amazing!):

Taken from http://pastrychefonline.com/2012/04/19/brewers-bread/

Brewers’ Bread
Author: onlinepastrychef
Recipe type: Bread
Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 30 mins

What You Need
For the Poolish
5 oz. water
5 oz. bread flour
¼ teaspoon yeast

For the Sponge
all the poolish
4 oz water
4 oz bread flour
4 oz spent grains
¼ teaspoon yeast

For the Bread
all the sponge
16 oz bread flour
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons honey
2-3 teaspoons kosher salt (to taste, but don’t leave it out)
4-6 oz water

For the Poolish
Stir all ingredients together.
Let sit at room temperature, loosely covered, for 12-16 hours

For the Sponge
Mix all the ingredients together in a big old bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer.
Cover loosely, and let stand until very bubbly on top and almost doubled in volume, about 4-5 hours.

For the Bread
Dump the rest of the ingredients in with your sponge. Start with the lesser amount of water.
Mix until the dough comes together, adding water if necessary. The resulting dough should be smooth, only slightly sticky and fairly extensible.
Once the dough is mixed, knead by hand for a good 15 minutes or for about 7 minutes on medium-low speed on the stand mixer.
Shape dough into a smooth ball and put right back in your bowl. Brush the top with olive oil and cover.
Let the dough rise in a warmish place until doubled in bulk, about 3-3½ hours.
Evenly press the gases out of the dough, fold it over on itself several times, and divide the dough into two equal parts. Each of my loaves scaled at 21.7 ounces, but yours will vary depending on how much water you ended up adding.
Shape each half into a rectangle and then roll up, tucking the ends of the cylinder you’ve just made under.
Place the dough, seam side down, in lightly sprayed bread pans. Mine were 4½” by 8½”.
Let the dough rise until almost doubled in bulk, another 1½-2 hours. Preheat the oven to 375F.
Brush the loaves evenly with the egg wash. You can slash the tops of the loaves with an oiled razor or just leave them alone.
Bake on the lowest rack for about half an hour, or until the internal temperature of the bread is around 205F and the loaf sounds hollow when you thump it.
Let the loaves cool on wire racks for at least an hour before slicing and devouring.