What NOT to Do With Spent Grains

I dump mine on the hill of the side of my house- I don't ever smell it, and it keeps the people and dog out of my backyard/side yard.. I live on the corner and they like to come in the yard and get my dogs all worked up!

A groundhog hole is my spot. Not sure if he eats them, but that hole will never be filled up.

I have a large stump and hole that I am trying to get to rot. I put fireplace ashes and grains in it. It is also a never filling hole. Hopefully the moisture that is retained by the rotting grains and damp ashes promote the rot.

The local deer population love it. I have a nice secluded spot in my backyard that I dump the tun out into. Usually in a day or two they're all gone.

Deer near my house stick their nose in it but don't eat.

My dog ate some out of a week old pile in our woods and puked it all over the house. I wasn't' home, so the SWMBO had to clean it up.

I simply double-bag mine in garbage bags and it goes out with the weekly pick-up.

Give mine to the neighbor to feed his chickens.

I give mine to a buddy who has a compost bin. He brings me vegetable's & wine!

I fear the spring thaw. My tumble composter is full and will be placed on the garden come spring. Now compost is being stored in a trash can that freezes. I already have 2 brews in the the trash can, will probably have two more by the end of the month. The smell will be pretty bad when the can unfreezes.

I plan on moving in a year or so and one of the things I need to do is build up a sizable enough compost bin/pile that it doesn't freeze in the winter and stays active.

give them to a farmer!~!!

andysim said:

Deer near my house stick their nose in it but don't eat.

My dog ate some out of a week old pile in our woods and puked it all over the house. I wasn't' home, so the SWMBO had to clean it up.

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Well played.

Ohh lord. I usually shovel out my mash tun and remove MOST of my grains and either toss them in the garbage of disperse them into grassy areas (once dry they are quite useful for plants)

however, I once left the bottom layer in my masher. with water. for 2 weeks.
My god....The stench, it made me gag each time I opened up the cooler.

That.................was a learning experience. I know now to clean everything out as soon as I'm done! ^_^

I put it outside to see if the wild animals will eat it. I often see deer, river otters, and squirrels and I've seen the occasional skunk and possum. I've considered trying to make granola bars or something but haven't tried finding any recipes that specifically use spent grains.

suedagardener said:

Spent grains...give to farmers..we appreciate it and our animals love it. I have everything but goats and when thrown to pigs...its a big deal!!!

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So I'm planning a march madness of my own..
10 batches, most 10 gallons, in 14 days. The logistics are incredible.

Anyway,I am expecting 250 pounds roughy estimate in dry weight of spent grains.

Made arrangements to give to a friend who raises pigs. But for competition, it is illegal to feed them grain. So had to find a pig farmer. I have an interested party, but they were asking if cows could eat it too.

Also I may end up doing a mash hopped brew, not sure yet. I know dogs get malignant hyperthermia (often lethal) from hops, but what about other animals?

Aside from a potential hopped mash batch, can just about any farm animal eat spent grains? I don't know too many farmers, so I thought I would ask.


TD

TD,

Pigs eat just about anything. So do chickens and mash is good for both. I have a local (maybe not local but close) who gives me his mash..my pigs love it. He also adds food scraps that make it far more attractive to pigs!!!!! Pigs clearly don't have the same issues as dogs!!!

sue

Don't feed hopped grain to laying hens.

krackin said:

Don't feed hopped grain to laying hens.

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Is that where green eggs come from?

Brewing an IIPA today, and considering hopping the mash. Can Pigs eat hops without harm?
I have a friend who I'm giving the spent grains to, but I don't want to hop the mash unless I know for sure.
Going to be mashing in in about 90-120 minutes.

Thanks

TD