How fast do you use up grain (base malt)?

Curious to see how many batches people are getting out of 50-55 pound sacks of base malt/grain...

At my current brewing style/method, I'll be lucky to get more than 6 batches when I start buying bulk sacks o grain... I've been using 9-10 pounds of base malt/grain per 5 gallon batch, plus specialty grains. That's not even for 'big beers' which could be 13-15+ pounds of grain in a 5 gallon batch.

If you use a mix of base malts for your brews, I'd be interested in seeing what you use. Right now, I'm going with more UK style brews, so I'm using UK 2 Row and Maris Otter base malts. I plan to get a firm grasp on those before moving on to other country styles.

I just used a little over a 1/2 a bag on an IPA. 10 gallon batch. I usually try to brew every 3-4 weeks in the winter and try to brew similar beers so I can use the yeast slurry at least a few times. I use a lot of 2-row, Vienna, Munich & Pilsner so they're purchased in 50 lb. increments, usually 100 lbs. for the 2-row. Cheers!!!

With the 1/2 sack o grain in 10 gallons, what was your OG?? In my last brewing (using the BIAB method) I made an Irish Amber Ale with 10 pounds of base malt (5# each of UK 2 Row and MO) plus another pound of specialty grains and hit an OG of 1.064... With you using over 25 pounds of base (plus specialty) in a 10 gallon batch, I would suspect your OG is a good deal higher.

Golddiggie said:

With the 1/2 sack o grain in 10 gallons, what was your OG?? In my last brewing (using the BIAB method) I made an Irish Amber Ale with 10 pounds of base malt (5# each of UK 2 Row and MO) plus another pound of specialty grains and hit an OG of 1.064... With you using over 25 pounds of base (plus specialty) in a 10 gallon batch, I would suspect your OG is a good deal higher.

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OG was 1.086. 30 lbs. of grain total. When I brew consecutive batches to reuse yeast it's a progressive process. The yeast for this DIPA came from a 1.054 APA. This will be the end for this yeast. Cheers!!!

So you hit about 80% efficiency... Very nice... I'm still dialing in my processes for all grain brewing, but I hope to stabilize in the 80% neighborhood.

I've started washing my yeast, to help spend less per brew. It's working out pretty well for me so far, but I've really only started doing it. I have the yeast from a brew I racked to secondary (for aging) still settling in the fridge. My previous washing is doing well in the fridge too. I have one more yeast cake that I'll be harvesting, for a different strain, around this weekend (or next)... I plan to keep 2-3 jars, of yeast, from each batch so that I can (theoretically) go for months before needing to buy more yeast... If I do it right, I might even be able to go a year, or more, before I need to purchase yeast again. The three strains I'm using now, covers about 80-90% of what I'm planning on brewing. I do plan to harvest additional strains as I use them. I'm even thinking about setting up to freeze yeast in another couple of months. That way, I'll be able to keep it for longer.

4-5 batches per bag here.

Hex said:

4-5 batches per bag here.

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Sounds like you're making a bit bigger brews... My first two AG batches were at, or under, 1.064 for the OG... I'm still making 5 gallon batches, are you making 5 or 10 gallon batches?

I might have to find a place/space to fit two sacks of grain at a time (one UK 2 Row and one MO)... That way I can use either, or both, in a brew.... Plus other assorted grains I'll need... Probably end up with almost another full sack worth there too.

I am getting 5 batches out of a 50-55lb bag.

I also got 5 brews out of a 55lb bag, but one of them was a 10% beer.

I made Yoopers 60 minute IPA over the weekend in a 11 gallon batch. that alone used 26# of 2row. 10 gallon batches eats through grain very quickly considering I don't make anything less then 5%. I get about 83% efficiency consistantly so atleast I'm not wasting the grains.
tom

Fast than I want to admit. Between nice big malty winter beers and multiple 10 gallon batches; 1 bag over the course of maybe 2-2.5 brews.

6-8 out of a 55 lb bag. That being said I brew alot of session beers that I can drink in a week to two after brewing. I get so busy that I realize I have to brew when the tap starts sputtering!

Still dialing in my process so it may change, but I just went through a 25Kg bag in 5 5gal brews. That includes all grain starters.

I recently moved to Bulgaria and found a Maltster that would hook me up, but he doesn't speak English and my Bulgarian stinks at this point so..... Its 2 Row, but other than that I don't have a clue! They only provide Malt Analysis sheets by the truck load - no kidding! No computer at the facility at all.

All fun and experimentation :rockin: at this point.

Nice... I think many of us would love to be able to hook up with a Maltster (directly) that was local...

I've not tried making all grain starters yet. I figure that it's more efficient to use a little DME for the starter, so that I can save all the grain for the actual beer being made.

I have just enough base malt to make one more beer (9 pounds) in the 5.5-6% ABV range (thinking either a Boddington's or Murphy's clone)... My next order is going to be for a full sack of UK 2 Row as well as a full sack of MO... I'll also be getting a crusher/mill... I'll be happy if I can make the two sacks last for 3-6 months of brewing. I'm thinking that a SMaSH from each will be in order... I will [most likely] also order some specialty grains in 5# or 10# bags... I need to build up a decent inventory of ingredients so that I don't need to worry about having what I need for a recipe.

5-6 batches per bag here.

@Golddiggie - I figure at about 19 cents a pound I should use grain for everything. I reuse my yeast so..... costs are really low.

BTW my folks used to be teachers in Newton, how do you like Natick?

19 CENTS a pound?? Holy crap Burpman... I'll be lucky to get grain for $1/# locally (in bulk)... First decent sized grain order I placed was with Farmhouse Brewing Supply... IF they also have some UK 2 Row back in stock, when I'm ready, I'll get most/all my grain from them...

I live in an apartment in Natick Center... I live very well, typically... Do you mean to ask how LONG I've lived in Natick?? Since early 2001... Planning on moving in the next 6-8 months, since I'm about to start working in Waltham. I would like to move closer to work, about a 30 minute commute now. But, if I can get a nice place that's a little further away, that could work too. I don't want to be more than about 40-45 minutes from the office though (with traffic moving).

I'm also washing my yeast now, which is helping me to save on per batch ingredient costs. I have a cake that's been settling for about a week now (in the fridge)... Need to see if it's good for smaller jars yet, or no... I'm not 100% sure if I'm even going to keep that yeast, since it doesn't have enough characteristics that I go for, typically... I'm looking to have yeast on hand (washed) for the majority of what I'm brewing. I'll get strains for batches when I really want what that yeast can offer, that the ones I have can't. I'm expecting to do that only a couple of times a year though.