Where do you buy Grains?

[htims05]

I've been buying my grain at the (somewhat) local HBS but the last couple times I've gone in it's been hit or miss as to what they have available. Good for them as they seem to be selling a lot, but a pain if they don't have enough of what I need.

I've had good luck with getting what I need online, but there's so many different places and prices...just curious where everyone get's their grain from?

 

[kevin58]

Local homebrew store. No where else. Ask if they can order things for you.

 

[htims05]

Heard and if it was a quick drive I'd do that every time, regardless of what they have in stock or not....but its at least 30-45 min one way and they don't always have the bases. They are new so maybe growing pains...

 

[CodeSection]

This thread might be worth reading....https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/where-to-buy-50lbs-of-2-row.673360/#post-8748773

 

[ESBrewer]

I tend to buy online from Sweden / UK. Occasionally from central Europe. There are at least two 'L'HBS:s in Finland (somewhat far away from where I live). I've already given up with them. One of them is a small company that never stocks all the necessary items. So there is basically no chance of getting all the items in a single mail order (something that I prefer). The other has somewhat better selection but they did not mill my grains properly when I ordered crushed grain. So I didn't get a good initial impression at all. Sometimes it takes too long when they collect and send the items. They also replace some items with related stuff of wrong size without asking the opinion of the customer. For me the Swedish / UK shops offer a way to carry on this hobby in a feasible way.

 

[htims05]

This thread might be worth reading....https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/where-to-buy-50lbs-of-2-row.673360/#post-8748773

Thanks - yes MB and NB are my normal go-to beer supply place. I started buying grain from NB...for the same reasons as the thread you quoted.

 

[mongoose33]

Small amounts at the LHBS. I buy grain in 50 or 55# sacks from Ritebrew. I don't go past there very much, but when I do, I pick up a large order. Saves shipping and virtually nobody can touch their bulk price. I buy 2-row, munich, and maris otter from them.

If I need something like crystal malt or similar I might pick up 10# from ritebrew as well, but mostly I get that stuff at the LHBS. Same with yeast and hops.

 

[Horseflesh]

I recently got a mill and my plan is to buy a few sacks of key base malts at NB, and continue to get everything else at the LHBS.

While I love my LHBS and want to support them, if I can save $5-10/batch buying some things online... I'm gonna do that.

 

[bracconiere]

in my experience the 10-12 homebrewers per city are never enough to keep a local shop in business....

and i get my grain at the feed store....12.99 a 50# bag of whole barley.....

 

[day_trippr]

Might have noted those bags of barley are unmalted and your bath tub is a malt house...

Cheers!

 

[Robert65]

I get all my grain from LHBS. I buy base malts by the sack. I often use grains he doesn't stock as a matter of course, but since they all come from the same distributors, he'll happily put a sack of anything I want on his weekly pallet order. I can get it cheaper than online even not accounting for shipping, and I'd rather a) keep a local mom and pop in business and b) pick up in store instead of waiting to wrestle a big, heavy crate off the porch. His selection of specialty malts, which I buy in smaller amounts, is pretty good. If a few people express interest, he'll start buying a specialty. That's how a shop stays in business into the third generation.

 

[burntchef]

local lhbs closed. Next nearest one over a hour away. Switched to more beer and never looked back.
Eric

 

[Oginme]

Local homebrew store. No where else. Ask if they can order things for you.

My LHBS is reasonably priced, equivalent to some of the cheapest on-line sources and less expensive than most. If I need something they do not regularly carry, I request it and get a call when they have received it in stock. It never takes more than a week.

My pragmatic self figures that it costs at most a dollar per batch for grain, but I get fresh yeast when I want it and don't have to pay extra for shipping or ice packs. Plus I have no concerns about weather affecting the yeast quality. Savings there more than covers any extra I would pay for grain. In total, it behooves me to make sure they get the majority of my business in order to help make sure they stay open.

 

[Mike_kever_kombi]

Pilsen, 2/6 row, white wheat, Marris otter, Munich and some others by the sack from LHBS. I just tell them what I want, pay for it, and they add it on to their next order. Saves me big on shipping, but I have to wait.

More beer for grains that I only use ounces of per batch. Usually 10# sacks and free shipping.

Store everything in buckets and gamma lids.

 

[Hammy71]

I buy my specialty grains at my LHBS. Most of my hops I buy on line, bulk. My base grains? Start talking to the owner/brewer of your local brewery or brewpub. Often they'll sell you 50# bags at cost or with a small mark up. Easy, helps a local business, and....well it's Uber cool to walk down a bar full of patrons carrying a sack on your shoulder out the door. Just sayin.

 

[Steveruch]

The two closest to me are both two hour drives away, in opposite directions. If I happen to be going close I'll stop in but that doesn't happen very often. So I get most of my ingredients online.

 

[bgmac]

Been using Atlantic Brew Supply in Raleigh NC for a couple of years now. Great by the pound/ounce rates. Plus, they have a crush and double crush option for no extra charge which works well for BIAB. I usually run it through my homemade grain crusher just to get the super fine crush. $8 flat rate shipping is quick since they are only about 4-5 hours away from me. I have priced out many sites and Atlantic just about always comes in the lowest even with the $8 shipping rate added.

 

[htims05]

I usually run it through my homemade grain crusher just to get the super fine crush.

Do you have a post on this homemade grain crusher? BTW Altantic Brew Supply looks great - I'm in SC by the CLT border so not far from Raleigh.

 

[bgmac]

Do you have a post on this homemade grain crusher? BTW Altantic Brew Supply looks great - I'm in SC by the CLT border so not far from Raleigh.

No post on my diy grain crusher. I converted my wife's old pasta press into a grain crusher a few years ago and it works great to get the fine BIAB crush I am looking for. Yes, Atlantic has great prices and delivery is quick if your on the East Coast.

 

[Special Hops]

Been using Atlantic Brew Supply in Raleigh NC for a couple of years now. Great by the pound/ounce rates. Plus, they have a crush and double crush option for no extra charge which works well for BIAB. I usually run it through my homemade grain crusher just to get the super fine crush. $8 flat rate shipping is quick since they are only about 4-5 hours away from me. I have priced out many sites and Atlantic just about always comes in the lowest even with the $8 shipping rate added.

I’m in Raleigh and Atlantic is my LBHS. Good shop.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

I went to Atlantic the one time I was in Raleigh and I liked it. I wish it was closer - I would shop there almost exclusively. But I haven't noticed great per-lb prices. I think the cheapest grain is Briess 2-row at about $1.25/lb, and plenty of sites beat that. I haven't explored all of their specialty grains - maybe that's where their prices are great?

 

[Special Hops]

I buy the Breiss 2-row by the sack and it’s $40 for a 50lbs bag. So $0.80 per pound. But I’m sure if you buy less it costs more.

 

[bpgreen]

I buy most supplies from my LHBS. It's not real local, but it's on the way ro my daughter's place, so I try to combine trips.

They have a deal where I can buy a full bag, but only take as much as I need each visit. They also sell LME in bulk (and give a discount if you buy more than a certain amount). When I was doing partial mash, I'd take advantage of both of those, but I'd call or email ahead to make sure they had what I wanted to buy. I've switched to all grain, so I bring the bags of grain with me. But I still call ahead.

 

[BBBF]

Base grain through my club's group buys. Most specialty grain through my LHBS as needed and occasionally online if I'm ordering some unique piece equipment and it can ship with order.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Except for the one time I got a bag of Viking Pale Ale Malt delivered from Morebeer for $40, I alway buy my large sacks of grain from my local shops. Of the shops in driving distance from my house/work, one has a great selection of bags for a reasonable price, one has limited selection for a reasonable price, one has a reasonable selection at a higher price.

They mostly sell specialty grains for around $2.25 per lb. For grains that I use regularly, I will sometimes grab a 5# or 10# bag from Morebeer.

While I do try to support my local shops, hops is the one items I have a hard time buying locally if I am getting more than 2 oz. One shop has the same price per oz on all their hops, which is really painful to buy for individual 1 oz bags of Cascade.

 

[ChaosB]

AustinHomebrew or BrewHardware because they ship to APO. Otherwise I drive to Seoul to visit Seoul Homebrew, my not so local LHBS.

 

[Harleybrew32]

most of my grains i buy local, some times Morebeer has a good sale on viking malt and i will by a sack of that. but for the most part i try and support my LHBS as much as possible.