What online vendor do you use for grain?

And, how does a bulk buy work?

How much is considered "bulk" for discount purposes?

Thanks in advance!

 

Look at Brewmasters Warehouse... they have flat rate shipping on bulk grain (available in BASE malts).

Generally 50-55 pounds is how BULK grain is purchased... in the sack.

If you can find a local LHBS where you can buy it, you could forego the shipping, and PERHAPS... maybe save over ordering it online.

Brewmasters Warehouse does not offer special pricing on BULK grain, but they do offer free shipping and have good grain prices to begin with, so they can beat most others discounted prices anyway... Ed??

 

Check with Brewmasters Warehouse and Austin Homebrew Supply. They both beat my LHBS in price and they have flat-rate shipping. Bulk packaging starts around 50lbs I think.

 

True 'bulk' is getting in on a group buy or buying direct from the maltsters by the sack.

I have no idea how far Rockland County is from Champlain, but you might want to give North Country Malt a look-see.

In the most recent group buy I participated in, I got a sack of Thomas Fawcett MO and a sack of CMC Pils + 10 pounds each of Munich and Vienna for a total of $85. That's 130 pounds of grain for approximately .65/lb.

 

Midwest is still the cheapest I've found. I just bought two 55 lb bags last week and even with $24 shipping per bag, they were still cheaper than anyone else (Flat rate shipping = giant markup). They also have the best selection of grains.

 

I agree that true bulk is more than 50 - 55 lbs worth of grain, but most people are interested in getting a sack of grain at a time when discussing bulk so let me address that.

At Brewmasters Warehouse there is no discounts on purchases of a full sack of grain. Sacks come in 50 lbs for domestic grains (Rahr on my site) and 55 lbs for imported grains (Everything else).

For a 50 lb sack of Rahr 2-Row * $1.15 per/lb = $57.50 + $6.99 shipping = $64.49. That works out to $1.29 per/lb. That price per pound is going to be lower that just about any place you can find from an online HBS. The great thing about the fixed pricing is that you can enjoy knowing that the price per pound is already discounted whether you get 50 lbs. or 5 lbs.

Sacks are availalbe for base malts only.

 

I am in the Chicago suburbs (northwest) and Mid Country Malt is just south of Chicago. So the LHBS is able to sell Canadian 2-row for $39 which I think is a great price (and the malt is nice, not maris otter, but I like it).

If I didn't get good bulk prices from the LHBS (Brew & Grow) I'd probably just price out several online, but so far my favorite online sellers are Austin Homebrew and Brewmasters Warehouse.

 

When we order malt for a 7 bbl batch at the brewery (600-800 lbs depending on style) I usually just toss on a sack for home purposes.

I know this probably dosent help. I just wanted to gloat

 

You are going to hell

 

Unless you got yours for under $0.71 per lb, Brewmasters Warehouse would have been cheaper.

 

Dickwad! Not wishing any back injury on you or anything. But if you pinched a testicle between one of those sacks of grain and the truck bed, I would horse-laugh you!

 

I compared the following...

50lbs Rahr 2-row
55lbs Maris Otter

Brewmasters Warehouse was $1 more expensive... so less than $.01 per pound... Ed is worth the extra $1 IMHO

 

Nope -- I always price everything I am going to purchase on 5 different online HB stores. Midwest was the cheapest by $10 on this order, and one of the few that had Crisp Maris Otter.

 

Brewmasters Warehouse would be $4 more for me with 110 pounds of Maris Otter...

But in most cases they are within about $2...

 

Although I haven't ordered from them yet, looks like Brew Brothers has pretty good price on bulk grains for shipment to the west coast.

Brew Brothers - Malt by the Bag

 

this is what I ordered with the price comparison....maybe the shipping is different for some of you guys depending on where you live:

MW:
55 lb Crisp Maris Otter: $59.95
55 lb Weyerman Pils: $59.95
Shipping: $41.71
Grand Total: $161.61

BW:
55lb Mutons Maris Otter: $85.27
55lb Durst Pils: $85.27
Shipping $6.99
Grand Total $177.53


so MW was $16 cheaper, not to mention that IMHO Crisp makes a LOT better Maris Otter than Mutons.

 

Not to debate this, but one of seems to be misunderstanding something.
Midwest:
55lbs 2-row = $49
shipping/bag = $24
total = $73 / 55lbs = $1.33/lb

BW:
55lbs 2-row = $63.27
shipping = $6.99
total = $70.26 / 55lbs = $1.28/lb

What am I missing?

EDIT - Ahhh, you weren't talking 2-row..... Sorry, I am a slow typer....

 

Well...

100 pounds of 2-row at MW is $130...

100 pounds of 2-row at Brewmasters is $115...

Shipped.... so there!

 

Just saying...

I'm fortunate that I can get in on these group buys with some local homebrew clubs. $85 shipped for 130 pounds of grain because we ordered over a ton combined.

If that's not a possibility, then you owe it to yourself and your wallet to cost-compare everywhere you can for the best delivered price and selection.

 

You got me

Too bad I don't use American 2 row....

 

As with anything... WHAT you are buying and WHERE it is getting shipped to, makes a big difference.

Not everyone has the best shipping/pricing combination for every region in the US.

I could easily say that my LHBS can beat everyone on bulk grain... because there is NO shipping charge... but again, that isnt a fair comparison, it is dictated by region. If I lived in California, MW pricing would be much worse due to the shipping charges, where all "flat rate" shippers would then shine.

 

Absolutely.

That's why I always price everything on 5 different sites, and my order goes to the lowest bidder. it's hard to do sometimes because stores stock different brands/varieties, so if I feel like i have to make too many substitutions then I just skip that store. That's why a large inventory is important too, IMO.
I have heard good things about BW's service though -- I hope we can do business soon

 

I know there is a lot of interest in bulk grains and the pricing fluxuates with location so much. I get emails everyday about people asking me about bulk grains. I know that overall all of my malt prices are very competitive and are the cheapest option in some instances. Price it out and if you want to do business with Brewmasters Warehouse, please let me know. I have been known to help out HBTers from time to time.

 

Yep, shipping is pretty bad from Midwest, but there are lots of other downfall about being in California, one being that you pay tax on so many things over the internet because it is like a separate country over here, and not in a good way. Showcased by the state going bankrupt.

 

I can get 50 Lbs bags of Briess 2 row for $44.95 at my LHBS. They will let me mill it for free.

I'm still buying it by the pound at this time. BUT I only pay $1.25 a lb. They just raised the price from $1 a lb Jan 1.

 

I would definitely stick with my LHBS if they were that reasonable. Mine is $1.69/lb for all grain though, but don't have a big selection. They sell 50lb sacks of 2row for $50.

Due to the lack of selection and outrageous hop prices I don't shop there.

 

I sympathize with you there. It is nice to have an LHBS, but not so much when they mark stuff up beyond reason.
At mine, regular ol' 2-row pale is $1.45/lb and everything else is $1.65/lb. It is pitiful when you can have it shipped cheaper than picking it up in person.
I got a 1/2" SS hose barb fitting all the way to the counter, then found out he wanted $14 for it! Holy doo doo.... It must have been SS plated gold or something!

 

Next time I see you I'm kicking you in the crotch.

 

I order from the Grape & Granary. I'm at $.02/lb more than the Brewmaster's warehouse and pay actual shipping, but they're in OH and 98% of the time I get my order the next day via standard shipping. Well worth an extra $.02/lb for me.

50# sack of 2-row to Ohio, with shipping:

Grape & Granary - (Briess) $65.80 - $1.31/lb - will arrive to me the next day if I order before 2 pm.

Brewmaster's Warehouse - (Rahr) - $64.51 - $1.29/lb. - will arrive to me in 4-6 days on average.

Austinhomebrew.com (40# Briess) - $54.98 - $1.37/lb. - will arrive to me in 4-6 days
Austinhomebrew.com (200# Briess) - $235.98 - $1.17/lb. - will arrive to me in 4-6 days

Midwestsupplies.com - $69.82 - $1.40/lb - will arrive to me in 2-3 days.

 

B3 - 50lb Great Western $32.25 + $2.25 tax + 16.72 shipping = $51.22
MW - 50lb Rahr 2row $42.95 + $39.20 shipping (ouch!!!) = $82.15

I hope to walk into a B3 next month and not pay the shipping or $34.50 for each 50 pounder.

 

Lenny2884 and I are looking for a group on the Rockland County, Bergen County border for a bulk buy. Once we get together, we'll look for vendors. Post on this thread if interested.

 

I am located in upstate NY, so I use north country malt supply for the majority of my malt and hop requirements:

2 row is $35.89 (55 lb sack)
Shipping $16.70

Total $52.59

Price per pound = $0.96

 

That's cheap, they are also selling hops at 24 BUCKS a pound!
http://www.northcountrymalt.com/index.html



Now that's a bargain!

 

Hop prices are very good. I recently picked up cascade centennial chrystal and amarilllo. Great for some ipas i have in mind.

 

I live in NYS, and I'll pay the sales tax if I have to, the prices are that good!

 

I'm still waiting for pictures

 

I know that not everything has a picture yet, but there are a couple hundred items with pictures on the site. I am in the process of getting the rest of the pictures onto the site.

Ed

 

It may not be worth the wait... Check the spelling - "wArehouse"! I was sadly disappointed when I picked up on that as well.

 

Color me stupid, but I have no idea what you mean????

 

Old joke referring to the spelling, as opposed to "Brewmasters Whorehouse" that people were hoping to see pictures from. Another topic entirely...