Denver CMC group grain buy #6

[acefaser]

Yep they dont need our business:
Colorado farmers making hay by malting their own grains | First Drafts

 

[loctones]

It seemed apparent to me that this was a supply-and-demand-related price increase. A 33% hike in price is pretty steep, but they are a small company. They're going to have a higher overhead than bigger companies. Given that lots of local breweries also want to have Colorado-grown ingredients (notice how many "Locally grown hops" beers there were last year), I can see how the demand has gone up.

It looks to me like they are selling the grain to us at the same price they sell it to everyone else. There's just more demand, so the price has gone up. The extent of the price increase is unfortunate, but they are running a business. It's still cheaper than grain by the lb. at the store, it's good stuff, a local business, and the customer service has been good (for me, at least). I'll likely participate in a future group buy even if this one doesn't go through.

 

[Stretch]

I'd be really interested in their malted millet, but I don't know if it would ever be available to us lowly homebrewers. I don't think we can buy through Great Western unless one of us is a business owner somewhat brewing related. It may be worth a shot though, or someone schmooze BrewHut for a grain by mass quantity discount. The price on Rahr is pretty acceptable though. Time to turn my yard into a barley field I suppose.

 

[dyneq]

Yep they dont need our business:
Colorado farmers making hay by malting their own grains | First Drafts

Cool, thanks for posting that. Since my original post, I have done a little research on where barley is grown and malted. I looked at GW, Rahr, Malteurop (MT) and where their malting operations are. CMC is the only actual malting operation anywhere near the Front Range. The rest are (not surprisingly) near the major barley growing areas.

My conclusion is that prices are much less in the pacific northwest and midwest because the malting operations are nearer to them. I agree that we are lucky to have CMC and want to support them, but it's difficult to be a homebrewer around here!

The one exception is that GW does have a distribution center in Aurora, but it's strange that you never see it in LHBS's (do any of you?). I wonder if anyone has ever tried to get a group buy going with them. They may have a no clubs rule and only sell to retailers.

 

[dyneq]

Decided to try fiftypoundsack for my grains this time.

Still kind of bummed that we pay so much more on the front range but, as they say, 'whatever the market will bear'! I guess it helps the LHBS's stay in business and that's a good thing.

I talked to a guy at my LHBS (Hop to it) and he said they could work something out for a bulk purchase. I have yet to hear back from them on it.

I also contacted The Country Malt Group who have a distribution warehouse in Denver, but have not heard back from them yet.

I'll definitely let you all know if I hear back from anyone.

 

[1234]

Why don't you guys try to buy from Country Malt Group. I buy sacks of Canadian Malting 2-row for right around $30.

 

[zman]

I think I am going to bow out of the grain buy this time. The LHBS seem to offer a comparable price and both Stomp them Grapes and The Brew Hut have a frequent buyer rewards program

 

[dyneq]

OK, I've heard back from Brewer's Supply Group (in Denver):

Sorry, but we do not sell to clubs. It would undermine the business we do with home brew supply shops.
Best of luck!

 

[d_striker]

Why don't you guys try to buy from Country Malt Group. I buy sacks of Canadian Malting 2-row for right around $30.

They sell individual bags to homebrewers?

 

[1234]

The Tennessee folks buy grain and cleaning chemicals from them by the pallet. 42 sacks of grain fit on a pallet. Good luck and if you need any further information feel free to PM me.

 

[mosquitocontrol]

Semi off topic. But does anyone know if any of the homebrew stores in the area are willing to sell dme in bulk? Even if I have to order and wait until the store places their order. I was buying from north country malt before moving to Denver a few months ago and am trying not to pay 160 plus shipping. Not ready to jump into all grain anytime in the near future.

 

[Dahoov]

All,

I found a guy that does a group buy from Country Malt Group. He indicated he will start taking orders for the next buy sometime in March. He has not checked on prices this year so we may be in the same boat as with CMC as far as a price increase.

He uses personal email to disseminate the information about the buy and to take orders.

If you interested in getting information from him when he starts setting up his buy please send me your name (first and last) along with your email address.

Since I do not have a premium account with HBT and thus am limited to 5 PM's please send your information to my personal email address and I will forward it.

My email address is dahoov at The Google email service. Make the subject line something with the group buy or your email may get sent to my junk box accidentally.

 

[acefaser]

Thanks Dahoov. I tried to email Country Malt Group with no response. Lets hope they have better pricing.

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Its not all about price for me.

 

[dyneq]

Thanks Dahoov. I tried to email Country Malt Group with no response. Lets hope they have better pricing.

This was CMG's response to me:

Unfortunately the only way we could sell to you, is if you or one of your associates opened a homebrew shop. It would need to be either bricks and-mortar, or sell online via a website. We do not allow Craigs List or Ebay online homebrew shops. Also, it would need to be located in a commercial neighborhood. We do not sell to businesses located in residential neighborhoods. We will require a copy of your business license and resale permit before we can sell to you.

The other option is to get your federal commercial brewery license. It is possible you or your associates are already over the legal limit of 200 gallons per year for personal use? If you are giving your beer away, why not sell it? We will need a copy of your TTB license (Brewer's Notice) from the feds before we can sell to you.

Best wishes. Sorry we cannot sell direct to consumers.

I am still waiting to hear from my LHBS on a bulk purchase price.

 

[acefaser]

I got the same response

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

It sounds like we are back to square one then? With CMC still being the best price? I have never purchased in bulk from any of our LHBS's so if they are in the mid $40 range for Rahr or GW I am still going for CMC.

Should we try to get a CMC buy together for later in the Spring when we may be able to get a larger buy together?

Thanks go out to all those here that are/have been working on this and exploring other options.

RFB

 

[Dahoov]

Someone still needs to come forward to arrange a buy.

RFB??

I will not be participating as I have enough to last me till the fall, but my garage is available to receive the delivery.

 

[mosquitocontrol]

I'm confused. Aren't all the other bulk buy posts going through country malt group already? I was under the impression when they changed their rules that as long as you were buying some minimum amount (x number of palettes) they could set it up.

I purchased a single bag of malt extract from them about a year ago. I believe anyone who purchased prior to the rule change is grandfathered in. Maybe they are starting to crack down on it though.

 

[acefaser]

I'm confused. Aren't all the other bulk buy posts going through country malt group already? I was under the impression when they changed their rules that as long as you were buying some minimum amount (x number of palettes) they could set it up.

I purchased a single bag of malt extract from them about a year ago. I believe anyone who purchased prior to the rule change is grandfathered in. Maybe they are starting to crack down on it though.

I dont know how they are doing it in other places. I tried emailing them and told them I use to go in on a group buy in Tennessee (flat out lie) and moved to Colorado and hoped to do the same with them here . They emailed me back with the same response posted above.

 

[pjk49202]

Should we try to get a CMC buy together for later in the Spring when we may be able to get a larger buy together?

I think that is a good idea. Personally, I only get the Pils malt and buying through CMC is definitely better than going to the LHBS.

 

[PVH]

This was CMG's response to me:

The other option is to get your federal commercial brewery license. It is possible you or your associates are already over the legal limit of 200 gallons per year for personal use? If you are giving your beer away, why not sell it? We will need a copy of your TTB license (Brewer's Notice) from the feds before we can sell to you.

Pretty funny. "Yeah guys, have you thought of opening a brewery? That's the easiest way to buy in bulk."

 

[BDB]

Well this sucks.....

 

[dkennedy]

For those in Boulder/Longmont- Hop To It seems to have decent prices on full sacks, and I spoke to Mark at Bald Brewer (Longmont) who can do Rahr 2-Row/Pale/Wheats at $55, Maris Otter at $65. Might be worth calling ahead at BB, although he usually has sacks on hand (somehow, that place is tiny!). Maybe not the best prices in the world, but supporting the locals (in the case of BB, a 1 or 2 man operation).

Guessing that everyone probably knew of these two, but just in case...
DK

 

[benbradford]

We have investigated every other group buy's malting co.? Should be possible, but simply an increase in shipping. Utah? Nevada?

I will look into it, maybe you guys can too

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Not sure what you're sayin here Ben? Are you talking about other wholesale maltsters?

 

[bendiy]

CMG's response makes sense. Wholesalers are starting to crack down on direct to consumer and ebay sales. One reason is that it's a tax issue. There is no tax on wholesale purchases. Also LHBS will get frustrated and stop buying from wholesalers that sell to the public. It cuts them out of business just like if CMG started selling on their website direct to consumers. I like a good price just as much as the next guy and would love to see a group buy happen, but their stance doesn't surprise me.

At the last Hop Barley and the Alers meeting in Boulder, the guy from Hop To It announced that they were working on a group buy or discount system for 50lb bags. I think he mentioned buy 3 get one free or half off or something like that. Call them up and ask about it.

 

[jimmye]

i'm in for 50-100

 

[RDWHAHB]

Late spring I'd likely be in for some (1 or 2 bags).

 

[redzuk]

so cmg will do a group buy or not? I'm ready to buy a bag