I keep four raised beds, plus a couple of small beds at ground level. I've done squash, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, spinach, other assorted greens, sweet potatoes, peas, beans, and who knows what else. I've got no pics because I'm at work, sorry.
Two hints...first, start small. Gardening can be a lot of work, and the hardest part of it is prepping the soil. Give yourself a gentle start by limiting yourself to a fairly small space at first. You can always expand your garden later.
Second, good soil is critical. Depending on what you've got, it may be easier to do a raised bed than till. Plants need soil they can sink roots into. Learn composting - good compost will keep your need for fertilizer to a minimum, and keep the soil loose. Spent grains are a wonderful addition to compost if you can keep the other requirements in balance.
Gardening for me has been like brewing - I never stop learning. Unfortunately sometimes you have to wait until next year to apply what you've learned.
Edit: I didn't answer your question about mulch. I wouldn't mulch with spent grain because it will stink to high heaven. Maybe drying it first would help, but you might end up with rodents, birds, etc feasting on your mulch.
One of the local breweries here has an urban garden that supplies their restaurant. I am reasonably sure they separate whole hops from the rest of their compost, but I can't remember why. They may do so to let them dry before mixing them into the rest of the organic matter, but that's just a guess.
Regards, GF.
