grain weevils in my stuff

[beren]

That extra 0.001 in your OG

 

[odie]

got all my base malts bagged, tagged and in the 9 cf freezer. 2-row, belgian pale, marris otter, wheat, red wheat, vienna, pilsner, munich, kolsch, pale ale. Probably a good 250# or more. Most of the base malts had "trace" amounts of weevils. The sack of UK pale that was just sitting on the floor had the bulk of the weevils. It was most likely the vector of intrusion.

all the specialty malts are still in 22 sealed buckets with gamma lids. Those will get the same treatment in a couple weeks...just to be safe.

If you note the larger bucket in the corner that the kegs are sitting in...those hold almost 60# and 8 of those were holding my base malts. Some sealed snuggly but some did not. they do not have a sealing gasket, just plastic to plastic. thus allowed for intrusion. If I can source extra large o-rings I will use them again. Otherwise, more gamma lids for 5 gall buckets.

 

[hottpeper13]

I'd have to hang upside down after putting all those grains in the freezer too!

 

[odie]

after 2 days it's dropped to 11 degrees. probe is in the middle of the pile of grain bags. Lots of thermal mass to cool down.

I should probably move the probe to the top middle just under the lid. that is probably the warmed spot.

 

[odie]

move the probe to top middle, just under the freezer lid. I assume this to be the warmest spot.

It "warmed" up significantly but has slowly, but steadily dropped. Now appears stable at 9' F as measured at the top on the plie of grain bags just under the freezer lid. If this is indeed the warmest spot then the bulk of the grain is much colder.

will let sit until after labor day to destroy any and all eggs to totally eradicate the weevils.

 

[JAReeves]

"Do I eat them? No!"

 

[Dland]

If you stop them from procreating my guess is the grain is going to be fine.

You think they chucked big batches of grain in the old days on account of a few moth or beetle larvi, do you think they chuck them nowdays for that reason? My guess is no.

You stopped the increase, so unless the grain is all full of webs and larvi hulls, I'd say brew it all up and don't let it happen again [:

 

[IslandLizard]

all the specialty malts are still in 22 sealed buckets with gamma lids. Those will get the same treatment in a couple weeks...just to be safe.

What makes you think the weevils got into those?

 

[odie]

What makes you think the weevils got into those?

I've seen no indications. But after I take the base malts out of the freezer and into sealed containers...the freezer will be open for another treatment. So why not freeze those for a couple weeks just to be safe?

Or do crystal malts not ever have weevil issues?

Pretty sure the black and chocolate malts are not anything grain bugs want anything to do with...but what about crystal/caramel malts? I've got stuff as low as C-30 and even caraplis/carafoam which I think is even less killed. Victory, brown malt, aromatic, rye, etc.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've seen no indications. But after I take the base malts out of the freezer and into sealed containers...the freezer will be open for another treatment. So why not freeze those for a couple weeks just to be safe?

Or do crystal malts not ever have weevil issues?

Pretty sure the black and chocolate malts are not anything grain bugs want anything to do with...but what about crystal/caramel malts? I've got stuff as low as C-30 and even caraplis/carafoam which I think is even less killed. Victory, brown malt, aromatic, rye, etc.

The main reason those sealed containers could be exempt from bug infestations is that they're well closed.
But it's possible a measuring scoop used in all bins could contaminate others by transferring a few grains containing weevil eggs.

I had a small weevil take over in a few small paper bags with a variety of unmalted grain I had bought at Whole Foods, They were inside a storage tote, my dog heard them rustling, staring at the totes, which got my attention. Some were crawling out when I opened it.

I've had a larger grain moth infestation that I reckon rode in with a sack of Crisp Pale Malt... 3 weeks in the freezer was definitely the best strategy to eliminate them. And keeping a keen eye out ever since...

 

[odie]

yeah...that scoop gets passed around plenty.

but do weevils even like dark malts? Is there anything for them?

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

The main reason those sealed containers could be exempt from bug infestations is that they're well closed.
But it's possible a measuring scoop used in all bins could contaminate others by transferring a few grains containing weevil eggs.

I had a small weevil take over in a few small paper bags with a variety of unmalted grain I had bought at Whole Foods, They were inside a storage tote, my dog heard them rustling, staring at the totes, which got my attention. Some were crawling out when I opened it.

I've had a larger grain moth infestation that I reckon rode in with a sack of Crisp Pale Malt... 3 weeks in the freezer was definitely the best strategy to eliminate them. And keeping a keen eye out ever since...

Good dogo!

 

[suprchunk]

I have never had an issue by putting bay leaves in my sealed buckets. I have without them. I cannot say for absolute certsin that it is the bay leaves but I won’t tempt chance

 

[odie]

bay leaves? really? I wonder what it is about bay leaves?

what about mint? I have mint plants.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

I have never had an issue by putting bay leaves in my sealed buckets. I have without them. I cannot say for absolute certsin that it is the bay leaves but I won’t tempt chance

Yes, avid bakers use bay leaf to repel them from flours!

 

[beren]

Bay leaves are said to repel ants as well.

 

[odie]

well...Walmart has fresh bay leaves for $1.08 a pack. I figure fresh wet leaves will have better repellant powers

 

[passedpawn]

but do weevils even like dark malts? Is there anything for them?

They do not. I had an in infestation in my grain closet (RIP), and only the lighter grains were affected. I can't tell you the cut-off lovibond - yea, should have made a science out of it at the time.

And yes, freezing kills them and their eggs based on my experience.

 

[beren]

They do not. I had an in infestation in my grain closet (RIP), and only the lighter grains were affected. I can't tell you the cut-off lovibond - yea, should have made a science out of it at the time.

Damn. That is one organized grain closet.

 

[passedpawn]

Damn. That is one organized grain closet.

Per orders from the first sgt, grains have moved out of the house. When the infestation took hold, it did extend from that grain closet to the kitchen. Gah. They get everywhere. Keep an eye out!

 

[lumpher]

Per orders from the first sgt, grains have moved out of the house. When the infestation took hold, it did extend from that grain closet to the kitchen. Gah. They get everywhere. Keep an eye out!

Damn you, Passed... sitting outside at dusk and spent 10 seconds trying to kill that bug on my screen...

 

[odie]

They do not. I can't tell you the cut-off lovibond - yea, should have made a science out of it at the time.

I wonder if the kilning hardens or somehow changes the starch (potential sugars) into something the weevils can't eat?

I think all my base malts are 10L or less except the dark munich.

some of my specialty malts are as low as 20L but they were sealed with gama lids. probably not infected.

But it would be nice to know the lovibond level at which they are no longer an issue.

 

[odie]

well...I dug thru every bucket with a gamma lid....22 buckets...

some with smaller quantities of base malts, some low lovibond malts, crystal, dark crystal, choc and black, red wheat, flaked oats, etc...

not one sign of any weevil activity.

Gamma lids on 5 gal buckets work.

getting 365mm o-rings for my huge 55# buckets of base malts after the big freeze is over.

 

[balrog]

Damn you, Passed... sitting outside at dusk and spent 10 seconds trying to kill that bug on my screen...

He, or some other ne'er-do-well, has done that to us before!

 

[balrog]

BTW, for anyone still reading, here's the original Low Temp Weevil Rest Mash Schedule, Smack the Monitor, thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/resident-weevil.703138/

 

[easttex]

Since you're storing all this in gamma lid buckets, I would've poured the grain into its bucket and dropped a chunk of dry ice on top. It'll subliminate into CO2 and gas the little buggers to death.

Dry ice in the grain bucket is a prepper trick for long term storage. It not only kills bugs but has the knock-on effect of lowering O2 levels inside as well.

 

[day_trippr]

Ya just need more spiders!

Lame gif tho...Oh well...

 

[passedpawn]

BTW, for anyone still reading, here's the original Low Temp Weevil Rest Mash Schedule, Smack the Monitor, thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/resident-weevil.703138/

haha, I've been dropping that gif in this forum since 2010. So, the ORIGINAL is here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/grain-weevils-freezing-experiment.209746/

 

[beren]

pretty sure it’s been on forums for decades. lol