Grains to buy in larger bulks ?

[RDbrew]

I'm making the move to an all-grain setup and working through some of the per batch calcs. I noticed that a huge money savings can be had by buying base grains in multiple batch quantities.

I'm still at the point where I brew pretty much different recipes every batch so its hard for me to determine a consistent grain list that I could keep on hand and would apply to a large variety of recipes

All I can think of is 2-row and an assortment of crystal.

Anyone have other ideas on what would be good to keep on hand?

 

[Pappers_]

Here's what I have now (and the size I bought)

55 lb bag of pale malt (two row)
55 lb bag of wheat malt
55 lb bag of Munich malt
1/3 bag of crystal 20L and 60L (bought a 55lb bag of each and split with two friends)
5 lb bag of roasted unmalted barley
5lb bag of chocolate malt

 

[broadbill]

if you are brewing something different every time, I'd probably only get 2-row in bulk, then buy the specialty grains as you need them.

Yep, not as cost-efficient but allows more flexibility. Its a trade-off.

 

[baulz]

Come up with a plan for your next 5/10 brews and buy based on that.

 

[kombat]

Every few months, I buy a sack of 2-Row, a sack of Bohemian Pilsener, and a sack of Maris Otter. Everything else I buy on an as-needed basis.

 

[rklinck]

I started out buying 2-Row and Pilsner in 50/55 pound bags. I am adding Munich to the list because I use quite a bit of it in my recipes. I buy 5 pound bags of Carapils, Crystal 40L, Crystal 80L, Biscuit, Roasted Barley (300L). I try to keep a couple of pounds of a darker roasted barley, black malt, and flaked barley on hand as well for my stouts (and may start keeping Chocolate Malt on hand). This pretty much covers my staple malts.

It will largely depend on the types of beers you tend to brew, but the other types of grains that I could imagine buying 50/55 pound bags of Maris Otter, Vienna, and Wheat.

If I were you, I would follow baulz's advice and try to plan out 5 to 10 brews. That will give you an idea of what you are likely to be using and in what quantities. Although you can save money on a per pound basis buying in bulk, those savings will go out the window if you don't actually use the malt. And you don't want to buy a grain in bulk and then feel obliged to use that grain.

 

[Spartan1979]

I buy Pale Ale Malt by the sack and split bags of Munich and Pils with other members of my club. Our club orders a skid (42 sacks) at a time so shipping is cost effective.

 

[gbarron]

I pretty much do what others have said. I buy 50-55 lb sacks of US pale ale, pilsner, and English pale ale. This lets me pretty much have a base grain for anything I might brew: American or English ales, lagers, Belgians. I also try to have 10-20 pounds of Munich and Vienna on hand.

I then buy a few specialty grains in 2-5 pound increments and store them in vacuum sealed Mason jars. C20, C60, C120, a few darker roasted grains, Honey malt, Carapils for instance.

 

[stonebrewer]

Agree with the others: snag some 2-row if you are doing ales, pils for your lagers, MO if you want. I then lay out my brew schedule for the next 6 months (it's an approximation and it always changes) or so and buy your specialties either in mass from one of the many good online retailers with low/free shipping, or pick it up as you go from the LHBS. I try to keep some crystal on hand, as well as Munich. I use a lot of Special B and/or C150 so I keep half a sack of that around, but you may rarely use either...you're going to get in a groove after 6 months to a year and will have a great idea of what you are going to want to keep around. I have been brewing small batches of late in between 10 gallon brew days, so I am keeping a lot more specialty grain on hand as I am brewing styles and beers that are foreign to me. Loads of fun!

 

[cclloyd]

Every few months, I buy a sack of 2-Row, a sack of Bohemian Pilsener, and a sack of Maris Otter. Everything else I buy on an as-needed basis.

Yes this exactly.

 

[samorg42]

I'm told that milled grain does not keep its' flavor for more than a month or two. A sack of two row gives me 3- 10 gallon batches (with adjunct malts bought as needed). I save quite a lot by saving my yeast and buying hops by the pound. It keeps for a long time.

 

[samorg42]

Spartan 1979: You must have some club to buy 42 sacks of grain at once. I wish there were lots of brewers where I live. BTW: I was born in E Lansing. Dad was a student. I'm already drinking too much beer, brewing about 30 gallons every two months.

 

[kombat]

Spartan 1979: You must have some club to buy 42 sacks of grain at once.

Heh, not to be a one-upper, but my local homebrew club regularly does bulk malt buys where the total cost is in the neighborhood of $10,000.

We're doing a bulk hop buy right now that is up to almost 800 lbs. (8 of which are mine)