How do you buy grain?

[rallenhall]

My LHBS is also an hour's drive away, but that's where I buy the bulk malt for my Euro pils and domestic 2-row bins. Specialty malts are purchased by the lb. as needed. First Thursday of the month is 10% discount for seniors, so that's when I time my trips. I order malts that they don't carry from a variety of sources depending on availability and price.

 

[Neldog0]

Do you buy in bulk and build as you go, or do you build a recipe and have it delivered?

Debating buying a bunch of popular grain and grain from recipes I enjoy, or only buying the grain I need for a recipe less base grain.

I did a bit of the former and now I have a collection of what I would call, coin purses of grain. Not sure if savings are worth the storage and hassle of bulk buying specialty.

What works for you?

I buy kits because of problems with mice.

 

[Wigglebutts Brewery]

Bags of 2 row, crisp maris otter and crisp chevalier then specialties from Brew Hut as needed…

 

[kylewag]

I think it depends on your situation. For me, I don't think it would make sense to buy in bulk. I only brew about 6 batches a year and they're all radically different styles of beer. I might not use the same specialty grain again for another couple years in some cases. On the other hand, if you're brewing 25+ times a year with recipes that use similar ingredients, then it makes sense to buy in bulk.

 

[bwible]

I buy base malts in sacks. Right now I have Breiss 2-row, Warminster Maris Otter and High Country Pilsen. Specialty grains 1 to 10 lbs at a time. Munich or Vienna 10 lbs at a time because I tend to use it alot. Crystal 40 and 60, chocolate malt - 5 lbs. Aromatic malt and stuff like that 1 lb at a time because I don’t use it much.

When you get to where you have all those little bags with a few ounces of this and a quarter pound of that, and some little bags you can’t identify - round it all up and throw it all into one beer and make a brown ale. I’ve made some of my best brown ales that way.

 

[bwible]

I think it depends on your situation. For me, I don't think it would make sense to buy in bulk. I only brew about 6 batches a year and they're all radically different styles of beer. I might not use the same specialty grain again for another couple years in some cases. On the other hand, if you're brewing 25+ times a year with recipes that use similar ingredients, then it makes sense to buy in bulk.

I’m brewing 3 gallons at a time. But a trend I started in 2019 - I noticed I had brewed 19 batches in 2019. So I made a point to brew 20 for 2020, 21 for 2021, and 22 for 2022. I’m 20 in now to 2023. Its been fun but I’m obviously not going to be able to keep doing it.

 

[bwible]

I buy kits because of problems with mice.

We have 4 cats, so thats not a problem here. I pity any mouse that wanders into here.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

What works for you?

Background: When I brew 'all-grain', I BIAB 2.75 gal batches in a 3 gal fermenter.

For me, a recipe for a standard strength ale is roughly 5# base malt and .75# character malts.

I have the space for a basement LBHS with space for grains, yeast (fridge), and hops (freezer).

For base malts, I keep a "two row" malt and a "pale ale" malt in stock. Occasionally, I'll "special order" Maris Otter or Golden Promise.

For character malts, I have 1-2# each of Munich (10L), biscuit, a range of "American" and "British" crystal, Simpsons DRC (+1 to @AlexKay), chocolate malt (both 200L & 350L), and black malt. Over time, as I've been "chewing on a couple of kernels", I can start to suspect that the malt is getting old - and I'm willing to dump a 'suspect' malt.

Over time, I see that I'm ordering every 2 or 3 months to restock items (often malts or yeast). With the online stores and shipping services that I use, orders arrive by Thursday when I order on Sunday night or Monday morning.

Winter storms can add a day or two to the delivery time - so plan according.

 

[skunkape]

Pre-crushed in kits or as a single grain bill per recipe. Usually get a couple of kits and refrigerate until brew day. I buy light DME by the pound and keep it around for starters and beefing up the OG if I miss low. Milling is dusty and I don't have the dedicated brewing space for stuff like that. Mama is already testy about the smell. I try and keep my hobbies from generating any more stink-eye than necessary.

 

[gunhaus]

Mostly with a debit card - but sometimes with green paper, if I can get to a beer seed store in person.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

In cash, so that I'm the only one who REALLY knows how much I spend on making beer!

 

[Dland]

30# at a time for each type in 5# sacks of 4 different base malts w at discount at 6 bags. 5-10# bags for others. Free shipping from morebeer. Always try to keep enough for ten 10 gallon recipes in stock.

Not like the supply chain could ever break down....no never.

But if it does I'd like to give myself a few months to adjust from excellent beer made with quality malted grains to whatever I can make from whatever I can get.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I buy 3-4 sack around now. My brewing is from now until March. Golden Promise, 2row, Pils, and 25# wheat and oats. I’ve been keeping base in Galvanized trash cans. I line the cans with 50g thick bags and tie with a zip tie. Lids are super tight and rodent proof. Specialties are in the big Vitals Vault containers. I don’t want to head to the LHBS everytime I wing a brewday. Get a good mill and save some hassle IMO.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I buy kits because of problems with mice.

Buy a cat

 

[FloppyKnockers]

I used to buy grains per recipes - two or three at a time, all pre-milled.

Buying a mill was a game-changer. At first it was just to keep the recipes as fresh as they can be. Still buying two or three recipes at a time, milling them on brew day.

All that quickly changed to a supply of 2 - 5 lbs of popular specialty grains and 50 lb bags of 2-row, pilsen, & vienna or MO or pale.

I love being able to decide what to brew as late as while strike water is heating.

 

[MaxStout]

Buy a cat

Username checks out.

Get a cat, or get some airtight containers like 5 gallon buckets with Gamma lids.

Or get both. Cats are cool.

 

[mashdar]

I buy six sacks of base malt right about this time of year (this year's order is in), and buy specialty malts at the lhbs as needed to keep a couple batches of my favorite recipes worth on hand...

Cheers!

Do you order local and pick up, or get it delivered? I've only ever picked up sacks - is there an economical way to receive a couple hundred pounds of grain via shipping?

 

[mashdar]

If you're thinking irradiation is a genetic modification method, I'm pretty darn sure you're mistaken. It's done to kill germs and pests, and to suppress sprouting and ripening, sez Wikipedia.

I haven't heard that it is used on malt.

Yeah, irradiation is to kill all the baddies from the bird and mouse feces. It's worlds better than any of the alternatives (e.g. bleach), but people see "irradiated" and think their toes will turn green.

(edit: irradiation is also sometimes used as a method of inducing mutations. But that's not what the label is for.)

 

[day_trippr]

Do you order local and pick up, or get it delivered?

A local HBT member runs an annual group buy, gathers up everyone's orders and picks them up at the local BSG, then delivers. If you have any home brewing clubs you might check with them to see if they do something similar. And sometimes small brewery operations will sell bags...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

Lots of foods are irradiated. It reduces the number of pathogens. The FDA has a huge list of foods approved for irradiation treatment.

 

[bwible]

Buy a cat

You don’t even have to buy a cat. There are shelters full of them looking for homes.

 

[BongoYodeler]

You don’t even have to buy a cat. There are shelters full of them looking for homes.

Or in our case our cats adopted us.

 

[Hoochin'Fool]

[picture of Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch on top of the grains]

Just curious, are those breakfast cereals used for beer ingredients? And if so, how?

 

[sibelman]

[picture of Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch on top of the grains]

Cheerios are all oats, so could work fine as an adjunct, but surely rolled oats are cheaper?

There's oils in Cinnamon Toast Crunch, so maybe not a great choice. Snacks while brewing?

 

[FloppyKnockers]

Just curious, are those breakfast cereals used for beer ingredients? And if so, how?

Yes, they are. The Honey Nut Cheerios (Honey Nut Beerios) has been on constant rotation in my house for years, Definitely a crowd favorite. It's a Munich Helles base with honey malt and a box of family size HNC added to the mash.

The Cinnamon Toast Crunch was recent thing based on a buddy's wife's love of the cereal. I've only made it once, but it was a Cinnamon Toast Hazy on nitro. Turned out way better that I had planned.

I was worried about preservatives or oils as @sibelman mentioned, but it had head for days. No bad outcomes.

P.S. I've also used Rice Krispies (generic version) for a Japanese rice lager. Turned out amazing as well.

 

[TheCache]

I used to buy grains per recipes - two or three at a time, all pre-milled.

I'm still at this point and since I only brew once every 3-4 weeks, three recipes worth of grains lasts a couple of months plus. I make the next order as I'm brewing the last batch. Forces me to plan ahead, but I really like studying other recipes for the style I want and then building my own recipe based on my equipment and the grains I can find. There is no LHBS near me so everything is online.

Maybe getting a mill someday, but if I do it'll likely be a Corona since only do 2.75G batches averaging around 6-7 lbs of grain ea.

 

[danb35]

Full sacks of a couple of base malts, with (most of) the rest being bought to planned recipes to the nearest pound. Milled just before brewing. Though with morebeer.com's current sale of 25% off all recipe kits, I just ordered a couple of them.

 

[lumbergh]

I bought 2 row in bulk. I also bought a sack of wheat malt when the LHBS closed as it was only $30.
I had a more beer gift card for Xmas and bought all the specialty grains I'm going to use for the next year or so (I have recipes planned). Also the LHBS that was 10 mins away closed, so that was another reason for the more beer order. Once it all runs out not sure what I'll do. Maybe I'll have another gift card by then.

 

[Rod035]

I started out with kits, and then I moved on to bulk grain with a mill. Now I mostly brew recipes I write and get off of Beersmith. I still will buy an interesting kit I see or hit a great sale. A good and bad thing that happened recently is that the local brewery closed down. The good for me was that they threw out a ton of 2-row. I scored about 2 hundred pounds of grain.

 

[hilljack13]

Cinnamon Toast Hazy on nitro.

Mind sharing the recipe? I'd be down for giving this one a go!