how to avoid weevils

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SnidelyWhiplash

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my LHBS seems to think it is normal to have live weevils crawling in all their grain. I want to order a bunch of 50lb sacks but don't want to deal with grain that is already full of hundreds of bugs. I dont know if they get it like that from Briess or maybe it comes from a distributor with poor storage conditions, or they just store it in hot/humid open air garage at the LHBS.

I'll get a freshly ordered one now, but i'm worried it will have the same problem. Is there a time of year to avoid getting sacks? Maybe this winter I'll just order a year's supply and freeze it. Does that kill eggs enough that the grain will be safe as long as it's sealed?
 
That tells me they do not have good grain turnover. Probably not hurting your beer too much but if it bothers you (and it would bother me) then it's time to find a new store with fresher grain.
 
Weevils wobble but they don't fall down.


I believe you mean weebles, but that works for me as well.

WeebleBoy.jpg


Now, if I could only get one of those bubbles for myself when drinking.
 
Grain will come with the eggs. The eggs will remain dormant until some threshold of heat and humidity is met, then they will go nuts.

Freezing for 24 hours will kill all of them dead (if you get them). I think it also kills their eggs. If you want to be fastidious about it, freeze new grain as soon as you get it and store in airtight containers. Also, weevils won't affect the taste of your beer at all. Ask me how I know :eek:
 
thanks. I wonder why they just dont freeze grains before sending them out, or the LHBS doesn't make a habit of it. I understand actual breweries don't care because they would go through the grain they have on hand quickly, but for smaller micros and a LHBS that keeps it longer definitely should. They also have it stored in high humidity and >80F like they dont even care.

I don't have spare kegs for blanketing in CO2, any ideas of a cheap way to do this? I think filling an air tight bucket and running the CO2 hose to the bottom will push out the oxygen enough. I'm still worried about whether I can even get grain that's not already full of bugs.
 
thanks. I wonder why they just dont freeze grains before sending them out, or the LHBS doesn't make a habit of it. I understand actual breweries don't care because they would go through the grain they have on hand quickly, but for smaller micros and a LHBS that keeps it longer definitely should. They also have it stored in high humidity and >80F like they dont even care.

I don't have spare kegs for blanketing in CO2, any ideas of a cheap way to do this? I think filling an air tight bucket and running the CO2 hose to the bottom will push out the oxygen enough. I'm still worried about whether I can even get grain that's not already full of bugs.

as someone who grinds their own wheat for bread and have farmers for grandparents.. it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to find grain bags without weevil eggs in them. all you do is pack them in food grade buckets with some dry ice at the bottom of the bucket or some sealant packs in the top of the bucket. simple and easy.
 
>>all you do is pack them in food grade buckets with some dry ice at the bottom of the bucket or some sealant packs in the top of the bucket.

What are sealant packs?
How many do you need, and how much dry ice do you need?

Is it the cold that kills the eggs, or the CO2?
 
>>all you do is pack them in food grade buckets with some dry ice at the bottom of the bucket or some sealant packs in the top of the bucket.

What are sealant packs?
How many do you need, and how much dry ice do you need?

Is it the cold that kills the eggs, or the CO2?

I'm going retarded but it's those little dry packets that de-oxiginate sealed containers. easiest and cheapest way is just toss half a pound of dry ice at the bottom of the container and pour over that. leave the lid on loose until the ice is dissolved then seal it. that will keep them out.

cold puts everything in hybernation or kills them (depends on how hardy they are). the dry ice and co2 packs just take out all the available air thus suffocating them.
 
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