"Must have" grains

[BeerAg]

So, the LHBS is not convienent to me, and I want to start buying grain in bulk (mostly from them, so no preaching about supporting LHBS).

What grains are your "must haves" around the brewery?

I like to make porters and pale ales, so right now I have:

2-row
Maris Otter
black patent
chocolate
10l crystal
Vienna

What could you not live without?

 

[Soulive]

MO and Vienna. I'm gonna get into some regular 2row soon. I love me some Vienna though...

 

[uwmgdman]

MO
Munich
Chocolate
Crystal 60

 

[the_bird]

Maris Otter
Munich
Crystal 40L
Munich
Wheat malt
Munich

 

[TexLaw]

If you're talking 55# sacks: American 2-row, pilsner, Munich, and Maris Otter. Someone may want Vienna in there, but I don't use it that much.

For something to keep five or ten pounds around: something medum Crystal (40-60L, maybe a couple of those, and that would be more like the 10#), chocolate or carafa, dark Munich, carapils.

I don't go through that much black patent, but a couple pounds might not be bad to have around.


TL

 

[Funkenjaeger]

When I first stocked up, I got (in pounds):
2-row (55lb)
chocolate (2)
roasted barley (2)
vienna (5)
munich (5)
crystal 20, 40, and 60 (5lb each)
amber(5)
carapils(3)

It ended up being a pretty good selection - other than another sack of base grain (this time maris otter) I've only needed to buy a few pounds of other specialty grains (melanoidin, crystal 120, special B, and caramunich) which I needed for very specific recipes... Not counting flaked barley and oats and other adjuncts, which I can buy locally.

 

[Ryan_PA]

The above posts look good to me, but I am more particular to Golden Promise over MO. I like to have Munich and Pils in larger quantities as base malts, and a good sampling of Crystal 40, some roasted malts, flaked wheat and only a pound or two of carafa special. There are no husks on the carafa, so you can essentually turn small quantities (like ounces) into a powder and add it at sparging to bump up SRM without much roastiness.

 

[bradsul]

Maris Otter, Carastan (Crystal 60ish), roasted barley, chocolate.

I also use a ton of victory but you can make that yourself from MO or standard 2-row.

 

[Soulive]

I also use a ton of victory but you can make that yourself from MO or standard 2-row.

How so, toasting?

 

[bradsul]

How so, toasting?

I've toasted 2-row for 15 minutes at about 350F and it's almost identical to the victory that I buy.

 

[Beerthoven]

This is my grain selection right now, and I can do almost everything I want with this. I'll probably maintain this as my "normal" inventory.

25#:
American 2-row pale
Maris Otter

5#:
Vienna

2#:
Crystal 15, 40, 60, 120

1#:
Special Roast
Chocolate
Black Patent
Roasted Barley

When the base grains are gone I'll restock with 55# bags. I buy Vienna in 10# increments, crystals in 2# increments, and roasted grains in 1# increments.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Full sacks:

American 2-row
Belgian 2-row
Vienna
Wheat


smaller amounts:

chocolate
biscuit
crystal 60
caramunich

 

[BierMuncher]

Full sacks of:
Marris Otter
Pilsner

10# sacks of:Carapils
Caramel #12, 20, 40, 60, 80 & 120
Munich
Vienna
Chocolate
Roasted Barley
Belgian Aromatic
Biscuit

 

[Aspera]

Dingmann Pils
Belgian Aromatic
American 6-row diastatic
Roasted Barley

 

[Soulive]

I've toasted 2-row for 15 minutes at about 350F and it's almost identical to the victory that I buy.

Excellent, thanks

 

[JnJ]

I've toasted 2-row for 15 minutes at about 350F and it's almost identical to the victory that I buy.

Do you toast it before milling or after?

 

[bradsul]

Do you toast it before milling or after?

I do it before milling. You have me wondering about toasting some after milling to see what the difference is though.

 

[Soulive]

I do it before milling. You have me wondering about toasting some after milling to see what the difference is though.

I'm curious too because my stuff is pre-crushed

 

[bradsul]

I'm curious too because my stuff is pre-crushed

With less mass per piece I might try dropping the time down to 10 minutes. The smaller pieces will heat through much more quickly. I'm really curious now so I think I'll do a test with a little bit of whole and a little bit of crushed and see what the difference is.

 

[Soulive]

With less mass per piece I might try dropping the time down to 10 minutes. The smaller pieces will heat through much more quickly. I'm really curious now so I think I'll do a test with a little bit of whole and a little bit of crushed and see what the difference is.

Yeah definitely let us know. Thanks...