My Dog and Brewing

[Cheeto]

I have found that my dog loves the spent grains
and from what I understand it is not bad for him
SWMBO is worried that is the only reason for asking

is there any problem feeding the grains to my dog ?

 

[david_42]

Other than making them fat, about the only concern would be the runs from the high fiber content.

 

[RichBrewer]

I wouldn't worry about the grains. I have heard however that hops can be very bad for animals. I'd keep your dog away from them.

 

[buraglio]

Other than making them fat, about the only concern would be the runs from the high fiber content.

As long as they don't get ANY hops at all then it is actually pretty good for them (high fiber, etc). However, it will probably give your pooch a case of the browns if it's not part of his/her regular diet. The hops will kill the dog (my wife is a vet and I verified with her that hops are in fact VERY poisonous to dogs). Keep fido away from the hops.

nb

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

Some folks even bake dog treats from their spent grains. It's all good.
Mine don't touch it for some reason. It's not SWMBO's sourdough pancakes I guess.

 

[DeathBrewer]

i'd make up some doggie snacks for him...be a fun way to recycle the grains. you could make some good human cookies too

 

[Pugilist]

Cookies from spent grains...hmmm. The ones in my oatmeal stout this morning smelled and looked so good, I felt like trying a handful.

 

[Go Gators]

If hops are poisonous then is beer poisonous? I ask because my parents dog LOVES beer, and sometime they give it to her...she is over thirteen, so I doubt they will completely stop now...but I would like to give them as much info as possible.

 

[Cheeto]

the dog may not get any

roasted barley and crystal 120L

pretty tasty stuff

 

[GeorgeH]

I've got a bunch of spent grains and I know my dog loves them, so I sent SWMBO on a mission to find a recipe for dog treats using my spent grains. She, of course, delivered exactly what I was looking for: http://www.blogsmonroe.com/beer/?p=57

Spent grain dog biscuits
4 cups spent grain (do not use grains that have interacted with hops)
4 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together (I used my hands to mash it all up). Spread the mixture out onto a cookie sheet and flatten. Mine turned out a bit dry, powdery, I probably should have added a little water, but the next step is to cut/score into bite size squares. Bake for about half an hour to an hour at 350 F until they are hard.
Remove from the oven and break them apart into separate biscuits, and place them back onto the cookie sheet. Bake them for an additional 8-10 hours at 225 F. This gives them time to really dry out, to prevent mold. Store in an airtight container. These smell pretty good coming out of the oven, but I wasn’t brave enough to try one. Maybe I’ll serve them up at the next beer gathering I have.

I'll update this thread if we make any to report how our dog Buddy likes them.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

My dog LOVES nearly everything involved in the brewing process. He hangs around the grain mill and grabs bits the that fall. He cleans up small wort spills before I can so much as think about reaching for a rag. He would make himself SICK on spent grain if I let him (usually I only let him have a taste, and I sometimes make treats from a recipe a lot like George's). He's never bothered much with hops - guess he knows what's good for him. When I pour a beer, he follows me around until it's gone, hoping for a taste. He's a certifiable beer nut!

 

[Cheeto]

well I have noticed that dogs take on traits of their owners

thank you all for you help

 

[paranode]

Other than making them fat, about the only concern would be the runs from the high fiber content.

Yes and I can verify that it does throw their system off a little bit. Mine ate them the first time and pooped grainy runny stuff for a couple of days. So I stopped giving it to them.

 

[GeorgeH]

I did wind up making the recipe with some spent grains. The cookies turned out very crunchy, which our dog loved. He couldn't get enough of them but david_42's and paranode's comments were enough for us to limit his intake. A good way to dispose of a little grain if you don't have a mulch pile.

 

[TCHDNSD]

If hops are poisonous then is beer poisonous? I ask because my parents dog LOVES beer, and sometime they give it to her...she is over thirteen, so I doubt they will completely stop now...but I would like to give them as much info as possible.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/beer/story/123733.html

From my local paper last year. There is mention of beers toxicity to dogs. Of course, it's toxic to humans in large enough quantities also.(the alcohol) I give my shorthair a couple of laps sometimes. He likes. I used to just pour a whole beer into his bowl until I read this article.