Online Bulk Grain, Best Prices?

[TipsySaint]

So my LHBS is a haul and a bit pricey...I'm about to get a mill and am wondering what the best suppliers of bulk grain on the net are?

The only post I found on here ended in 2010...so maybe some new info out there?

Also looking for best deals on storage containers....

 

[philjohnwilliams]

I think your best bet is to go through the suppliers from the 2010 thread and see what their prices are like today. Because final cost may be dependant on shipping rates to your location, what is good for someone else may not be so good for you.

 

[ForTheLoveOfBrew]

i asked a local brewery and they sell me 55LB. sacks for $25 gambrinus pale malt

 

[TipsySaint]

does anyone know if http://www.fiftypoundsack.com/ is still operating?

great idea with the local brewery, its actually closer than my lbhs...just a few miles from Maine Beer Company.

As for shipping, yep that factors in but some places may have free shipping or some sort of deal that negates that aspect...

 

[jtratcliff]

For me, MoreBeer beats my LHBS... And it's very close, so shipping is 1-2days. The 10 lb bags are right around $1 / lb.... Orders over $60 or $70 have free shipping on most items.

 

[Oginme]

The cheapest on-line supplier will vary based upon where you live in relationship to the supplier and their policies on shipping costs. You will need to visit a few to get some idea of actual costs. I would also check you LHBS for their prices on bag quantities of base malts. When I compared this past year, my LHBS came out much cheaper than on-line stores.

 

[brewkinger]

Also look into the group buy subforum here and see if there is one near your locale.
Like mentioned above, if you can find a place to get bulk grain for cheap then you should take advantage. All that you really need is some airtight 5 gal bucket for storage and you are all set.

 

[TipsySaint]

The cheapest on-line supplier will vary based upon where you live in relationship to the supplier and their policies on shipping costs. You will need to visit a few to get some idea of actual costs. I would also check you LHBS for their prices on bag quantities of base malts. When I compared this past year, my LHBS came out much cheaper than on-line stores.

got a list of good bulk grain suppliers?

 

[Oginme]

I've priced grains from MoreBeer, Northern Brewer, RiteBrew, Midwest Supply, Great Fermentations, Adventures in Homebrewing, and Farmhouse Brewing Supply regularly. Every once in a while I will run a price check on some others that pop up, but not as in depth as the afore mentioned suppliers. For me, in a remote part of southern NH, MoreBeer and RiteBrew were the most competitive. Neither could touch bulk purchases from my LHBS, which is about 45 minutes away. Since I prefer to pick up my yeast right before I start using it and don't trust shipping liquid yeasts either in the winter, when freezing is an issue, or summer, when heat is the problem, I swing by the shop about once a month or so.

 

[TipsySaint]

is there any point in bulk grain buys under 50 lbs price wise?

 

[Black Island Brewer]

is there any point in bulk grain buys under 50 lbs price wise?

If you're ordering online, some sites will give free shipping on orders that don't include full bags, so the price per pound will depend on the shipping. It's hit and miss in my experience.

Another option, rather than online with shipping, is looking at your travel plans and seeing if a bulk buy on a road trip makes sense. I was in Portland, OR last month and could get a better price AND better selection in Hillsboro (near Portland) than I could at any of the half-dozen LHBS stores within 30 miles of me.

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

For me, MoreBeer beats my LHBS... And it's very close, so shipping is 1-2days. The 10 lb bags are right around $1 / lb.... Orders over $60 or $70 have free shipping on most items.

I'll second that. For those in the northeast, MoreBeer may be a very good online option because they have a PA warehouse so shipping is much cheaper.

If anyone knows a site the ships full sacks without charging full shipping rates, please let me know!

Thank you.

 

[TipsySaint]

So I found a site called http://www.fiftypoundsack.com/ and it looks to be legit and a good deal but out of everything. Does anyone know if this is out of biz or just temporary?

 

[Bobby_M]

I'll second that. For those in the northeast, MoreBeer may be a very good online option because they have a PA warehouse so shipping is much cheaper.

If anyone knows a site the ships full sacks without charging full shipping rates, please let me know!

Thank you.

Just curious where you think the money comes from. Granted there may be some business models that use grain as loss leaders but it can't be the only item being bought long term. Margins are very low on full sacks already.

 

[aviator01]

Ask theses guys http://www.portlandmashingmaineiacs.com I bet they can point you in the right direction.

MoreBeer's free shipping is really nice on 10lb bags of specialty malts.

Check the overall cost with shipping from RiteBrew.com.

Cheers

 

[MEPNew2Brew]

Just curious where you think the money comes from. Granted there may be some business models that use grain as loss leaders but it can't be the only item being bought long term. Margins are very low on full sacks already.

Bobby M - Thank you for your reply. The money comes from folks like me. Some vendors move enough product where they can get deals from suppliers and carriers alike, others, not so much.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm sorry. I should have been more specific. Let's say a vendor pays $41 for a sack of Premium Maris Otter, maybe call it $45 accounting for freight. Even with a good Fedex discount, ground rates for 55 pounds can be upwards of $50.

Here's where it gets tricky for us. Do we price it at $90 and free shipping (potentially making $15 or losing $5) or $55 with actual shipping (locking in a $10 profit)?

I don't think shipping full sacks works unless the end buyer just has no realistic local shop.

 

[Zmanwithdog]

I've priced grains from MoreBeer, Northern Brewer, RiteBrew, Midwest Supply, Great Fermentations, Adventures in Homebrewing, and Farmhouse Brewing Supply regularly. Every once in a while I will run a price check on some others that pop up, but not as in depth as the afore mentioned suppliers. For me, in a remote part of southern NH, MoreBeer and RiteBrew were the most competitive. Neither could touch bulk purchases from my LHBS, which is about 45 minutes away. Since I prefer to pick up my yeast right before I start using it and don't trust shipping liquid yeasts either in the winter, when freezing is an issue, or summer, when heat is the problem, I swing by the shop about once a month or so.

Northern Brewer has the best price right now PURELY based on free shipping over $40... most beers that I've been making recently have been very close to if not just over $40 for the grains, hops and yeast alone where the shipping makes the gross cost a minor deciding factor. Other then that, the next best price is Bobby from www.brewhardware.com for around $4 more for the net order I'm looking at now. $4 for me won't break the bank in the grander scheme... that's my 2-cents...