Weevil in grain - Dump or brew?

[Gravity]

I was planning a brew session, and wanted to organize a couple of things - primarily grains to mill - when low and behold; weevils - everywhere

This has happened before, however not to this degree - the question is dump or brew on?

I've learned my lesson for future storage

Pics attached

Thoughts?

 

[madscientist451]

Its kind of nasty, but the hot water in the mash and then the 60 minute boil will get rid of the bugs for sure.
I'd brew some monster barley wines and use it all up ASAP.
Name it Weevil Wine, put a dead bug on the labels.
I keep my grain in sealed buckets, its stored in an unheated space, but I have worried about bug problems. After seeing your post, I'm going to try to use up all my older grain soon.

 

[Gravity]

Right - i've done that before, brewed with weevils and all

This looked, and smelled different - i'm thinking of dumping it

Which sucks cause its like 100# more or less of Marris Otter and Wheat

I'm drinking the beer a made with the grain pre-weevil infestation- very nice

I've been slacking though on my brewery upkeep - I made my bed

 

[passedpawn]

Uh... smelled different? I've had infestations (not quite that bad though). I don't remember any difference in smell. Normally I'd say brew with it, but a bad smell would change my mind.

 

[wheels4]

I too have brewed with them before but not to that degree. That is a ton of little critters for sure. I would dump and chalk it up to lesson learned. As a side note I had them in my Wheat once and it was stored in a sealed bucket.

 

[Beer-lord]

I use Vittles buckets and twice I got grains that had weevils in it and I just dumped it. Once they were all dead as I assume they died from lack of oxygen but never as bad as you show it.
Not sure how you keep your grains but maybe look into that protects the grains a bit better.
It's painful to dump, I know from experience.

 

[S-Met]

Bad smell is not a good sign. Maybe grind a cup or 2 and make a mini-mash and test it.

I believe all grain has potential weevils. A few says at sub-0 temp wipes them out. Do you have room in your freezer? Freee the bag when you get a new batch, then defrost and store in sealed containers.

 

[Vale71]

Are you seriously considering brewing with it?
Forget the insects, they've been taking a dump in the malt for how long? Do you really want that in your beer?

 

[shoengine]

I'm always one to follow my nose in these matters. Your nose will alert you of spoilage before any other sense.

 

[ESBrewer]

I would definitely dump the grain ASAP, before those bugs take hold over all the other sacks and the brewery. Malt is the most important ingredient in beer and its quality is the most important factor when brewing good beer and all insects in brewery are possible source of microbial contamination as well. If they have laid eggs in the malt, more flying things will pop up later (and it may even be impossible to remove all those adults from the grain).

 

[Gravity]

Bad smell is not a good sign. Maybe grind a cup or 2 and make a mini-mash and test it.

I believe all grain has potential weevils. A few says at sub-0 temp wipes them out. Do you have room in your freezer? Freee the bag when you get a new batch, then defrost and store in sealed containers.

Thats a good idea - a mini-mash

All grain has weevils, its inevitable - part of the harvesting

I've never done it, however, freezing sounds like a good idea, but wouldn't the defrost/moisture ruin the grain?

 

[Gravity]

I would definitely dump the grain ASAP, before those bugs take hold over all the other sacks and the brewery. Malt is the most important ingredient in beer and its quality is the most important factor when brewing good beer and all insects in brewery are possible source of microbial contamination as well. If they have laid eggs in the malt, more flying things will pop up later (and it may even be impossible to remove all those adults from the grain).

I decided to dump it - you're right best not risk it
Although, in theory, the weevils are harmless - they just look gross
Its almost a mind over matter kind of thing
Anyway - lesson learned

 

[kevin58]

The weevils may be harmless but in those numbers there are more things than eggs to worry about. Like dead weevil carcasses and weevil sh!t and piss. There's your smell by the way. And if it's happened before it's because they are now loose in your brewing area and reproducing elsewhere. You need an extermination my friend or it will never end.

 

[MaxStout]

*View's OP's pics*

Seriously, dump the grain. Any other grain you have that hasn't become infested yet should be put in the freezer for several days to kill off any eggs. While that grain is in the freezer, call in an exterminator. It'll cost some $$, but it will help prevent a recurrence.

Edit: Buy some 5 gallon buckets with Gamma Seal lids to store grain after you freeze-treat it. It'll prevent other critters from getting at it.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Dump it and fast

 

[Vale71]

All grain has weevils, its inevitable - part of the harvesting

Grain is washed thoroughly before being malted and any living thing will not survive the malting process. Anything you find crawling around your malt crawled in while malt was being stored.

 

[Gravity]

*View's OP's pics*

Seriously, dump the grain. Any other grain you have that hasn't become infested yet should be put in the freezer for several days to kill off any eggs. While that grain is in the freezer, call in an exterminator. It'll cost some $$, but it will help prevent a recurrence.

Edit: Buy some 5 gallon buckets with Gamma Seal lids to store grain after you freeze-treat it. It'll prevent other critters from getting at it.

Point taken

I'll look into freezing grains - I do have 2 chest freezers, however they have been retrofitted for fermenting temps - not freezing; I think the temps hit low 30s for lagering , i'll see

I usually buy in bulk, then brew consecutively - however, i've admittedly been too busy (read: lazy) to brew

I'll see what the exterminator says

Thanks

 

[gnor]

Brew it. Worse case, you are going to dump it anyway.

 

[beernutz]

Interesting article about those pests, called Lesser Grain Borers, here: https://nationalhomebrew.com.au/brewers-blog/bugs-in-your-grain

They apparently can survive the malting process if not sufficiently gassed. In addition to freezing the grain to kill them and their eggs/larve you can flush with C02, although that method is more expensive. There are other recommendations in the article as well.

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

beernutz- thanks for the read. After reading that article there is no way I would brew with that grain. A grain that smells bad isn't going to make a good beer.

 

[Gravity]

Interesting article about those pests, called Lesser Grain Borers, here: https://nationalhomebrew.com.au/brewers-blog/bugs-in-your-grain

They apparently can survive the malting process if not sufficiently gassed. In addition to freezing the grain to kill them and their eggs/larve you can flush with C02, although that method is more expensive. There are other recommendations in the article as well.

I haven’t read the article, I will though

How would you go about flushing with c02? ( might be in the article)

I’ll take a read- thanks

 

[Gravity]

beernutz- thanks for the read. After reading that article there is no way I would brew with that grain. A grain that smells bad isn't going to make a good beer.

I dumped it all

And I agree , i would never use bad smelling grain to make a brew

 

[JohnSand]

I'm a little disappointed. I wanted to hear about the WeevAle.
(Just kidding, that was nasty)

 

[passedpawn]

Just keep an eye out for weevils that left the coop. I had them get from grain to kitchen cabinets, which attracted the attention of the local officials Who knows where they'll show up.

 

[Moose_MI]

^^^^ Very funny pic ... u owe me an iPad. I just stepped on mine trying to squash the bug

 

[MaxStout]

Dammit, Passed! Now I'm scratching my scalp!

 

[Gravity]

I'm a little disappointed. I wanted to hear about the WeevAle.
(Just kidding, that was nasty)

I'm a little disappointed. I wanted to hear about the WeevAle.
(Just kidding, that was nasty)

Oh dear

 

[Gravity]

Follow-up / and double post:

Froze and Pulled the sacks yesterday , the freezer did a really nice job - I didn't' notice any moisture etc.

I'm putting the grains in air-tight containers, adding a couple of packets of desiccants, and flushing the containers with C02.

Heres a couple of questions, which grains take priority?
Which grains should i do this too?

In other words weevils like the lighter stuff (Pale Ale, Pilsner, Wheat) and tend to ignore the darker stuff like Carafa (at least from what i've noticed)

I have:
Wheat (stored as above)
Pale Ale (stored as above)
Pilser (stored as above)
Vienna (stored as above)
Carahell (stored as above)
Carapils Stored as above
Munich ?
Caramunich ?
Rye ?
Carafa ?
Caraaroma ?

I reckon I can do all ; pain in the butt though

 

[Soulshine2]

even if you froze it to kill them , they'll still be there and you're not going to sit there and pick them all out. Save yourself time and dump it.
Before you buy more grains , buy a few buckets with lids that seal . Gamma seals are great .and make sure your grains come packed in sealed vapor proof bags. use a cheap curling iron to reseal them after you pull a batch worth of grain out.
I've done the same with bulk cigar tobacco leaf.

 

[Nagorg]

+1 to dumping. I've used grain that had weevils in it and the beer was great! Improves head retention I think! But that infestation you showed was way worse (way-way worse) and the smell would seal the dump deal!