what grains to stock?

[bluebarnaclebrewing]

I'm taking part in a group buy with my local club and I'm just curious what grains I should stock up on to have a well rounded supply?

I was thinking some pale malt, a little light and dark crystal, some Munich

I would like to be able to make IPA's, Pale Ales, Bitters and the odd Belgian beer. I also don't have room to store a ton of different grains but I was thinking get a couple bags of pale malt and then partial bags of other malts to round out my stock. Any input is appreciated

 

[MaryB]

Some biscuit for the Belgian beers...

 

[chickypad]

Obviously this depends on your tastes. I'd focus on getting the base malts right, as that is usually where most of the savings comes buying in bulk. I used to stock a bunch of different base grains but since I'm mostly brewing smaller batches now I've gone down to two - usually a British pale malt like maris otter and then Belgian or German pilsner. I use the pale malt for English styles, stouts and porters, APA's/IPA's, and the pilsner for Belgians, lagers, and wheats. For American styles with a lighter malt background, more like what you'd get with domestic 2-row, you can do a split of pilsner and MO (see for example this Russian River Hill 56 clone). I find this works best to minimize inventory for what I like to brew, YRMV.

 

[kombat]

I buy 2 row, Pilsner, and Maris Otter by the sack. I also keep partial sacks of Vienna, Munich, Carafoam, Roasted barley, and a couple crystal malts (Caraaroma, Carared). Everything else, I just buy by the pound as needed from my online supplier.

 

[imasickboy]

Pilsner, Light Munich, Vienna, a Maris Otter-type, and a cheap-ass 2 row are what I like to get by the full sack.

Others that I like to have on hand are roasted barley, crystal 60, special B, and chocolate.

 

[flatlanderHQ]

I also like having Maris Otter, light Munich, and Pilsner malts in stock. Often a domestic 2-row.

 

[bonecitybrewco]

55 lb bags:
Pale 2 Row
Maris Otter
Pilsner

10 or 25 lb bags:
Vienna
Munich
Crystal 60

5 lb bags:
Special B
Chocolate
etc

That's just me though.

 

[dkennedy]

Similar to Bonecity- I buy sacks of Pale, MO, and Golden Promise. Half sack of Munich, everything else is usually smaller (have a fleet of Mason jars). I'm lucky to have a great shop close by, though.

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Obviously this depends on your tastes. I'd focus on getting the base malts right, as that is usually where most of the savings comes buying in bulk. I used to stock a bunch of different base grains but since I'm mostly brewing smaller batches now I've gone down to two - usually a British pale malt like maris otter and then Belgian or German pilsner. I use the pale malt for English styles, stouts and porters, APA's/IPA's, and the pilsner for Belgians, lagers, and wheats. For American styles with a lighter malt background, more like what you'd get with domestic 2-row, you can do a split of pilsner and MO (see for example this Russian River Hill 56 clone). I find this works best to minimize inventory for what I like to brew, YRMV.

 

[Brewrifle]

55 LB bags -
2-row
pilsen
marris otter

5-10#-
vienna
caramunich
roasted barley
carapils
crystal 20
flaked oats/barley
biscuit
chocolate

1-4 # -
black patent
special B (I enjoy this is my hoppy red ale for some reason)
crystal 120