What to do with old, unused grain

[darkrabbit]

Hi all, I have a bunch of old grain I need to toss, or at least not use for beer. I made a few batches with it and it's pretty clear there's a quality difference. It's over 3 years old and has been through a few moves. Sealed bucket or not, I can't guarantee the temperature never changed. Regardless....

We compost a lot, can this be composted as is? I usually compost spent grain, but can unused grain be composted? We have a 3000sqft garden that looooves consuming compost.

Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

Make wort for starters and freeze it in suitable containers. Defrost as you need it.

I have made concentrated starter wort, frozen in 44 oz cottage cheese tubs, to be diluted 1 : 1.
Reboil and chill for all security, before using.

 

[madscientist451]

I frequently use old grain stored in buckets without any problems. How much grain is it?
Use it in a roasty stout, add bourbon that soaked in barrel chips or a large amount of hops to obscure the issue you noticed?

 

[Teufelhunde]

If you know someone with chickens, I'm sure they would trade you some eggs for it. If you feed the birds in a feeder, just put some in there with the other seeds...

 

[passedpawn]

Hi all, I have a bunch of old grain I need to toss, or at least not use for beer. I made a few batches with it and it's pretty clear there's a quality difference. It's over 3 years old and has been through a few moves. Sealed bucket or not, I can't guarantee the temperature never changed. Regardless....

We compost a lot, can this be composted as is? I usually compost spent grain, but can unused grain be composted? We have a 3000sqft garden that looooves consuming compost.

Thanks!

of course, compost it then.

 

[BeerHolic]

of course, compost it then.

You could make dog biscuits.
Wife does and sells them.

 

[darkrabbit]

Thanks for the suggestions, all! Lots of ideas.

I frequently use old grain stored in buckets without any problems. How much grain is it?
Use it in a roasty stout, add bourbon that soaked in barrel chips or a large amount of hops to obscure the issue you noticed?

It's quite a lot, probably 30kg total. I may take some and use in a stout, try it anyway. For IPA or hefe though these are past their prime I think... they're a bit 'chewy'.

If you know someone with chickens, I'm sure they would trade you some eggs for it. If you feed the birds in a feeder, just put some in there with the other seeds...

I actually have someone with chickens 2 houses down from me, I can see if he'd use it! Thanks!

 

[madscientist451]

Use it all up in a high gravity barleywine or do parti-gyle with a second smaller brew? Put some in the oven and make your own Victory malt?

 

[fljim]

You can make spent grain bread! Good stuff. Just don't do that if you ever use rice hulls....

 

[kevin58]

Hard to see in the trail cam picture but this is an 8 point buck near a pile of spent grain I had dumped out the day before. In a perfect circle of life scenario I later harvested that deer during archery season and enjoyed a venison steak dinner accompanied with the beer I made from the grains he ate.

 

[Protos]

Unless the grain is moldy, musty, insect-infested or obviously oxidised (which may happen to Crystals and fatty grains, like Oats and Rye), there's no reason to toss it I think.
I've used grains stored up to 6 years long with no major problems. Old grains taste a bit blander than fresh, still they turn out totally OK for my hop-forward beers or Porters/Stouts.

 

[dwhite60]

Should be fine for stouts, porters and other heavy flavored beers.

You can just make a gallon batch with some as a lightly hopped SMASH and see what the flavor is like.

 

[fljim]

Hard to see in the trail cam picture but this is an 8 point buck near a pile of spent grain I had dumped out the day before. In a perfect circle of life scenario I later harvested that deer during archery season and enjoyed a venison steak dinner accompanied with the beer I made from the grains he ate.

That's AWESOOME! Slainte!

 

[jdseppala]

I just mix all my old stuff together and make an experiment. I've never had to dump anything I've concocted like that. Having fun is what it's all about to me.


Cheers!

 

[cmac62]

Or you could make single malt mash and still it.

 

[Lefou]

I cleared out something like 20-odd pounds of unused malt and crystal grain. Gave it away to guy at work who owns chickens because I didn't want to brew with malt that had grain moths. Grain moths are a pain in the ass to get rid of once they are in your house.

Got some eggs, but wasn't impressed with them for the most part, but I suppose the chickens like the grain.

 

[odie]

if it's not crushed, grain will store for years.

 

[MicroMickey]

I've brewed with malt that was over 10 years in a sealed plastic bucket. Unless it is moldy or full of bugs, use it. IslandLizard suggested making a batch of wort for starters. My buddy makes "wort-cicles" and uses them exclusively for starters.