What to do with spent grains?

[gregkeller]

I tried making dog biscuits. The dog was ok with them, but they used such little spent grain that it just wasn't worth my time and effort in trying to reduce how much grain I was throwing out.

Literally is one of my least favorite parts of brewing, trying to get a 10 gallon batch of hot/wet grains into some kind of container to get rid of in the trash. I live on a small property (50x125) in a normal suburb community. I'd like to just rake it into my lawn, but worry about the smell in my tiny backyard. Composting would be great, but I don't have enough browns to mix it with. In the summer I need to try and plan brew days around our garbage days because I don't want all that nasty sitting in my garbage can for 4-5 days in the 90+ degree days.

 

[kh54s10]

I tried making dog biscuits. The dog was ok with them, but they used such little spent grain that it just wasn't worth my time and effort in trying to reduce how much grain I was throwing out.

Literally is one of my least favorite parts of brewing, trying to get a 10 gallon batch of hot/wet grains into some kind of container to get rid of in the trash. I live on a small property (50x125) in a normal suburb community. I'd like to just rake it into my lawn, but worry about the smell in my tiny backyard. Composting would be great, but I don't have enough browns to mix it with. In the summer I need to try and plan brew days around our garbage days because I don't want all that nasty sitting in my garbage can for 4-5 days in the 90+ degree days.

If you could make a compost area say, 3 ft x 5 ft. Spread the grains evenly over the whole area. They will dry very quickly. Little smell. Same thing for raking it into the grass.

 

[IslandLizard]

For those of you making bread with the spent grains. What do you do with the rest of the grains? I use very little in my bread compared to the amount of spent grain in a brew.

I couldn't eat enough bread to use all my spent grain.

I hear ya, a pound of dried and ground up spent grain isn't making a dent of any size in the heap of spent grain after a brewing session. I use perhaps 6-8 pounds of wet spent grain when I bake, and I don't always do it.

So yeah, aside from feeding the goats at the small local farm, most of the spent grain gets composted. I have large amounts of leaves in the wetland area behind my home so I mix those in with the spent grain in the compost pile, together with vegetable kitchen craps and used coffee grounds, egg shells, etc.
We don't waste much, so spent grain and leaves (some grass) make up 95-98% of our compost pile. I really liked the 2 compost pile system I had in the long past, so we may go to that again.

 

[MaxStout]

If you don't have a way to get rid of the spent grains, post it on the Craigslist free section. You'll get people interested. If you live in the city, you'll find urban chicken hobbyists who will gladly come by to get it.

/CSB: I posted there once, mentioning that the grain would be perfect for chicken feed. I got an angry response from some woman ranting about how alcohol is toxic to birds, etc., etc. I'm guessing she was asleep the day they taught biology in her school, so I sent her a link to a site describing how fermentation works.

 

[IslandLizard]

I found a recipe online for dog treats. Two cups of spent grains, 1/2 cup peanut butter, cup or so of flour and one egg. I ended up needed a bit more flour than the recipe called for...but the three dogs I've treated with them absolutely love them. 30 minutes at 350, then 2 hours at 200 and they are nice and dry/crispy.

I'm going to try that recipe.
Our new dog (a Sheltie) likes about everything food, so he may like these too. Our previous dog didn't care for them, neither did he for other spent grain biscuits, sold by some craft breweries. But he loved eating the spent grain balls I had hurled into the yard. It's all about finding chotskies. Dogs!

 

[balrog]

@MaxStout , I got in such trouble w the sister in law when I had my 8yr old nephew help me brew one day and try the "sugar water". She was incensed that I'd "feed him even a sip of alcohol" -- um, I didn't -- and the nephew was SERIOUSLY non-plussed by the "sugar water" which had a marvelous floral/spicey Saaz (altbier) flavor.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Interestingly, when I dump the spent grains in my garden the birds and animals (squirrels) leave it alone. Worms, however, love it.

 

[tgolanos]

Interestingly, when I dump the spent grains in my garden the birds and animals (squirrels) leave it alone. Worms, however, love it.

I have a large compost bin in my back yard where I dump 90% of my grains. If you open it up the next day you can actually see it moving in a wave-like pattern from all the insect and worm activity.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

And yes, worms in the garden are good things!

 

[Kirkwooder]

If you don't have a way to get rid of the spent grains, post it on the Craigslist free section. You'll get people interested. If you live in the city, you'll find urban chicken hobbyists who will gladly come by to get it.

/CSB: I posted there once, mentioning that the grain would be perfect for chicken feed. I got an angry response from some woman ranting about how alcohol is toxic to birds, etc., etc. I'm guessing she was asleep the day they taught biology in her school, so I sent her a link to a site describing how fermentation works.

Apparently she has never seen chickens, deer,turkeys, grouse, woodchucks, raccoon and just about any other critter chowing down fremented apples, grapes, pears, .... what ever they can find. They love to indulge almost as much as I do!

 

[AJinJacksonville]

I'm going to try that recipe.
Our new dog (a Sheltie) likes about everything food, so he may like these too. Our previous dog didn't care for them, neither did he for other spent grain biscuits, sold by some craft breweries. But he loved eating the spent grain balls I had hurled into the yard. It's all about finding chotskies. Dogs!

I made them last weekend...both dogs (one German Shepherd pup and a 15 year old Lab/Shepherd mix we actually had to put to sleep today) took them right away. The GS pup examined it for about five minutes but now begs me for one every time I walk past the tupperware container. The old pup nearly took my finger off when she smelled the peanut butter...haha. But the other posters are right...two cups used for about 35 treats did not even put a dent in the spent grains. Rest went into my compost bin.

 

[IslandLizard]

a 15 year old Lab/Shepherd mix we actually had to put to sleep today

Oh, so sorry, those are rough times! I'm sure she had a good life being with you, getting homemade treats and all. They're such amazing loyal creatures, holding a special place in our hearts forever.

 

[50calshooter]

Some times I make dog biscuits using peanut butter but, almost all the time I give them to some one who has chickens, or goats, or pigs. I call on the weekend to tell them i brewed and they bring the empty bucket and trade it for a full one.

 

[DeanRIowa]

A few recipes I have tried are:

• Bread
• Dog Cookies*
• Human Cookies
• Waffles

* Use organic peanut butter, some chemicals in normal could kill your dog
* I add a banana as well.

 

[Wolfbayte]

I add half the liquid for the bread recipe to the spent grain and pulverize it in the blender. There are no sharp husks. It tastes and feels like whole grain bread.

Did you grind them up before using? I dry them out and use an old blender to turn spent grains into "flour." Store in Mason jars labeled with corresponding beer style. Then add 1 TBS per serving to pancake or waffle mix and oatmeal. Substitute 1/4 of each cup of flour when baking bread, pizza, or cookies.

Gibes me good fibre and never stabs my mouth. Adds a nice maltiness to the oatmeal and gives chocolate chip cookies outstanding mouth feel.

 

[North_of_60]

That looks good. No, I don’t grind, it the blender gets it nice and smooth.

 

[Spartan1979]

I tried putting it in the garden and on the lawn. All I did was attract ants. I put it the trash now.

 

[hedge_87]

I feed mine to our 4 chickens. Before the chickens I would compost it.

Chickens are really the best composters anyways. Dogs may be man's best friends but chickens are way more useful.

 

[kh54s10]

Chickens are really the best composters anyways. Dogs may be man's best friends but chickens are way more useful.

Because it is frowned upon eating Rover for dinner.

 

[shoengine]

My first attempt with spent grains. Sorry, there is some crystal in it

It was great, with no pokey husks, though I did get a couple caught in my teeth.

 

[hedge_87]

Because it is frowned upon eating Rover for dinner.

Only in some cultures lol

Chickens make eggs, compost, and eat insects. Then when they have out lived their usefulness yes they make some yummy soup

 

[kh54s10]

Chickens are really the best composters anyways. Dogs may be man's best friends but chickens are way more useful.

Because it is frowned upon eating Rover for dinner.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dog...1.69i57j0l5.9095j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Soulshine2]

From 'Feeds and Feeding' a textbook from days gone by: On a dry matter basis(best way to compare different feed sources) used brewers grains have 16% fiber, 5% ash(minerals), 23% crude protein, and 50% Nitrogen Free Extract (mostly carbohydrates). So there's plenty of feed value left which is why it is a good feed source.
Having said that, a friend's goats wouldn't touch them. I mostly compost them which makes a great compost. This time of year my compost pile is mostly spent grains and coffee grounds. You do need to add a little lime or wood ashes to counteract all the acidity, or they start to smell when things unfreeze.

add crushed egg shells too.

 

[Soulshine2]

Hey all,

Im looking for something to do to repurpose my spent grains after brew day. I dont have livestock or chickens, so is there anything I can do with my grains?


Fawx

nothing much left in nutritional value after extracting the starches/sugars ...I dump mine over the fence. I see crows come in to pick through it ,but its still basically there.
just compost or till in to the loosen soil structure.

 

[DeanRIowa]

I ran across a spent grain flour banana bread recipe here. I might try making some spent grain flour and try this and other recipes with the flour.

Dean

 

[monkeymath]

I'm also looking for ways to make use of the piles of spent grain. Living in an apartment in the city, composting or feeding chickens etc are not really an option. I also don't have a dog (I'd love to have one, but don't think it's really possible atm), but maybe I'll try making some dog treats anyways and give them to some people I know.

I've made a bread using spent grain once. Flavour was good, but the texture was not really to my liking: it stayed a bit wet and sticky on the inside and the slices ripped too easily. Also, the husks themselves provided a less-than-pleasant sensation in the mouth. I also tried some no-bake cookies once, which tasted great, but they didn't really stick together, so it was more of a granola. And, again, husks. Stupid husks. And then again, there's only so much I could possibly use for these baking purposes, and most would still go to the trash.

 

[jiMithing83]

I'm also looking for ways to make use of the piles of spent grain. Living in an apartment in the city, composting or feeding chickens etc are not really an option. I also don't have a dog (I'd love to have one, but don't think it's really possible atm), but maybe I'll try making some dog treats anyways and give them to some people I know.

I've made a bread using spent grain once. Flavour was good, but the texture was not really to my liking: it stayed a bit wet and sticky on the inside and the slices ripped too easily. Also, the husks themselves provided a less-than-pleasant sensation in the mouth. I also tried some no-bake cookies once, which tasted great, but they didn't really stick together, so it was more of a granola. And, again, husks. Stupid husks. And then again, there's only so much I could possibly use for these baking purposes, and most would still go to the trash.

You can dry the grains in the oven, set on as low as it goes, and then throw them in a food processor. See if there is a local community garden, give them what you don't use for baking so they can compost it. They might even reward you with some fresh produce.