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Leftover Grains

Post #1 made 14 years ago
by smyrnaquince
So, I am looking at a recipe conversion for a mini-BIAB (2.5 gal, i.e. a half batch) and I am realizing that one problem is that at my LHBS, most grains are sold in 1 lb (16 oz) increments. A couple of the specialty grains are sold in 0.5 lb (8 oz) increments and a few of the major grains are sold loose in any amount.

Buying the grains I need in the smallest quantities I can to get the required quantities for the recipe, I throw away 38% of my purchase price for the grains.

So, what do others do in this situation?
  • Put the leftovers in the freezer? (not sure how long they'd last and they could take up a bit of room in the freezer)
  • Adjust the quantities (e.g., round 8.8 oz to 8 oz and 6.72 oz to 8 oz)? (only possible for a couple of grains in my recipe)
  • Substitute for the "averages," e.g., use 11 oz of Caramel/Crystal 60L in place of 4.4 oz of Caramel/Crystal 40L and 6.6 oz of Caramel/Crystal 120L? (only one such substitution is possible in this recipe)
Maybe mini-BIAB isn't as great an idea as I had hoped? Or is it just that the recipe I happened to consider (an oatmeal stout recipe I found) uses 7 grains, whereas most recipes use a smaller variety of grains, so there isn't as much waste?
Last edited by smyrnaquince on 29 Jun 2011, 01:30, edited 5 times in total.

Post #2 made 14 years ago
by the_mc
If it is a small amount I put it in a ziplock bag and store in a cool dry location. As long as they have not been milled they should last quite a while. I bulk by my base malts and store them in buckets with sealed lids.

If it has been milled I am not too sure.....but they should still last you a couple months.

Post #3 made 14 years ago
by BrickBrewHaus
Another suggestion, since you're in the US, is Brewmaster's Warehouse. They allow you to customize your order and order amounts down to 1oz. It's nice for people like me who are doing small batches, don't want to buy in bulk because I don't have a mill, and don't have a LHBS to support. Since you have a LHBS and I assume you'd like to continue to support them, you have to consider the pros and cons of using online stores. The other disadvantage is paying for shipping.

BTW...I'm in no way associated with this store, just a happy customer for 8 months or so.
Last edited by BrickBrewHaus on 29 Jun 2011, 03:38, edited 5 times in total.

Post #4 made 14 years ago
by smyrnaquince
BrickBrewHaus and joshua, thanks for the pointer to Brewmaster's Warehouse. I dialed up my grain bill just to see how it would come out and I can get the quantities I need at a lower price, even with shipping. I'll use the local guy when I can (liquid yeast, beer brewing supplies where the quantities are OK, winemaking supplies), but there is no way my wife would be happy with a freezer full of leftover grain!

Post #5 made 14 years ago
by BrickBrewHaus
smyrnaquince wrote:BrickBrewHaus and joshua, thanks for the pointer to Brewmaster's Warehouse. I dialed up my grain bill just to see how it would come out and I can get the quantities I need at a lower price, even with shipping. I'll use the local guy when I can (liquid yeast, beer brewing supplies where the quantities are OK, winemaking supplies), but there is no way my wife would be happy with a freezer full of leftover grain!
Good to hear they'll work for you, they have real nice customer service and ship quickly. You can even leave a comment for them asking to mill the grains twice, should help get your efficiency a little higher.
Last edited by BrickBrewHaus on 30 Jun 2011, 01:47, edited 5 times in total.
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