46 replies to this topic

[Stout_fan]

... Buying storing, tripping over a couple hundred pounds of grain the 27 days that are not my 2 or 3 brewing days, isn't fun. I Guess I do not consider buying and storing grains part of the homebrew experience.AG? Yes Mashing in, sparging is fun. Plus you have more control of the process and wider choices of the ingredients. ...zymot

AND you get to figure out what to do with 20 pounds of spent grain!Actually I bought a composter. The leaves, hedge trimmings and coffee grounds just sat there until I added the grains. You should have seen the worms crawling all over that chomping it down! The level dropped a third in a week! I could have used it to film a horror movie, one big squiggly churning mass.

[Thirsty]

For those who are buying bulk for $.50 / # where are you buying? I have been using midwest exclusively pretty much due to the math: https://www.midwests...bCat=11155&fd=1 A 50# sack of 2 row uncrushed is 42.95. If I was to buy 10# crushed it is 8.50. So if I buy 5x10# crushed it will cost me 42.50. .45 less and already crushed! So I buy my grain in exact amounts crushed, and it is the same as buying in bulk from them. That is what I have been doing, but when I have a 30# order, the shipping charges add up to say $25-28 it adds up! So I realize bulk saves $$, but where are you buying that much from, and shipping or driving to get the savings?

[3rd party JKor]

North Country Malt sells Canada Malting 2-row for $27.50/55#, even though it says it's $36 in the catalog. You really need to buy by the pallet to get the savings, because it's a flat rate for the pallet ($75) up to 2200lbs of grain. If you have some time on your hands you can take the 4-hr drive up to their place in Champlain, NY.We'll probably be doing another group buy sometime next spring/summer, if you want to get in.

Edited by JKoravos, 08 October 2009 - 09:49 AM.

[Sidney Porter]

but where are you buying that much from, and shipping or driving to get the savings?

I buy base grain from a brewpub. I pay their cost. Currently they get it in in sacks so I buy a sack at a time. They are inthe process of getting a silo once that is working I will buy by the lb from them (which will be cheaper). I will still probably buy 40-50lbs at a time.

[japh]

I'd say on average I'm using 17lbs of base malt per batch. I paid between $0.50 and $0.75/lb in the last bulk buy, LHBS sells base malt for $1.25-$1.50/lb. $0.75*17 = $12.75/batch. My grain mill will be paid off pretty quick, and I got the fancy 3-roller mill.

(almost Halloween, so I'm bringing a thread back from the dead).Basically, what you're pointing out, is that we all need to run the numbers that we can get individually to see if it makes sense. I can get base malt for $0.88, so the cost advantage of buying bulk is less. Your cost differential is higher then mine, so it makes more sense for you.

[earthtone]

When I want to do a cheap batch I make a standard pale with dry yeast - usually when I just want beer and I want it cheap I make it 4kg (~9lb) 2-Row, 1/2 kg (1lb) Wheat, 250g (8 oz) Crystal 60. I usually do an ounce bittering and then half an ounce at 10 min and 5. This with a pack of US-05 comes in at $19/20L (5 gallons). That kind of price is just not possible in extract brewing here where my LHBS sells LME for $17 a kilo, and typically you need at least 2 kg od LME for a batch.Maybe it's different down in tha south. When I make a specialty beer I expect a little extra cost, when I just want beer I go spend $20 and brew a session brew. Lately my session brew has been my simple stout and that is only $24/5 gallon batch as opposed to the $37 it used to be when I did extract....I have been brewing pretty steady with US-05 instead of 1056 lately because I don't wanna pay $12 and mess around with a starter when I barely have time to brew as is. If you are cheap, dry yeast is your best friend!

[3rd party JKor]

(almost Halloween, so I'm bringing a thread back from the dead).Basically, what you're pointing out, is that we all need to run the numbers that we can get individually to see if it makes sense. I can get base malt for $0.88, so the cost advantage of buying bulk is less. Your cost differential is higher then mine, so it makes more sense for you.

That's true, but honestly, most of the value for me was controlling my own grain supply and not having to rely on the LHBS to crush my grain. With the amount of money I've put into my brew setup over the years, this hobby will never be economical for me.