Bulk Ingredients

[NumbSkull]

Been doing some figuring and ordering kits like we have been is going to get expensive pretty quick. Are there some good sources for bulk ingredients? I would assume you can buy 50 or 100 pound sacks of grain, like anything else. Where would you look for something like that? I found the place for hops but have no idea where to look for all the other stuff. How do you even know what to order? I know we would need a grinder for the grains and somehow to store them. What else would we need?

Mort

[Lufah]

You can order them from B3 or northern brewer. You are better off to try to find a LHBS that you can buy from. Even if you have to drive a few hours it's cheaper that paying shipping on 300lbs of grain. I drive to Akron, about 2 hours away, a couple times a year and stock up. Then if there is other stuff that comes up from time to time I can order it online.

What you get is kinda of dependant on what you brew. I always buy a 50lb bag of American 2-row, usually Briess, and a bag of Crisp Maris Otter. Those are the two base grains that I use a lot of. Then I'll get 5 or 10lbs of a bunch of the specialty grains.

I store mine in rubbermaid containers. Here are my specialty grains...



Also you can buy a grain mill from a homebrew supply of get a corona mill. I would like to get a nice roller mill, but haven't had the money so I got a $10 corona mill.



Pretty much you buy grain, store grain, crush grain. That is all.

Oh and you don't really want to let it freeze and thaw. Possible problems with moisture condesation and mold.

Travis

[NumbSkull]

Thanks Travis that's a lot of information. I know there is a huge malting plant about 150 miles from here. I called them this afternoon and they do not sell to the public. I asked them if I put in some barley next year if I could trade for finished product. That stumped the poor girl I was speaking to. The field rep is supposed to be getting back to me. That could be a good thing, if they will work for me. I bet they will. That still doesn't help me for this year. As far as a local store the only one I have come across is the one in Montana. That is an all day drive one way. I will keep looking.

Mort

[Lufah]

Work any angle you can. Anyplace local that brews? Brewpub or micro? A lot of times they will sell bulk malt to homebrewers. You may just be stuck paying shipping. It's still a lot cheaper than buy kits every time.


Travis

[NumbSkull]

Yeah so I am figuring. I have toyed with growing barley before but never considered growing malting barley. It's a different variety than feed-grade barley. Cargill has a huge malting plant about 150 miles from here. If they will work with me maybe I can trade barley from the field for at least some malted barley. I would not mind mail-ordering a few ounces of specialty grains here and there but three or four hundredweight of two row would go a long way. I was going to go soybeans next spring anyway. I could go right back in and drill winter barley.

Tell me more about your ten dollar grain grinder.

Mort

[Homegrown Hops]

MOrt , didnt you say your in North Dakota? here is a directory for searching Yellow pages in that or any area.
http://www.yellowbook.com/Category/beer ... %20Dakota/

HH

[JMUBrew]

What's up with that Travis? No red wagon? Just a green one?? Bah!


Anyhow, I like the storage system. I think I'll probably end up using bins like like eventually for the specialty grains as well. Right now I vacuam seal all of my bulk grains into 5 lbs bags or so. Then keep them in the huge tupperware/rubbermaid/whatever containers.

This is what I have:


Of course, I'm a little behind on that right now...but I need to as the loft is gettnig crowded in my place, especially with a 50 lb sack of Briess 2-row sitting in the middle of it!

[Lufah]

It's called a corona mill. You can find them a lot of times at hardware stores. They are really for making flour, but it you back the plates off enough you can mill for beer. It is not as good as a roller mill, but a hell of a lot cheaper. I've been really happy with mine.

Anyway once you have it you can hook a drill to it and away you go. I had to take the handle off of the one I have and put a 3/8 bolt in there and cut the head off the bolt.


Travis