Brewing on a whim!

[teutonic terror]

This is what I'm looking at to make it more convenient to brew on the spur of the moment.

http://www.amazon.com/Pureness-50-Pound ... supplies_9

I only keep specialty grains on hand as well as several different kinds hops and yeast.
I'm going to ask the brewmaster at my LHBS what kind of price I can get on a 50 lb bag of 2 row if I buy it from him
and let him grind it.
I should get at least 5 brews out of it as well as keeping my LHBS in the loop!

[mtsoxfan]

Think about volume. 50# of dog food my take up less space than 50# of grain. How soon will you be using the milled grain? Cryovac may be a better choice.

[John Sand]

It should be okay, I just read of someone using one like it for 50lbs of grain. Some are listed in quarts. I store a 50lb bag of whole barley in two 5 gallon buckets. There was a little grain left over, so you need more than 40 quarts. I bought and stored my grain whole, grind it in the blender. That works well for BIAB. I've never brewed with anyone else, so I don't know how it compares.

[FedoraDave]

Milled grain won't keep as well as whole grain. And even though those containers have lids, they're not airtight. I see a couple of potential problems:

1 - The issue of exposure to air over time. Less of an issue with whole grains, but even then, it's an issue. And it's a big issue with milled grains. Do you want to make beer out of potentially stale grain?

2 - Pest problems. I see many instances of Indian Meal Moths and/or other pantry pests infesting grain products in such situations. If you get meal moths or grain beetles in this stuff, you'll have no choice but to throw the whole thing out. Not to mention the potential problem of these pests infesting other products and becoming a real problem in the rest of the house.

There's also the possibility of mold/fungus, depending on where you store it, and the relative humidity and storage time.

Your choice, of course, but since I've found an LHBS that stocks their grains in bulk, I don't mind driving the hour to get there every week or two and picking up exactly what I need. Anything left over is minimal, and I have a vacuum-sealer to store them and keep them fresh nearly indefinitely. I also grind my own grains, so I'm talking about whole grains. And YMMV, of course.

[russki]

I buy a lot of grain in bulk - usually have 50-55# bags of 2-row, pilsener, Maris Otter, Munich, and wheat (in different states of depletion) on hand, plus an assortment of specialty grains, all uncrushed. Some I transfer to 5 gal food safe buckets from Lowes (takes 2 buckets per bag), some I just keep in bags they came in - I just twist the top of the bag closed and wrap a piece of wire around to keep it tight. Haven't had any issues with bugs or grain going stale. I can brew pretty much anything at a moments notice. I've had some of the grain for over two years.

Having said that, I would not store crushed grains for more than a couple months. Having a grain mill is essential! I have a Cerial Killer from www.homebrewing.org, and it's been serving me well.

[haerbob3]

If you are going to grains on hand. I would invest in a grain mill. You can tell the difference in taste from crushed grain that has been sitting for month and grain just crushed and brewed. When I do buy a kit I never have the grains crushed.

[teutonic terror]

Thanks for the input guys!
Good points all!

I like having my LHBS crush my grains. It gives me time to socialize and pick the brewmaster's brain
for a little while.
What I might do is store smaller amounts rather than 50 lbs at a time. Something I can use up with in a month or so.
Then again, I might just keep things as they are and buy as I need it, just plan a little better!
Working 3rd shift, I have alot of middle of the night free time on weekends and the pipeline is pretty
depleted right now.

[FedoraDave]

I've picked my LHBS guy's brain, even though it means just standing there and talking. If the store isn't busy at the moment, and he's a stand-up guy, he'll enjoy talking as much as you do. At least, that's my experience.

I like milling my own grains because it not only ensures my grains are freshly crushed just prior to mashing, but I've found that it coincides perfectly with the time it takes for the strike water to get to temperature. Multi-tasking in action!

I understand the need to be prepared if you work split shifts or don't know for sure when you'll have the opportunity to brew. Me, I brew every Sunday morning, and SWMBO and The Bhoy-o know that, and expect it. When possible, I go to the LHBS on Saturday. Yesterday, I picked up what I needed for today's brew, and for next week's also. I have that luxury of advance planning and a set schedule, but you do what you gotta do.