# Buying Grain In Bulk



## dkaos (5/10/10)

Hi All,
I've just discovered the joys of All Grain brewing. It's BIAB at the moment as it's cost effective, but i've got my 3 kegs ready to go.

Anyway, as I'm interested in buying bulk grain I'm trying to think of what I should be buying a 25kg sack of. I'm a big fan of the Belgian beers so I guess I would be steering towards brewing those most of the time. 

If you buy multiple bags of malt, what do you go for? Do you keep a stash of 3 or 4 different base malts or just the 1 and stick with it? 

My final question to Sydney-siders is: where are you buying your bulk base malt?

Cheers

Clint


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## felten (5/10/10)

Its a good idea to bulk buy your base malt, Belgians usually use pilsner so thats a good start.


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## Lord Raja Goomba I (5/10/10)

Clints Gadgets said:


> Hi All,
> I've just discovered the joys of All Grain brewing. It's BIAB at the moment as it's cost effective, but i've got my 3 kegs ready to go.
> 
> Anyway, as I'm interested in buying bulk grain I'm trying to think of what I should be buying a 25kg sack of. I'm a big fan of the Belgian beers so I guess I would be steering towards brewing those most of the time.
> ...



Honestly up to your budget. I personally like Weyermanns Premium Pilsner malt as a base, as it goes with just about anything and can be adjusted for darker beers with some spec malt. It is a little more per kilo, but if you are buying bulk, you'll save so much on buying per kg, that it honestly won't make a difference.

Also makes a terrific base for a SMaSH quaffer for summer. I made one with just Citra hops and WPPM - and honestly, not a winter beer, but for slaking the thirst on a warm day (and they are starting to become more frequent up here in Queensland).

Not so much a complex malt, but I either 50/50 my base malts with something else to increase complexity, or use specs to alter the profile. But as a base, it is fantastic.

I use wheat malt in most of my beers as I find it increases head retention (and I like wheat beers as well), so if you are like me, then a bag of wheat malt is never a bad thing. Even if you are only using 500g at a time, then it'll last for the next 50 batches. Or a couple of wheat beer batches.

Maybe Thomas Fawcett floor malted maris otter - especially if you like british beers, though I think it works well as a base for an american beer if you mash low enough.

Finally, BIAB is fantastic - I heartily recommend it. My only reason for switching to a 3V system would be large batches, once I have kegs. But otherwise the quality of the beer, so long as your process is right will be fantastic.

Hope this helps you out.


Goomba


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## raven19 (5/10/10)

I tend to use Alt or Pilsner Malt as the base grains in most of my beers. Add in some munich and you pretty much have most of the beer base grains covered in terms of your base malts.


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## Swinging Beef (5/10/10)

Try to have a bag of wheat, pale malt, pilsener, floor malted marris otter and munich.
Grab all the spec grains you want from our lovely sponsors.


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## manticle (5/10/10)

I've tried to build up my stocks of base malt. In bulk buys I tend to go for 25kg each of pilsner and pale (sometimes ale, sometimes marris otter which is great for UK styles). I've recently started splitting other base malts like wheat, vienna and munich so I have good amounts of that on hand too.

@Raven19 - what's alt malt?


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## Bribie G (5/10/10)

Pity you live in Sydney, the last AHB grain bulk buy fizzled out in February. They happen regularly in Qld and Vic thanks to Craftbrewer who can arrange it via Derrimut as well as Brisbane so that's fine, but I don't know how you would get on in Sydney. 

Maybe some members there could advise, I reckon it's overdue. Just needs someone to pop their head up and take charge / organise.


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## chopdog (5/10/10)

BribieG said:


> Pity you live in Sydney, the last AHB grain bulk buy fizzled out in February. They happen regularly in Qld and Vic thanks to Craftbrewer who can arrange it via Derrimut as well as Brisbane so that's fine, but I don't know how you would get on in Sydney.
> 
> Maybe some members there could advise, I reckon it's overdue. Just needs someone to pop their head up and take charge / organise.




i may be interested if organised, as my ag setup is getting close to completion


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## bkmad (5/10/10)

Daves hombrew in North Sydney will sell malt by the 25kg sack, as will ESB in Peakhurst. I've bought from both, and both do good service.


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## dkaos (5/10/10)

bkmad said:


> Daves hombrew in North Sydney will sell malt by the 25kg sack, as will ESB in Peakhurst. I've bought from both, and both do good service.



Thanks for the replies all. It stuff like this that makes AHB such a great community!

Brew On!

Clint


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## felon (5/10/10)

I get my 25kg bags from ESB at Peakhurst. Very helpful people.


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## berto (5/10/10)

Quite fitting you raised this toady. 
I'm looking at starting a Syd bulk buy if there is interest for it. I got approval from Dane last night. 

Check the BB section for anyone interested in Sydney.


Sydney Grain Bulk Buy


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## bullfrog (5/10/10)

Country Brewer sell in 25kg sacks, from memory. They're my local HBS so I tend to get most of my grain from them (especially now that they've broadened their range) but I'm yet to have bought in bulk. Reckon it's high-time -- heading to Berto's thread now!


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## black_labb (6/10/10)

I use the country brewer too and get 25kg of joe white ale or pilsener. my CB doesnt usually have it in stock but gets orders weekly so I just order it in. the prices are competitive with what'i've seen online. 
I alternate between the ale and pils and try to keep some carrying over between the 2. I make a fair few apa's/ipa's/australian pales where pils or ale malts will both work so i use what I have most of or a bit of both and keep enough ale for bitters, stouts, brown ales ect and keep enough pils for tripels/wit's/weizens. I'm not much of a pale lager drinker and would only make one to challenge myself to make a good bohemian pilsener. I'd prefer to drink something similar with coopers yeast or whatever so i'll just do that. i'm thinking i should get a half bag of wheat malt as well for a couple batches of wit's and weizens i'll be doing soon.

I've been making my own crystal and minich/biscuit ect but not because i have trouble getting it at the country brewer.

I also stop into daves home brew when riding my bike back from university occasionally and get equally good service and advice, though i usually only grab some hops and have a look around as I dont want to carry a 25kg bag of grain on the pushbike.


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