Mice in grain

[Beer Ninja]

Hmm a brewery in Dublin and rats ? Seems legit

As a lad, the old guys always used to tell us about the rat in the bottom of the barrel. Never used to put me of my beer because I didn't believe them.

Maybe I was wrong. So very wrong....

 

[Spiesy]

I have a loaded rat trap in my brewery, which contains many, many kilos of grain - prob half a tonne (the brewery, not the rat trap).

It's never gone off. And I've never noticed any droppings or anything.

I just store all grain in air tight drums and clean up after each measure of grain.

 

[Greg.L]

It's best to store grain in metal containers, if rats get at it they will chew right through plastic - even if it's airtight and there is no theoretical way they could smell it.

There is the old story about putting a lump of rotten meat in with fermenting cider to give some nitrogen - a dead mouse would do nicely.

For grain there is a specification for how much dead insect matter is allowable, it is well above zero.

 

[Truman42]

If you leave a bowl of water somewhere near the ratsak the mice will usually head for that as the poison makes them very thirsty.

On the weekend I noticed some nibbled grain husks under my mill which sits on a bench in the garage. Set a trap with peanut butter and the next morning a fat mouse was hanging out of the trap.

 

[JDW81]

There is the old story about putting a lump of rotten meat in with fermenting cider to give some nitrogen - a dead mouse would do nicely.

Mouse urine is high in nitrogen…..

 

[Yob]

Jeebus Spiesy, that's a lot of containers... How big is ya brewery!

I've noticed much more rat activity since I evicted the possums from my shed roof, grain is in very thick plastic drums but I do need to begin an eradication program.

 

[jaypes]

You could possibly give your grain a good wash before milling, I have heard brewers doing this before a mash (cant remember what the hell for!)

As for the eradication I am all for the traps that deliver a high voltage fatal zap (was an electrician in a previous life)

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

You mouse infected grain will be a ok to brew with so don't fret mate

Well, I can see what you have been taking......would you still use it if some one came in and **** & pissed all over your grain

If they have just a nibble at the corner then it will prob be ok

http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/diseases/direct.html

 

[DU99]

 

[Fents]

 

[TimT]

Yep. If it doesn't ruin your grain, consider it yeast nutrient.

We've had mouse problems in the past - indeed, the cats have discovered a little beasty just five minutes ago - but funnily enough they never seem interested in my grain. Probably all that mess in the kitchen and the compost bin is adequate distraction....

 

[Spiesy]

Jeebus Spiesy, that's a lot of containers... How big is ya brewery!

Not that big, tbh. Just storing a lot of backup grain for FP.

 

[pk.sax]

You could possibly give your grain a good wash before milling, I have heard brewers doing this before a mash (cant remember what the hell for!)

As for the eradication I am all for the traps that deliver a high voltage fatal zap (was an electrician in a previous life)

We had a big silo in he house in india to store wheat for milling for our own flour we got from mate out in the village. Always added poison tablets to the silo, the ones that release fumes to keep both mice and bugs out. It was a monthly ritual to draw grain and wash and sun dry enough to take to the mill for a nice coarse unfiltered crush.

 

[Funk then Funk1]

Just remember, if you spot something that looks like black grains in your mash and you didn't put in any dark specs in, I'd pick them out, they probably aren't grain :blink:

 

[QldKev]

Just remember, if you spot something that looks like black grains in your mash and you didn't put in any dark specs in, I'd pick them out, they probably aren't grain :blink:

Just tell them it's wholemeal

 

[syl]

I have 2 cats and half a tonne of grain, no issues here! My cats like to sit on the piled up bags and look out the window

 

[QldKev]

I have 2 cats and half a tonne of grain, no issues here! My cats like to sit on the piled up bags and hide from the mice

Fixed

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Still....sorry...but if Smouse laid a tune on my fresh malt....id be kicken it.

 

[argon]

My two cats are humane mouse traps.

OT

Wait... Wait... Hold up. Ever seen a cat catch and kill a mouse? Those fuckers would make Pol Pot turn in his grave. Evil little ***** they are.

My cats have tossed mice in the air for hours skinned and devoured those little pricks. Humane they are not. Effective yes... Humane certainly not.

Carry on...

 

[Florian]

Argon, it's called training. Once they catch one they use it again and again for training purposes so they can catch the next one even faster.
Used to love watching them. Every now and again they would loose a mouse during training.

Also, finding a dead rat in front of your bed in the morning for 'thanksgiving' is a nice gesture, but not one I really appreciate.