Growing mushrooms on spent grain

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Burlyman

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May 20, 2020
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Location
Billericay, Essex, UK
I'm wondering if it is possible to grow mushrooms on spent grain?
Anyone tried this before or had any success in doing so..
It is something that I've been thinking about for a while now and am keen to know more about.
Cheers!
 
Spent grain starts to ferment and stink after a couple of days, and gets quite warm. Probably great for mushrooms. Don't add it you bread unless it is absolutely fresh, by the way. It utterly destroys the gluten as I found recently to my cost.
 
I think they need temp control in the cool side and artificial light cycle to mimic shorter autumn days. I seen a programme where they were grown in a shipping container which was like a giant brew fridge.
 
As mentioned above, be careful where you grow them as spent grain is rat utopia.

When Geordie beer kits were located at North Shields on the banks of the Tyne they dumped the used grain on the rocks at the back of the premises at low tide. Within seconds the area was infested. Great fun for the local kids who had air guns😄
 
I dried a lot of mushrooms last autumn, absolutely brilliant, like mushroom chips, strong flavour and sure I read recently that they are available commercially.
Here is a recipe for an Imperial Stout using mushrooms, not something I would have considered but can imagine the strong flavour of the dried mushrooms coming through.
Something to consider when either picking or growing mushrooms.
Imperial Stout with Dried Mushrooms and Cumaru - Brew Your Own
 
I have to throw my spent grain in the bin as I have no way to use/recycle in my garden and I have to say that the smell is absolutely repulsive if I don't double bag it!

I can't imagine what it would be like after a few days open in a shed ...
 
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