This will seem a strange topic but I think it's relevant here

[Agentgonzo]

A friend keeps chickens. I gave them a bucket of spent grain the day after a brew. When they put it out it stank and the chickens wouldn't go anywhere near it.

Maybe it needs to be fed to the chickens straight away . We haven't tried since. It just goes in the bin. I stopped putting it in the compost years ago when it attracted rats

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I give the spent grain to my chickens still warm, they can't get enough, same could be said of the rats mind. Although I have found it to be great bait for the traps, well, until they got wise to the traps.

22. In the post

 

[kenstel]

OMG it sounds like getting rid of the grain is a nightmare in the making. We don't have chickens and don't want them, or ducks, rats or squirrels. As for swapping it for manure, the stable is about 100 yards away and he can't give it away. He pays to have it taken away. The first time I wanted some I went and asked if I could have some and he agreed. Went I went with a dozen rubble sacks he was very disappointed, he was hoping I'd go with a trailer and take a couple of tonnes. I wouldn't need to swap anything for it, in fact, if I asked, he'd probably give me some horse food if I took enough manure! Lol

 

[kenstel]

I did hear it could be made into dog biscuits. We don't have a dog but neighbours do and there is also a RNIB dog training school. Anybody tried it?

 

[Agentgonzo]

OMG it sounds like getting rid of the grain is a nightmare in the making

Not really. Just put it in a bag in the bin

 

[Sadfield]

That sounds easier than what I do.

 

[kenstel]

Yes, the bin is an option, but it's a viable food either for soil or animals so ecologically is a shame not to at least try to reuse/recycle it.

 

[Tanglefoot]

I've also seen it suggested baking dog biscuits with spent grain but never got round to it myself - might try it for some Christmas treats for the hounds

 

[MashBag]

I dry it, grind it into flour and bake with it.
Bread not thought of dog biscuits.

 

[kenstel]

For a minute there I thought you were baking muffins or something for your dog! Talk about pampered!

 

[foxy]

Yes, the bin is an option, but it's a viable food either for soil or animals so ecologically is a shame not to at least try to reuse/recycle it.

For the soil, it has to be composted but needs a 2-1 ratio of carbon to make it useful. Dogs love the biscuits, my old dog loved the sweet wort too. Brick making is another way of using spent grain, which makes a superior brick apparently.
Pigeons love it I don't see why chooks wouldn't.

 

[kenstel]

Foxy, interesting. Maybe blackbirds would eat it? Or Dunnocks? Or put in a string bag, maybe goldfinches. Worth a try. The wood pigeons will eat it I'm sure.

Mind you, if I could grind it into flour it'd be tempted to get Mrs K baking with it.

 

[Tony Dyer]

We used to get heaps of spent malt at thge allotment, from our local brewery. It smelt disgusting but when spread about a bit made a good mulch which can be dug in as required. I put spent malt and hops onto my compost heap at home now but I make sure I mix it in well to try and avoid unpleasant aromas! It takes a while to rot down but will do eventually.

 

[kenstel]

Hi Tony. I visited a company a few years ago that had a micro brewery/pub next door. The pub was closed but I spoke to the staff and they gave me a few sacks of spent hops for my compost bins. There wasn't any unpleasant staff from them.

I'm inclined to believe at least for the short term that if mixed in to the compost, it should be OK, especially if dried first and put in with some fresh manure. I'll only be dealing with small amounts so I think it'll be manageable. My main concern as I said in the beginning was not attracting slugs INTO the garden as I have plenty as it is.

 

[Tony Dyer]

Hi Tony. I visited a company a few years ago that had a micro brewery/pub next door. The pub was closed but I spoke to the staff and they gave me a few sacks of spent hops for my compost bins. There wasn't any unpleasant staff from them.

I'm inclined to believe at least for the short term that if mixed in to the compost, it should be OK, especially if dried first and put in with some fresh manure. I'll only be dealing with small amounts so I think it'll be manageable. My main concern as I said in the beginning was not attracting slugs INTO the garden as I have plenty as it is.

Thanks Ken, I think the problem is with large piles of grain that forms a crust and then percolates within the pile. It can really stink! I'm sure that if you can spread it out to dry for a day or two that would make a huge difference.

 

[kenstel]

As long as the smell isn't too rank, I can live with it as the compost bins are not near the house doors or windows. As long as it doesn't attract slugs or rats I dying mind. But I think the wetness might be the problem, so drying it should reduce the problem.

 

[SMP Brewery]

Can’t help how to get them but we have no issues with slugs, snails etc as the hedgehogs eat the lot. We never enticed them they just like our garden, our old dog spent most nights nose to nose with them.
Just need to entice them to the garden.

 

[jof]

My spent grain goes into the food recycling waste.
I tried blitzing some & adding it to the bread maker mix, but the bread came out somewhat strange.
Maybe it works better for lager/pale mixes, bu mine was from a porter. Bread turned out dark & a little sticky.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I did hear it could be made into dog biscuits. We don't have a dog but neighbours do and there is also a RNIB dog training school. Anybody tried it?

I've made bread with up to 20% unground spent grains and it works fine, I've heard of people making flapjacks and all sorts with it. See these recipes :

https://brooklynbrewshop.com/blogs/themash/tagged/spent-grainhttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zc4AKW_1pyD67RJYkEdb49hoxyoCeGHy

 

[kenstel]

SMP, up to this year we had hogs every night. This year, just one on one night. Don't know why.

OK jof, I'll not try bread making!