Using Spent Grain

[AMyd666]

Morning folks. I left my bag of grain in a soup pan with the lid on overnight. It smells kind of sour now. Is it spoiled, therefore I can't make flour out of it?

 

[AdeDunn]

+1 on dog biscuits, my wife makes them, when ingredients are more available she actually sells them too, along with hand made collars, cat toys etc. I used to compost some but it goes in the bin now (I only have 3 compost bins, and when I am brewing I produce a lot of spent grain, and we have rats in the area so have to be careful with disposal, lots of spent grain in the composter and they ignore the bait boxes.....). Oh, and my wife adds dried brewers yeast to some of the dog biscuits (not stuff my brewing, she actually buys it in bulk), good stuff for dogs. Doesn't use coconut oil.

Used hops go in the composter, as does trub.

If I skim the boil, the protein skimmed goes in a bowl for the dogs (BEFORE hops have gone in obviously).

 

[Grealish]

Morning folks. I left my bag of grain in a soup pan with the lid on overnight. It smells kind of sour now. Is it spoiled, therefore I can't make flour out of it?

I wouldn't. If it smells like that I'm guessing it'll taste like it too. It does make an excellent addition to bread, especially if you also replace water with the wort from your starter (if you use it). It's even better than real beer because there is no hop flavour. Likewise with beef in beer.

 

[Oneflewover]

Mine prefer them wet.

I'm going to be getting chickens soon, and was wondering about this. Is there enough nutrition left in the grain to be of any value to the chicken?

 

[nixhaz]

Yeah there's loads of nutrition in it. Very high in protein and vitamins (and lots of fibre).

 

[Leon103]

I'm going to be getting chickens soon, and was wondering about this. Is there enough nutrition left in the grain to be of any value to the chicken?

I am no expert but some breweries sell spent grain to farmer so must be something in it. I give it alongside they normal feed.

 

[Deadhead]

Yes, my chooks love beer grain. They get so excited when they see me coming out with the bucket!

Ooh the wort from starter, that could be interesting to make bread with.

 

[jceg316]

I have previously made dog biscuits, I think it's possible to make human biscuits too. As we have 5 chickens who live in the compost, I dump it in the compost the chickens gobble it up. They don't seem to notice quite how hot it is sometimes...

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I dried some used grains and put them out for the wild birds in the garden. They never touched them. We did find a dead Great Tit by the back door but I don't think it was killed by the grain.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

I dried some used grains and put them out for the wild birds in the garden. They never touched them. We did find a dead Great Tit by the back door but I don't think it was killed by the grain.

yes, I’ve put dried spent grains in my bird feeder and noticed the dozens of blue tits and sparrows we have in the garden don’t touch it.

 

[Deadhead]

yes, I’ve put dried spent grains in my bird feeder and noticed the dozens of blue t**s and sparrows we have in the garden don’t touch it.

The same here. The collared doves on the other hand love it!

 

[Gerryjo]

I dried some used grains and put them out for the wild birds in the garden. They never touched them. We did find a dead Great Tit by the back door but I don't think it was killed by the grain.

Birds won't eat them even the magpies...

 

[CD]

Sheep will eat brewers grains under protest. Pigs absolutely love them.

 

[Richie_asg1]

As well as a compost bin, I also have a worm bin going for kitchen waste, and the spent grain seems to make excellent vermicompost. You can later use this to add as a top dressing or make liquid feed from.
As it is a sealed bin with small holes there is less chance of rats.

I think the best way to save them is to get them in the oven on trays as soon as you can to drive the moisture out quickly.