Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

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StillsandBills
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Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

So I have run into this problem repeatedly over the years; why would someone pay 100$ for quality corn from a brewery supply store? The big distilleries are buying in massive quantities, and either own their farms or have contracts. But my question is, where do small craft distilleries buy their grains in 100-500# quantities? They are definitely not using feed store grain, and they can't be buying corn at 8/pound from homebrew supply stores, so where do they buy their grains? I am looking for a bulk supplier for orders 100# or more but 500# max and preferably milled to something close to flour consistency.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
Jstroke
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by Jstroke »

There is a difference between a feed store and a Feed Mill. Feed Mills will make custom grinds and blends sometimes for as little as 500-1000 lbs. my local mill will do 500 lb batches. They sell whole or ground grains, make all grain sweetfeed etc. what you need is the Mill. The challenge:how far is it from you.
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by cob »

Well IF you were my neighbor, you could drive 15 miles and the farmer that

grew it and ground it would load a 1 ton tote in your truck for $425 today.
Last edited by cob on Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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StillsandBills
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

cob wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 2:19 pm Will IF you were my neighbor, you could drive 15 miles and the farmer that

grew it and ground it would load a 1 ton tote in your truck for $425 today.
Yeah, that would be amazing but my guess is that you are not in the greater Sacramento/bay area of CA.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
StillsandBills
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

Jstroke wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 1:15 pm There is a difference between a feed store and a Feed Mill. Feed Mills will make custom grinds and blends sometimes for as little as 500-1000 lbs. my local mill will do 500 lb batches. They sell whole or ground grains, make all grain sweetfeed etc. what you need is the Mill. The challenge:how far is it from you.
Yeah, I am just not in a location remotely close to any mills, as far as I can tell. That said, there are at least ten small craft distilleries near me. I wonder if I start calling them, one will let me in on the secret.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
greggn
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by greggn »

StillsandBills wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:25 pm
But my question is, where do small craft distilleries buy their grains in 100-500# quantities? They are definitely not using feed store grain,

Well, they essentially are using feed store grain.

The craft distilleries in my are boast of their "farm to bottle" supply chain using locally sourced grains. Well, those same farmers are also selling to the local feed stores.

I recently bought 150 lbs of "feed store" whole red wheat. Those 50 lb sacks were every bit as clean as the 5 lb bags I see at the HBS.
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillerBoy »

StillsandBills wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 3:41 pm I wonder if I start calling them, one will let me in on the secret.
I've have bought from local both beer and spirit craft shops..

But you wouldn't get anything from them by calling.. a visit in person will probably be lucky..

Keep in mind that they have to be accountable for the grain they use, so they may not want to part with some..

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Twisted Brick
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

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StillsandBills wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:25 pm But my question is, where do small craft distilleries buy their grains in 100-500# quantities?
You might call Admiral Maltings . They're in Alameda. Their Customer list is extensive and their malt prices are listed on their website.

I've bought from these guys a few times. They're in Petaluma. They only have raw grains but they malt up nicely. Many of the San Francisco restaurants source from them.

I malt and mill all my grains myself, and usually source 50lb sacks from Azure Standard. You gotta go pick up your order from a truck drop site at a time they specify, but orders over $50 ship free and their pricing is very good.

For cornmeal sometimes I go to Restaurant Depot.

If you're looking only for bulk pricing on milled malt, good luck.
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Deplorable
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by Deplorable »

I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by Newtothis »

Twisted Brick wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:37 pm
StillsandBills wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:25 pm But my question is, where do small craft distilleries buy their grains in 100-500# quantities?
You might call Admiral Maltings . They're in Alameda. Their Customer list is extensive and their malt prices are listed on their website.

I've bought from these guys a few times. They're in Petaluma. They only have raw grains but they malt up nicely. Many of the San Francisco restaurants source from them.

I malt and mill all my grains myself, and usually source 50lb sacks from Azure Standard. You gotta go pick up your order from a truck drop site at a time they specify, but orders over $50 ship free and their pricing is very good.

For cornmeal sometimes I go to Restaurant Depot.

If you're looking only for bulk pricing on milled malt, good luck.
Thanks for list!
I keep an eye out for good deals on grain from adventures in home brews . They have smoking deals occasionally with free shipping on 50 lb sacks of barley , wheat and rye.
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by squigglefunk »

Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
for an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me :thumbup: I mean it would be a lot but I could go through it pretty fast if I wanted to lol
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillerBoy »

squigglefunk wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:55 am or an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me
Large family to feed..

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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by Deplorable »

squigglefunk wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:55 am
Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
for an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me :thumbup: I mean it would be a lot but I could go through it pretty fast if I wanted to lol
My mashes are 50# of grain I usually do 4 to 6 ferments a season. So that's well over a two year supply of corn in my shed.
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
StillsandBills
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
I was talking about total orders of 500# not 500# of individual grain. My AG run about 60-70 pounds each so figuring 2 fermentation batches going at once you can run through it fairly quickly.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
StillsandBills
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

Deplorable wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:49 am
squigglefunk wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:55 am
Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
for an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me :thumbup: I mean it would be a lot but I could go through it pretty fast if I wanted to lol
My mashes are 50# of grain I usually do 4 to 6 ferments a season. So that's well over a two year supply of corn in my shed.
I am running at least 4 ferments a month takes a lot of product to fill 5-25gal test barrels on top of that I have a lot of "friends and family" that hinder the product from making its way into the dam barrel lol
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

Deplorable wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:49 am
squigglefunk wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:55 am
Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
for an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me :thumbup: I mean it would be a lot but I could go through it pretty fast if I wanted to lol
My mashes are 50# of grain I usually do 4 to 6 ferments a season. So that's well over a two year supply of corn in my shed.
Just some back-of-the-hand math 4 runs a month 12 months a year at 65# a run burns over 3k gain a year, running at 8% getting in the 200gal ballpark. That is where I would like to be once I have my grain source down.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
StillsandBills
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by StillsandBills »

Twisted Brick wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:37 pm
StillsandBills wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 12:25 pm But my question is, where do small craft distilleries buy their grains in 100-500# quantities?
You might call Admiral Maltings . They're in Alameda. Their Customer list is extensive, and their malt prices are listed on their website.

I've bought from these guys a few times. They're in Petaluma. They only have raw grains but they malt up nicely. Many of the San Francisco restaurants source from them.

I malt and mill all my grains myself, and usually source 50lb sacks from Azure Standard. You gotta go pick up your order from a truck drop site at a time they specify, but orders over $50 ship free and their pricing is very good.

For cornmeal sometimes I go to Restaurant Depot.

If you're looking only for bulk pricing on milled malt, good luck.
So thank you for the tips huge help already have a test order incoming from azure standard should have picked up in 2 weeks. I try to avoid cornmeal for a few reasons. All the big boys grind to flour for max yield and ease of pumping; looking to scale up in the future, that is the way I would be headed, so I want my test batches to match up as close as they can with future more significant runs. Second I do not have a hammer mill, so I can't run it down to flour myself. I have had a few suppliers reply to me recently BSG, County Malt Group, and Whiskey sisters supply, are all open to "smaller" orders of their full catalog. That said BSG and County Malt Group both have pesky applications required to be a customer including some info that I don't have yet so trying to find a workaround. That said it looks like Whiskey Sisters Supply might be open to just filling orders so hopefully updates to follow with that.
This has to be easier than nuclear chemistry….
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by Deplorable »

StillsandBills wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:33 pm
Deplorable wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 10:49 am
squigglefunk wrote: Fri Jan 27, 2023 6:55 am
Deplorable wrote: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:27 pm I cant imagine going through a 500 pound tote bag of milled corn before it went bad, or the vermin got into it.
Thats a lot of mashing, even if you're just making 100% corn whisky.
for an "all corn" it would be like 6 mashes for me :thumbup: I mean it would be a lot but I could go through it pretty fast if I wanted to lol
My mashes are 50# of grain I usually do 4 to 6 ferments a season. So that's well over a two year supply of corn in my shed.
Just some back-of-the-hand math 4 runs a month 12 months a year at 65# a run burns over 3k gain a year, running at 8% getting in the 200gal ballpark. That is where I would like to be once I have my grain source down.
That's some serious production for a "hobby". :shh:
Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
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RC Al
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Re: Bulk Grain suppliers West Coast

Post by RC Al »

Get in touch with your local beer clubs, the ones around here do group buys and ive occasionally gotten some great prices, under 70c usd per pound for basics and about 20% more for exotics when you buy it by the bag.

Production quantity comes down to what size barrel your trying to fill. I hate that the big ones are the cheapest to buy used, but the hardest to fill with hobby sized gear... Sigh
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