What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chickens

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alikocho
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What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chickens

Post by alikocho »

This looks like such a great idea - linking homebrewers with those who can use their spent grain in a mutual exchange.
Kegs & Kluckers is an exciting community building event for urban chicken keepers, homebrewers, and the people who love them. This fun-filled event will include home-brewed beers, delicious local fare, Egg Olympic Games (at 8 o'cluck, yes we said "cluck") and appearances by NYC chickens.

This is a great chance for homebrewers (who generate a byproduct called spent grain) and chicken keepers (who can feed their chickens spent grain) to make connections to help create a more efficient and sustainable food system in NYC.

Kegs & Kluckers will raise money for Just Food's City Chicken Project which provides the training, coops and hens that schools and community gardening groups need to raise healthy chickens and delicious eggs. Chickens engage communities while increasing access to healthy food so please help us bring even more of them to NYC by supporting this project and event.
Being held at Brooklyn Brewer - more details here http://www.facebook.com/events/303035403115116/

And something that might work in Bristol as well.
Ali

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BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
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http://serenbrewing.com
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Taz Ales
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by Taz Ales »

Yep. Barnaby has chickens, and he's told me that he'd be grateful for any spent grain.
Taz... or Chris. It's up to you.
SamTait
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What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chickens

Post by SamTait »

I've got chickens (and tbh, a fair amount of grain)

I assume youd have to dry it out to store it for any period, else it'd stink the whole garden out?
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alikocho
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by alikocho »

SamTait wrote:I've got chickens (and tbh, a fair amount of grain)

I assume youd have to dry it out to store it for any period, else it'd stink the whole garden out?
I'd worry less about the smell, but it will attract rats if left in the open. I have no idea how much grain a Chicken eats on a daily basis (although my Uncle assures me that it makes the eggs taste malty).

I'm going to find out in the coming months with my plans for chickens in deep darkest Wales.
Ali

BJCP National Judge
BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
CBA UK Competition and Training Coordinator

http://serenbrewing.com
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BlueGiantSteve
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by BlueGiantSteve »

Spent hops are good for compost aren't they? Sure allotment users would be interested.
Spouting nonsense at http://www.bluegiantbeer.co.uk
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alikocho
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by alikocho »

BlueGiantSteve wrote:Spent hops are good for compost aren't they? Sure allotment users would be interested.
They've been cooked in the boil, so need to compost them in something that will keep the rats/foxes out.
Ali

BJCP National Judge
BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
CBA UK Competition and Training Coordinator

http://serenbrewing.com
SamTait
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What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chickens

Post by SamTait »

Ali - in that respect spent grain is just like layers pellets - we keep them in a metal bin with a brick on the lid to keep critters out.
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Taz Ales
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by Taz Ales »

Spent hops make great mulch too.
Rats aren't attracted by hops, but they definitely are by grain.
I dig a fair amount of grain stright into my allotment as a soil conditioner.
Taz... or Chris. It's up to you.
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periolus
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Re: What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chick

Post by periolus »

At the moment, I am taking spent grain of Matt's hands and keeping it in a metal bucket with a lid. It's all good, but I have found that you only have a few days to get it down the lovely layer's little necks until it starts to get a bit smelly and attract flies etc. Matt's batches feed 6 chickens for about a week and then what's left is added to our composter (most goes to the chickens).

It would be fantastic to start something up that links brewers and chicken 'farmers'. Start a thread on here - there must be a number of brewers with chickens already. Maybe I can start a blog, and link it some existing online resources in Bristol?
SamTait
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What to do with spent grain - an idea from NYC and chickens

Post by SamTait »

Only got two - and one of them's a bantam so I'd only use about 1/3 single brew before its get stinky
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