Fermenting Whole Grains

[adna40082]

I ferment whole grain mash but I can't imagine it's too different from using your own grain mix. The grains in my feed are wheat, barley and peas.

I leave mine in an open jar (you can cover partially or cover with cheesecloth if you have a problem with pests like fruit flies). I backslop and only start a completely fresh batch maybe once a month or so, when I clean out my jar.

Are you sure it was mold on the batch and not yeast? Seems unusual to see mold in only a day. I only get mold when it gets pretty hot, and it's still a rare occurrence then. Mold is fuzzy, yeast is usually more like a scum on top. Google mold vs scoby for images.

It was for sure mold. I think it might have been that I didn't account for the grain expanding and it got exposed to air once it did. Is it ok to ferment feed in a colder environment like a garage?

 

[Perris]

Stirring will speed up the process a bit and ensure consistency, as will putting it somewhere a bit warmer (I stand mine on the boiler housing in the utility room; grains don't smell like pellets do when they ferment, so it's bearable to have it indoors ) but it will ferment in the cold, just more slowly.

 

[adna40082]

Stirring will speed up the process a bit and ensure consistency, as will putting it somewhere a bit warmer (I stand mine on the boiler housing in the utility room; grains don't smell like pellets do when they ferment, so it's bearable to have it indoors ) but it will ferment in the cold, just more slowly.

Thank you so much for the help!

 

[rosemarythyme]

It was for sure mold. I think it might have been that I didn't account for the grain expanding and it got exposed to air once it did. Is it ok to ferment feed in a colder environment like a garage?

You can ferment in a colder spot but it'll slow down the process - I ferment inside my house, but during summer since it's hot, 1 day can be the equivalent of 2 or 3 winter days.

Also re: stirring and mold, I stir when I add feed and water but otherwise I don't stir, too lazy. I also keep it my ferment super thick so there is no layer of water on top as it's fully absorbed in the mix. Having it dry out on top should not be the cause of a mold issue.

 

[centrarchid]

soaked oats

 

[featherhead007]

Hi! I had some questions about fermenting whole grains. I couldn't really find anything specific on it but I heard that whole grains need different fermenting techniques than crumbles and pellets? I tried fermenting before and the next day it had mold on it. Does the batch need to be completely covered or sealed? What grains work best and which ones won't work at all? How long do I have to ferment whole grains? Do I have to restart every time or can I backslop? Sorry for all the questions I was getting a lot of different answers and it was hard to find specific information on this. Thanks.

Be careful, and don't do what I did.... Turn corn into mash that could make whisky! I had to throw the whole batch away!

 

[bradymars]

Best grain to ferment is whole oats. Just fill a bucket half way and cover with water and keep submerged. They are best when they turn sour and don’t go bad the stinkier the better.