Spent brewing grains? Frozen barley treat!

[CrackyMcZap]

I brew beer and always feel it's a shame to waste all that leftover protein and starch in the barley mash.

Pure chicken food:

So I spread the wet mash out on some extra window screens and let it dry out some in the sun:

I get these plastic tubs by the dozen at the hospital where I work, they hold saline flush syringes and are thrown out. Any container should work. Milk carton? Cardboard box lined with a plastic bag? You get the picture.

I fill about halfway, and slap a piece of foil over top of the grain, then make a stack that will fit in the freezer:

Then they go into the freezer (those are HOPS you nutjobs!) where I can plunk one down every few days as a tasty treat:

Click for bonus fowl-on-barley action video.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Great post, and timely for me. This weekend I toured a local brewery and the brewmaster told me he'd be happy to give me as much spent grain as I'd take. I think I'll steal your idea for storing it.

 

[AyeUpChuck]

Man that's FAB! We brew our own beer and live in Oregon where we have TONS of breweries. I think i may just have to hit some of them up.

 

[CrackyMcZap]

I forgot to mention, a sheet or two of soy-ink newsprint would probably work as well as the foil as a separator. Just toss it in the compost when they have picked it clean and shredded it.