Lesson Learned (Noobs need to read this)

[MyCarHasAbs]

So last weekend I brewed my second batch of pumpkin ale as I had a few hiccups on the first one. I've started using a home built mash tun for AG. I was in a bit of a rush as I had a "honey do" list the rest of the weekend and wanted to get the brew done ASAP. It was probably 1 or 2 am before I was able to transfer to my carboy and pitch. I did not clean up like I normally do after a brew.

This is the lesson to be taught to ALL first time all grainers.. CLEAN THE MASH TUN...do NOT let is SIT for 24+hours before cleaning. I am now quite confident I know what Satan's rectum smells like after eating left overs from the Waffle House at 3am. Hands down the most putrid odor I've experienced to date. It was so bad the guy who picked up my garbage every week probably had a bad day afterwards.

So don't leave wet grains in a mash tun over night. Clean that sh*t!!

 

[Munchkin]

cant say ive left grains sitting overnight but i have left other equipment, what a pain. Rinse and clean right after makes life so much easier!

 

[CorporateHippie]

I was at a friend's place just yesterday and he was saying how he had brewed the day before. I went back to his brew area and he had a large grain bill (from a 10 gal batch) that was still in the MLT. All I said was "Wow! that smells like cat piss!" So while I have never left grain in there, I now more then ever plan to always clean up asap

 

[chisena]

I usually add the spent grains back to the heavy plastic bag(s) they came in. They I tie them in a second bag and put the in the trash. By the time my trash comes 4-5 days later the general vicinity around my trash barrel is unapproachable. It's certainly a nasty and penetrating odor.


Sent from my iPad

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Ha! You learned the hard way... Good luck getting rid of the smell. That can be fun.

It is funny, the lessons that I REALLY learned are the times that I really screwed up. It is an effective way at setting a lesson firmly into my brain.

 

[d2xx]

Find a friend that has chickens and give them the grains in exchange for fresh eggs. Thats what I started doing.

 

[skw]

I have seen what spent grain does on my compost pile every time, so I can only imagine the horrors. I've left my wort kettle unwashed over night, turned very moldy, will never do that again.

 

[brewbama]

I dump them on the wood line for the deer and other critters. I use the hot water for my immersion chiller to rinse it out as I am chilling the wort.

Once, I left the lid on and put it on the shelf after rinsing. Not good. Now, everything goes upside down on a baker's rack in the basement to air dry.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[rekoob]

Never NOT cleaned up even on the extra late finishes.

I dump my MLT into a garbage bag and toss. One of the last brews I must have tossed out something that ripped the grain bag... It wasn't good around the trash bin and that smell lasted weeks.

Hope you can get that smell out of your MLT.

 

[IslandLizard]

+1 on the chickens or other animals.

I feed goats, turkeys, and a pig with the spent grains at a small local farm, usually the next day. They gobble it up like crazy. I spread the mash out in one of those low cement mixing tubs to cool off. That prevents the smell from forming.

If I don't get to the farm I spread them over my lawn, scattering hand fulls. The dog chases them.
Adding them to the compost pile is a mixed blessing. They form a dense rug and the smell develops. I'm sure it will compost over time, maybe better mixed in with grass clippings or something.

They also make great bread and dog biscuits.

Now when I used rice hulls, I just spread them over the lawn. The hulls are like needles/razor blades, I don't think they can/should be eaten by any creature, can't be healthy. If someone has better information, let us know. Maybe the chickens pick the grain leaving the hulls.

 

[kombat]

I dump the grains directly into our compost bin (our city has a recycling and compost program). I clean the mash tun during the boil. Why not? It's a time saver and it's got to be done anyway, so why not do it during the 60-90 minutes I'm just watching wort boil anyway?

 

[MyCarHasAbs]

Luckily for me it was dumped in a specialized trash bag that helps keep in odors and was taken out for pick up with in 24 hours. Also, my cats' litter box is in the same area so the smell blended in fairly well. I immediately cleaned my mash tun. Soaked it for an hour in star san and left it slowly drip out to clear the spigot of any baddies.