The all-grain pantry. What to keep stock of?

[cannman]

Just like a good chef, there are always items in the pantry to whip up a favorite dish. Even in my home, we keep a spice rack. But what about for all grain brewing? Is it practical to keep buckets of grains and hops ready to go (assuming they are stored properly) and have a "spice rack" of ingredients for holiday brews and novelties?

What would you keep on hand? I understand buying large quantities is also cheaper!

For those of you ready with your "well it depends on what you like to drink" reply:

I love IPAs, Irish Stouts, Arrogant Bastard, but rarely have I found a beer I haven't appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Snicklefritz]

You definitely want to get a few 55lb sacks of your favorite base malt of choice. Then just get a few pounds of the specialty malts you normally use. For IPAs, I tend to stock C40, C60 and C120. Ill keep some some wheat around (which ill add to almost anything for head retention). I also usually have some roasted barley/midnight wheat in stock. Then of course the hops you normally use as well. I don't usually buy less than a pound of hops at a time these days.

You still need to hit the LHBS or Internet for random specialty grains or adjuncts but you can do a lot with just the basics.

 

[Hamaki]

I like to keep a bag or two of two row, wheat and pilsner. I like to have several pounds of Crystal (generally C60), chocolate, carapils, munich, and Vienna. I order several hops a pound at a time, right now I have Warrior, Cascade, Centennial & Saaz in bulk and a few others by the ounce. I try to keep several packets of dry yeast on hand, mostly US-05. I still seem to have to go to the LHBS more often than one would think necessary.

 

[Arrheinous]

55# bags of Maris Otter with 10# each of specialty malts (Aromatic, Victory, C60, Caramunich, Malted Wheat) and 1# each of dark malts (Special B, C120, Midnight Wheat) or very specialty malts (Honey Malt) that I use less often. Alternate base malts like Munich, Vienna, and pilsener get bought in 10# when needed.

And for hops I buy a pound each of a low AA, mid AA, and high AA hop with versatile characteristics. Usually one is a Golding and another is citrusy.

I've started storing American and French oak cubes in 2oz increments on top of interesting spirits and wine like vermouth, Kahlua, and good old whiskeys.

I keep a supply of lactic acid diluted to 4.8% instead of buying acidulated malt and use that to 'convert' base malt into acid malt at a rate of 1oz per 10# per 1% acid malt desired in the grist. 1% acid malt for non-dark mashes to account for the water pH and 3% for sours.

 

[jiggs_casey]

I try and 'buy up' when I make trips to the store. If my recipe calls for 3 lbs of crystal 'whatever' I buy 5. If I need 2 oz of citra, I buy 3. If you can swing it, buy a grain mill, that way you can store up unused grain. Although it may store for a while, once milled, grain will lose it's 'freshness'. It will keep for a LONG time unmilled and stored properly. It might even be a good idea, just starting out to establish a set amount to spend every month / payday and spend it on just random stuff from the lhbs!

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I keep a few sacks of 2row, a couple belg pils, a sack or two of maris and a sack of wheat and c60. Then 5-10# of midnight wheat, c40, c20, Munich, biscuit. Usually a few other things. I can't remember it all.

 

[Malticulous]

Like any good chef keep what you will use. You have to have a menu. You need a better plan.

I buy stuff that I have plains for and maybe something I want to try out--new hops or maybe a new malt. I like to have enough to brew my favorites, APA, IPA, Stout, Porter, CAP, Pilsler, etc. When I brew I like to change it up a bit.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Right now I don't keep much in the way of specialty malts on hand, just crystal 120 and acidulated malt. But I do buy bulk base malt: German pils, Maris Otter pale, GW 2 row, Munich malt, and white wheat malt. Oh, and I buy corn sugar in bulk since I not only use it for priming, but also for Apfelwein and Skeeter Pee.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Right now I don't keep much in the way of specialty malts on hand, just crystal 120 and acidulated malt. But I do buy bulk base malt: German pils, Maris Otter pale, GW 2 row, Munich malt, and white wheat malt. Oh, and I buy corn sugar in bulk since I not only use it for priming, but also for Apfelwein and Skeeter Pee.

Do you want some c120? I kinda have 50# of it.... Wasn't thinking straight when I was on a buying craze last group buy...

 

[Arrheinous]

Do you want some c120? I kinda have 50# of it.... Wasn't thinking straight when I was on a buying craze last group buy...

Try some C120 SMaSH recipes. :rockin:

 

[masonsjax]

Try some C120 SMaSH recipes. :rockin:

Uhh... that won't work out too well.

I started out stocking just bags of base malt. Now I have everything. I probably have better selection at this point than my LHBS does. It's nice to be able to brew anything I want without placing an order or making a trip.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Try some C120 SMaSH recipes. :rockin:

I just threw up in my mouth a little. (I hate that expression but it just fit.) :cross:

 

[grathan]

Some stuff I tend to use a lot of like Munich, white wheat, special roast, biscuit, crystal malt. Some inventory i keep is based around what the LHBS doesn't stock.

 

[riderkb]

I only stock whole leaf hops and dry yeast. Base malt I buy fresh for two batches at a time. Specialty grain gets used up pretty slowly around here, especially the dark stuff.