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Spent Grain: If someone is willing to buy, how much should I charge?

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  • Spent Grain: If someone is willing to buy, how much should I charge?

    For the last 25 years we have always given away our spent grain to a farmer for free since he picks it up and hauls it away for us. It seems like a great deal for both of us, we don't have to pay to dump it, he doesn't have to pay for feed for his pigs and cattle. Recently someone inquired about buying it from us. It would be nice to have some extra income, so we are thinking about selling it, but we don't know how much to charge for it. Does anyone have a recommendation for how much spent grain usually goes for? Also I understand that there has been a lot of talk about new regulations for how spent grain is stored and handled, but we are only a small brewpub with a 1500 bbl capacity, so I don't think we fall into the regulation category. Am I wrong about that? Can't wait to hear some response on this...

  • #2
    Look in our supplier directory

    Specialty Services >> Waste Management Consultants/Services

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    • #3
      As I understand it, if you actually sell the grain it counts as an Animal Feed, and as such you have to supply certain rudimentary numbers from an analysis. Total Protein, fiber, etc..
      Russell Everett
      Co-Founder / Head Brewer
      Bainbridge Island Brewing
      Bainbridge Island, WA

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      • #4
        Is your source reliable? If they are, that is worth a lot. About every four to six months we have to find a new person to pick up our grain because they stop picking it up. We only do about 800 lbs per week though. I suspect the buyers will decide if it is worth it very quickly, and if not, they will stop coming. Then you will have to try to get your reliable source back or find someone new.

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        • #5
          I agree with I H8 UM. Sometimes convenience outweighs headache. If your paying source doesn't work out, your reliable source may not come back. Stick with the good thing.

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          • #6
            Word. A reliable farmer is worth his or her weight in Amarillo.
            Russell Everett
            Co-Founder / Head Brewer
            Bainbridge Island Brewing
            Bainbridge Island, WA

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Bainbridge View Post
              As I understand it, if you actually sell the grain it counts as an Animal Feed, and as such you have to supply certain rudimentary numbers from an analysis. Total Protein, fiber, etc..
              We do have a total nutritional analysis done with each batch by the local university (WVU), they use our spent grain samples every week in their Animal Nutrition class, so that is not a problem. Just hoping to get a number on how much it is worth to someone who is willing to pay.

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              • #8
                we have a farmer that come every week and he's more then happy to pick it up he brings us pizza once in a while for giving him the grains now in the summer a friend of mine raises pigs we put 2-5 bags on the side for him evry time but the end result is we get 1/2 a pig its about 60 lbs of meet we just pay the butching fee of 68$ stick with the farmers there trust worthy and happy to pick it up and as a bonus if your a hunter like we are they let us go up to the farm during the season which means more then money to me as for the qwestion the stuff sell pretty cheep there a contract brewery not far from us they sell it by the truck load to big dairy farmers like 400 500$ for several tons hope this helps
                cheers matt 3GB

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                • #9
                  I'm always a fan of trading favors rather than cash for this kind of trivial stuff.


                  You want our grain to feed your animals? Help me feed my animals and bring us some pizza or something you raise on the farm

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                  • #10
                    We have a super small system in Ecuador so what we sell our grain for might not make sense in the states but we sell it for $.25 a kilo and our guy is stoked to pay that.

                    Favors are always nice too though.
                    Last edited by TheMadHopper; 01-31-2015, 10:06 AM.

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                    • #11
                      I hate to agree with someone with an "I H8 UM" user name, but he/she speaks the truth. That said, it doesn't surprise me they lose farmers every 4-6 months. They're all in Ohio, after all. Seriously, though, 25 years of pickups sounds amazing. Your long-term relationships are worth far more than your short-term profits, which is what your spent grain revenue will become once your new farmer realizes they can get free spent grain from other breweries.

                      Joe from UM
                      Head Brewer
                      Narrows Brewing Company
                      Tacoma, Wa

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                      • #12
                        We charge $20 a ton. The local university can provide a feed analysis.
                        --Dean Brundage
                        Owner / Unscrambler of Eggs
                        Blake's Steaks Sandwich Shop
                        (650) 823-3389

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                        • #13
                          We sell our grain for 5 cents a pound or $110 per ton (wet weight) and we have a list of farmers ready to take it and not blinking about the price (which is making us think we are to cheap so we are gathering info right now to see how high we could go). Considering we are paying around $600 per ton delivered for our malt the money we are getting for the spent grain is a considerable reduction in our production costs.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by dfalken View Post
                            We sell our grain for 5 cents a pound or $110 per ton (wet weight) and we have a list of farmers ready to take it and not blinking about the price (which is making us think we are to cheap so we are gathering info right now to see how high we could go). Considering we are paying around $600 per ton delivered for our malt the money we are getting for the spent grain is a considerable reduction in our production costs.
                            I'm interested to know what info you gathered on accurate spent grain prices. If you could share that number with me I would appreciate it greatly. Especially being in Dallas, perhaps you might know a farmer in our neck of the woods that would purchase spent grain from our production facility in Rockwall? (long shot, but hey, doesn't hurt to ask).
                            Cheers

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