Spent grain

[tschmidlin]

Blah. It makes good compost regardless.

[Pinski]

Yeah I'm sure. But for asking's sake why would it be green?

Because it has nothing to do with chlorophyll.  Greens have high nitrogen content, browns have high carbon content.  We wash a lot of the carbon out as sugars, so it ends up with higher than normal nitrogen content.  So it's green.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is a source of carbon, a “brown” material. Because the carbohydrates in the grain are removed for use in the brewing process, the spent grain has a higher concentration of nitrogen (proteins) than does unprocessed grain.

I tought that the presence of chlorophyll gives the green color that is generally an indicator of higher nitrogen content and that as decoposition progresses the color fades to brown and you're left with greater carbon ratio. 

Blah is right. It all turns to dirt eventually. 

[bluesman]

I haul the grains out behind my house into a compost pile. They eventually will make it into the garden.

[tschmidlin]

Yeah I'm sure. But for asking's sake why would it be green?

Because it has nothing to do with chlorophyll.  Greens have high nitrogen content, browns have high carbon content.  We wash a lot of the carbon out as sugars, so it ends up with higher than normal nitrogen content.  So it's green.

Many people mistakenly believe that it is a source of carbon, a “brown” material. Because the carbohydrates in the grain are removed for use in the brewing process, the spent grain has a higher concentration of nitrogen (proteins) than does unprocessed grain.

I tought that the presence of chlorophyll gives the green color that is generally an indicator of higher nitrogen content and that as decoposition progresses the color fades to brown and you're left with greater carbon ratio. 

I only know what I've read.  Chlorophyll might be an indicator of higher nitrogen content, but clearly it is not foolproof and probably not the best way to determine whether something is green or brown.  Google works though.

[ccarlson]

I don't care what color it is, I just know that if you pile it real high, rather than spread it out, it will stink like $hit in a few days.

[kramerog]

Mulch.  It really is a good weedblock at least initially because it the grains cement together.

[hubie]

The first time I dumped it on the compost pile and didn't stir it in, the dog later jumped into the pile and ate it all.  I didn't actually see him eat it, but I won't go into how I knew he did ....

[ibru]

I spread my spent grain out in the field next outside the 'cave. I see rabbits, quail and my neighbors "free range chickens" eat it. I guess it makes up for a couple that flew into my yard that the dogs got (they are bird dogs). Anyway, it's gone in a couple days. I told the chicken guy he could have it but he always seems to be busy on brew day. After a few days in the buckets, it can really stink...

[idris_arslanian]

Oooh, I'm in process of building a chicken coop for the three birds we've got in our basement brooder.  If I could feed them spent grains, that would be awesome.

[ccarlson]

I have a hard time composting it. I mix it with kitchen scraps, but inevitably it forms large clumps, I use a modified black barrel that I use to tumble everything and I only put it in after it has dried on the ground for a while. Not sure what causes it but the clumps eventually dry and are like rocks. Not very good mulch.

[euge]

My compost moves. The back portion of my backyard has some low spots that have been home to several piles. You should see the grass where the compost had been.  

[tschmidlin]

I've got to say, the grains from the 20 gallons I did last weekend REEK!!!

I stirred it and worked in some shredded newspaper tonight, I think I can still smell it on my clothes.

[johnf]

If you put an add on Craigslist, folks would be happy to take it away for you.  I have buckets from three different local farmers and I rotate who gets the grain.  And, I get free eggs from two of them.........

They tell me that you shouldn't feed chickens more than 25% spent grain though.  I don't know why or even if that's true. 

True for all animals. Spent grains are nutrionally poor (much of the nutrition is in the beer) bit many animals will eat them exclusively given the choice as they are sweet.

[gymrat]

Aren't they a good source of fiber?

[astrivian]

Here's another idea. Dry out some of the grains then mix them with melted wax to create a fire log. great for camping.