What to do with spent grains?

[Matt]

I found myself thinking of clever ways to avoid bagging up all the spent grains I'll be creating soon, carrying them down flights of stairs, the length of an alley and eventually chucking them into a dumpster. Sounded like a lot of unnecessary work. I mean, that sounded rather wasteful. Yeah, that's it. :)

So I was wondering... I'd heard of people making dog biscuits with them, and even baking with them. Anybody have any great uses? I know Andy feeds his to his cattle, which is cool, but I don't have any handy. :)

Oh, and Ellen, here's that recipe I promised ya. Apparently the dogs belonging to the author of this recipe absolutely love 'em, and it sounds super simple. I think I'll be making them even though I don't have a dog... I have plenty of friends who do, and eggs and flour are CHEAP. Besides, once those grains are dried out and in little bone-shapes, they aren't so heavy, or space consuming. :)






SPENT GRAIN DOG BISCUITS

Note that hops can be toxic to dogs. Do not use grains that have seen hops.

4 cups spent grain
4 cups flour
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Press down into a dense layer on a large cookie sheet. Score almost all the way through into the shapes you want, or use a cookie cutter as you would for cookies. They don't spread out and they pretty much end up the thickness you start with. This recipe made one cookie sheet but they are pretty thick so you could adjust that if you want them thinner. Bake for about half an hour at 350 F to solidify them. Loosen them from the sheet, break the biscuits apart and return them, loosely spread out on the cookie sheet, to the oven at 225 F for 8 to 10 hours to dry them very thoroughly to prevent mold growth. They end up very crisp after they've been baked and dried. Store in an airtight container to keep them dry and mold-free.

You can also substitute pizza sauce for the peanut butter, or a bit of garlic oil. Just don't make it too wet.





I'm betting you can flavor these with all sorts of things that make dogs happy. If anyone uses this recipe, please let me know what your dogs think of them.

Matt

[Blktre]

Feed them to my cows!

[cyburai]

Mine usually goes to the goats (nom nom nom). But I think I will try my hand at the dog biscuit recipe.

[Pissytiffy]

Thanks for the dog biscuit recipe! I'll have to try to make some of these for the furkid.

Several years back, I tried making bread with spent grains. I dug out my notes and here is what I tried:

1 cup spent grains
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup rye flour
2 Tbsp honey
1 pkg yeast
1/2 cup milk (scalded then cooled to 100-105 degrees F)
1/2 cup water (~105 degrees F)
bit of vegetable oil (I neglected to note the amount, but probably a few tablespoons)
add unbleached flour until proper consistency is reached.

I let this rise for 45 minutes, punched down, formed a loaf, and let it rise another 45 minutes. Then I baked it for 30-35 minutes in 375 degree F oven.

I recall this being a little dense, so if I were going to try this again I'd up the honey and yeast and throw in some salt.

[fergmeister]

I throw my spent grain in the garden as a soil conditioner. Funny thing is I was doing dog maintenance in the yard and found full size dookie that was almost 100% spent grains. Apparently they like it. If anyone is thinking about dumping their grain in the garden don't put it up wind from your house. It packs a lot of stink and lasts for weeks.

[Bill]

I tried to give them to my neighbor's horse but I couldn't keep the Weimaraner from gorging herself on the grains and leaving me a nice mess to clean up in the front room.

Now I put them in the compost bin by the garden.

[fergmeister]

For those who do mash hopping there are some concerns if your dogs have access to the pile. Hops have a negative effect on some breeds causing severe health hazards and possibly death. My dog is nuts some times anyway, but I heard years ago in this same discussion that breeds like greyhounds could die. My dog just eats poops and tears up my yard

[Blktre]

For those who do mash hopping there are some concerns if your dogs have access to the pile. Hops have a negative effect on some breeds causing severe health hazards and possibly death. My dog is nuts some times anyway, but I heard years ago in this same discussion that breeds like greyhounds could die. My dog just eats poops and tears up my yard

For sure ive read numerous accounts of dogs eating spent hops (they are attracted to the sweet wort thats soaked in them) and dieing. Ive also read that some breeds are effected more than others. But why take the chance? Good call Chuck reminding about mash hops. As far as hops growing on trellis, i haven't read a single incident where a dog has eaten hops on the vine. I'm thinking the sweet wort is what attracts them.

My cows love spent grain, they see me roll out the rig and wait by the fence all day long waiting! Its fun watching them roll their noses because of the heat. But they cant resist and they burn the shit out of themselves....LOL

[fergmeister]

Ya, I bet the raw hops are too bitter but after the boil and alpha acid removal I bet they are pretty neutral and the rest of what you said. For anyone who cares and would like to participate, I'm gonna brew an all grain Belgian Golden Strong ale on Saturday so we have beer for Mayfest. Got a hair appt in the morning and will probably grind and mash before. The sparge and boil will be around noon. Gimme a call 785 312-1460
Mr. Pres.

[shane]

I think it kinda like the sweetnes of anti freeze that atracts them to it..........Mr. Vice hehe

[shane]

Oh ,about the spent grains, what about the curbside recycle on mondays???

[Blktre]

Oh ,about the spent grains, what about the curbside recycle on mondays???

You forgot that you leave X-mas presents to those guys for all the heavy labor they do every week!

[fergmeister]

Paper vs Plastic. As I found out years ago they don't take plastic on Monday If it acts like my grass clippings after a few days the paper gets soaked through. My guys make a sport of leaving sign that they have been there (crud on the street) clock strikers. Smelly spent grain for Wendy to walk through when getting the mail, no thanks. I had enough(review this spelling AB) fun cleaning up the oil they spilled on the apron the last time I changed oil. For the offended recyclers, I recycle oil at WM but they don't take filters and soaked rags. BTW what are you doin' home so early VP dude?

[shane]

Short day, Flying to Dener to help move Dex and Heather back via Penske. Hope to hit a few BrewPubs tonight ,then LB on the way home Sat.WEEEEEEEEEEE oh ps the trick w/ the trash dudes is to use a big tote for the grains.

[fergmeister]

You are leaving too much evidence of your poor efficiency on the curb. Think CSI and let the worms eat it. Have a safe trip.