I'm a happy brewer -- just got a great deal on a bulk order of malt

Nov 16, 2007 6 Replies
B

Well, after about six weeks or so without the usual 2-row pale malt I use -- because my LHBS was constantly out -- and after patiently waiting for three weeks after joining in on a bulk order with my LHBS, I went down today and picked up 200 pounds of malt at what is the best price I've been able to get in years -- $40.00/50 pounds including shipping. I had been paying $50.00, and then $55.00 recently, and I think my last bag before this order actually cost me $60.00, so this is a SUPER deal



-- especially with all the talk about malt prices on the rise.



My actual cost was $40.00/bag for the Cargill 2-row pale, milled, and $39.00/bag for Schreier 2-row pale, milled, that I thought I'd try out.



This is the first time I've known of my LHBS to put together a bulk order for his customers, so I hope this is something that he will continue to do periodically.



Cheers.



Bill Velek - PERSONAL sites =

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S

Is $40.00 really the going bulk rate? I pay about $32.00 but that's for Great Western. Maybe GW is just a cheap malt.

Scott

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T

Our club occasionally piggybacks with local breweries. I think I got my last order of Weyermann for $35/sack or so.

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B

Well, I think a brewer's location -- proximity to the source -- has a lot to do with price, too, because shipping adds a _lot_ to the cost.

For instance, I just checked Midwest Supply a minute ago, and their website shows that to deliver 50 pounds to my zip code, the shipping fee is $23.06, so if you add that to their cheapest sack of malt, which is $29.95, the total is $53.00 -- $13.00 higher than what I just paid.

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760+ homebrewer group just for Equipment:
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T

It's the size of the order in our case. Breweries order a LOT of malt, so adding a couple of extra sacks from Crosby and Baker or whomever they use that week is no big deal. Moral: suck up to your local craft brewer, if you have one in your area. They're usually helpful to homebrewers.

Alternatively, if you have a local club, try ordering as a club. Shipping an entire palette of grain is a lot cheaper than a sack or two.

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U

About a year ago I put together a bulk order from Great Western for our club and then drove over and picked it up from their shipping dock myself. (no small feat in itself, 5 hour drive each way) We got the GW premium 2-row for about $19 a 50 bag this way. This included splitting gasoline costs. Of course we ordered about 1900 lbs.

I am getting ready to do it again. I wonder what the prices will be like this time around. Probably better do it sooner then later, huh?

Ryan

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