[JKoravos]

I'm looking to get a group buy together for the NE area from North Country Malt, shipped into the Worcester area.

Any interest out there from the locals?

[zymological]

JKoravos, on Apr 17 2009, 10:11 PM, said:

I'm looking to get a group buy together for the NE area from North Country Malt, shipped into the Worcester area.

Any interest out there from the locals?

I know I kind of said otherwise but maybe...

Get some pricing together and maybe if we can agree to meet in a slightly more central location I'd be game. The only time I'll be around Worcester is July 4th for my friend's wedding - otherwise that's a haul!

[zymological]

So approximately $0.70/lb for grain. I think the reason we'd want to get a pallet is to save on shipping costs per pound. Figure these rates out so we can factor it into the cost of the grain.

[JKoravos]

I'll call North Country on Monday and get a feel for where the price breaks are and how much shipping would be.

EDIT

Based on Scott's link in the Michigan Group Buy thread, the per pallet shipping price to New England is $75 + $15 fuel surcharge, a pallet can hold up to 42 55lb sacks. That's dirt cheap for 2300 pounds of grain, I thought it would be more.

A quick calc shows that shipping price per sack, based on sacks ordered is:

Sacks Sh/sack
1 ….. $90.00
5 ….. $18.00
10 ….. $9.00
15 ….. $6.00
20 ….. $4.50
25 ….. $3.60
30 ….. $3.00
35 ….. $2.57
40 ….. $2.25
42 ….. $2.14


I don't know about you all, but even at $10 shipping per sack, I'd be saving significant money over the LHBS.

I figure I'd probably start the pallet with ~5 sacks for myself.

This post has been edited by JKoravos: 18 April 2009 - 02:56 PM

[zymological]

I think I could probably be in for 3-4 if I did this. I can't image being able to use more than this in a reasonable amount of time. I assume we'd probably want some of our order to be popular specialty grains that we could split up between the group.

[JKoravos]

Yeah, we'll have to work that out, but I'd imagine we could have 3-6 sacks of various grains for splitting up into smaller quantities.

[drez77]

I would be looking for a sack each of

Rye
Munich
2 bags MO
2 bags of 2 row

so that makes 6 for me ..

[zymological]

Just a note to everyone...

I normally buy milled grains from Austin HB. I estimate that a barley crusher ($130) would pay for itself somewhere during the 4th 55lb bag of grain.

[JKoravos]

zymological, on Apr 19 2009, 06:51 AM, said:

Just a note to everyone...

I normally buy milled grains from Austin HB. I estimate that a barley crusher ($130) would pay for itself somewhere during the 4th 55lb bag of grain.

Dude, you're having grains shipped from Texas? How'd you end up doing that?

I think I'm paying $1.15/lb at the LHBS for plain 2-row, plus $0.10/lb for milling (before I had a mill). I figure I'm saving a minimum of $0.40/lb buying in bulk and milling my own. That adds up pretty fast.

Although, for me, it was just as important to have control over my milling and not have to depend on the LHBS to get my grains milled. The money saved is just a bonus.

[JKoravos]

So far...

zymo - 3-4 sacks
drez - 6 sacks (Rye, Munich, 2xMO, 2x2r)
JK - 6 sacks (2xMO, 2x2r, wheat, munich)
Communal - 3-6 (suggestions: pils, wheat, crystal, biscuit, caramunich?)


We're at about 18-20 sacks right there. Already under $5/sack for shipping costs.

[zymological]

JKoravos, on Apr 19 2009, 01:20 PM, said:

Dude, you're having grains shipped from Texas? How'd you end up doing that?

I think I'm paying $1.15/lb at the LHBS for plain 2-row, plus $0.10/lb for milling (before I had a mill). I figure I'm saving a minimum of $0.40/lb buying in bulk and milling my own. That adds up pretty fast.

Although, for me, it was just as important to have control over my milling and not have to depend on the LHBS to get my grains milled. The money saved is just a bonus.

I just don't have time to go to an LHBS (none of mine are that local) so I just shop online. AHB has some of the best prices I've found for milled grains so that's what I've been hitting up as of late.

[zymological]

JKoravos, on Apr 19 2009, 01:44 PM, said:

So far...

zymo - 3-4 sacks
drez - 6 sacks (Rye, Munich, 2xMO, 2x2r)
JK - 6 sacks (2xMO, 2x2r, wheat, munich)
Communal - 3-6 (suggestions: pils, wheat, crystal, biscuit, caramunich?)


We're at about 18-20 sacks right there. Already under $5/sack for shipping costs.

I'd probably be in for:
1 2-row
1 maris otter
1 munich

I like all of the communal suggestions so far except maybe biscuit which I don't think I like very much (but you guys can feel free to split this up if you'd like of course). I wouldn't mind having some roasted barley around for stouts, porters, scottish ales, etc.

My last suggestion is to perhaps pushing off the actual order until the end of the summer. Within a month or so most of us are going to have a hard time brewing unless we have fermentation chambers (I do not). If I could get all of this stuff and immediately start brewing with it I'd feel a lot less concerned about the grains going stale before I could use them. What's the general feeling on this?



EDIT: what is everyone's general location? I'm in Manchester, NH area.

[drez77]

I am set on Wheat and Pils .. still have 55 bags of each. The rest I may be down for. I would like to get this before Summer for my Summer brewing. If this is going to get pushed off till near fall I may have to make a trip to North Country to stock up as I am out of 2 row and MO. I have the luck of having a very cool cellar so i can brew all year long with no issues.

I have to look at the online catalog again and see what else I would be interested in.

I live in Palmer MA.

[zymological]

drez77, on Apr 19 2009, 09:53 PM, said:

I am set on Wheat and Pils .. still have 55 bags of each. The rest I may be down for. I would like to get this before Summer for my Summer brewing. If this is going to get pushed off till near fall I may have to make a trip to North Country to stock up as I am out of 2 row and MO. I have the luck of having a very cool cellar so i can brew all year long with no issues.

I have to look at the online catalog again and see what else I would be interested in.

I live in Palmer MA.

If there is low interest in wheat and pils I'd consider splitting these 2 with someone if someone would be willing to split the munich with me as well.

Also - if most people want to order before the summer I would probably still be game for that if it means cheap shipping.

[drez77]

Was there any intrest in Hops?? Just curious

[zymological]

drez77, on Apr 20 2009, 02:31 PM, said:

Was there any intrest in Hops?? Just curious

Depending on the price and amount - maybe.

[JKoravos]

I'm looking to get the grains ASAP (not like next week, but in the next month-ish). I actually brew a lot in the summer and I want to get a brew in pretty soon.

I talked to WinkyDowBrewing on the 'other' board. He's in for 6 sacks as well. So we're at ~$3.50-$4.50 per sack in shipping; $39-$45/sack shipped; $0.71-$0.82/lb. shipped.

I talked to North Country today. I should be getting the up to date hop prices shortly. Whoever wants their bulk pricing catalog, PM me with your e-mail addy. It's more for reference than anything. The prices start at 1,000 lbs., but I think the 1,000 lb. price is pretty much the same as the per sack price for homebrewers, except for Canada Malting, their bulk prices for Canada Malting are much cheaper. If we all wanted to split an 1,100 lb. bulk bag of Canada Malting Pale Ale malt, it would only cost us $0.45/lb ()...and I'm only kinda kidding.

[zymological]

JKoravos, on Apr 20 2009, 10:18 PM, said:

I'm looking to get the grains ASAP (not like next week, but in the next month-ish). I actually brew a lot in the summer and I want to get a brew in pretty soon.

I talked to WinkyDowBrewing on the 'other' board. He's in for 6 sacks as well. So we're at ~$3.50-$4.50 per sack in shipping; $39-$45/sack shipped; $0.71-$0.82/lb. shipped.

I talked to North Country today. I should be getting the up to date hop prices shortly. Whoever wants their bulk pricing catalog, PM me with your e-mail addy. It's more for reference than anything. The prices start at 1,000 lbs., but I think the 1,000 lb. price is pretty much the same as the per sack price for homebrewers, except for Canada Malting, their bulk prices for Canada Malting are much cheaper. If we all wanted to split an 1,100 lb. bulk bag of Canada Malting Pale Ale malt, it would only cost us $0.45/lb ()...and I'm only kinda kidding.

Sounds great - do you have a way to weigh out partial sacks of grain at your house? Do you have a picture of what a 55lb bag looks like?

[drez77]

zymological, on Apr 21 2009, 05:50 AM, said:

Sounds great - do you have a way to weigh out partial sacks of grain at your house? Do you have a picture of what a 55lb bag looks like?

Here is a bag next to a corny

I am good for ordering soon. If need be I do have a 75# scale that can be used. It is what I use to weigh out my grains.

Mike

[zymological]

drez77, on Apr 21 2009, 06:17 AM, said:

Here is a bag next to a corny

I am good for ordering soon. If need be I do have a 75# scale that can be used. It is what I use to weigh out my grains.

Mike

Our Honda Fit is going to look pretty sweet loaded up with all of this grain