Find the Best Deal on Sacks of Malt – Tips, Tricks & Sources
Grains by the lb can generally be had for a reasonable price. They also generally qualify for free and flat rate shipping when a retailer offers that. The same is true for sacks of grain. The real issue comes when you add on shipping. 50 or 55 lbs of grain is… heavy. Shipping charges can add up.
An Illustration of the Problem:
An unnamed online homebrew shop ran a grain sale. Discounting sacks of grain.
- A bag of a certain brand of two row malt was marked down to $48.44… Great, that’s a good price!
- To slowest/cheapest available shipping option was…. $71.22 to my address and… I’m in the same region as this shop.
- That’s a total of $119.66. That’s not good, in fact it’s bad. That’s almost double the (current, can change quickly) price of one option I outline in this article.
- We can do a lot better.
- This article offerings tips, tricks and sources to help you source bulk malt at the best price.
ANOTHER Illustration of the Problem…
- Another retailer ran a limited time “bulk grain promo”
- A bag of 2 row was on sale for $61.
- Shipping (for me, this will vary based on location) was… $56.20 or $117.20 for 50 lbs shipped. That’s $2.34 per lb shipped and can EASILY be beaten…
THREE Quick Picks, Article Continues Below:
- Grain at Delta Brewing – Sacks of grain qualify for free shipping to addresses the contiguous US with a $65 order. Buy two sacks and they ship for free.
- Malt Deal at MoreBeer! – by 6 x 5 lb bags and get a price break. Shipping is free to US addresses with a qualifying $59 order. This link filters to show malts that have 5 lb offerings, sorts by popularity
- AIH has Grains by the lb starting at just $1.19 (unmilled). For 50 lbs that comes out to $59.50. Shipping is free to addresses in the contiguous US with a qualifying $99 order. Order 85 lbs or otherwise put together a qualifying order and shipping will be free. Note that you must select grains by the lb to qualify for free shipping.
Bulk Malt Deal Tips and Tricks
Look at Total Cost
Price per lb delivered to your door is the most important thing when it comes to value. Biting on a low cost sack of grain with high shipping is equally as bad as biting on a high cost sack of grain with free shipping. Compare total cost. If free or flat rate shipping is an option always makes sure to put together an order that qualifies for discounted shipping.
Deals can periodically found on Amazon
Offerings and prices can vary wildly, but it’s worth a quick look when it comes time to buying grain.
Buy Local-ish…
Look for a shop in the same general geographic location. It makes sense that shipping from one state away would cost less than shipping across the country. This isn’t always the case, but it’s a good place to start.
Try the following shops, each has general geographic area to help…
- Malt at MoreBeer – California, Pennsylvania
- Grain at Delta Brewing – Sacks of Grain Qualify for Free Shipping – Illinois
- Malt at William’s Brewing – California
- Bulk Grain at Great Fermentations – Indiana
- Grain at High Gravity Fermentations – Oklahoma
- Homebrewer’s Outpost – California, Pennsylvania
- Malt at Beer & Wine Hobby – Massachusetts
- Malt at Label Peelers – Ohio
- Malt at Austin Homebrew – Ships from Minnesota
- Malt at Adventures in Homebrewing – Ships from Minnesota
Delta Brewing
Free Shipping... Delta Brewing is offering free shipping on orders of $65 or more to addresses in the contiguous US. What’s unique about their offer is that it does not exclude full sacks of grain as many free shipping offers do. This is a huge savings when you’re talking 50 or 55 lbs.
Grain at Delta Brewing – All Ingredients
10 lb Bags at William’s Brewing
Williams Brewing has select malt available in 10 lb bags. These qualify for their free or flat shipping. Buy 5 x 10 lb bags and you have the equivalent of a sack of grain.
10 lb Offerings at MoreBeer
Most 10 lb offerings at MoreBeer qualifying for free shipping to addresses in the contiguous US. Buy 5 x 10 lb bags and you have the equivalent of a sack of grain.
Volume Savings on 5 lb Malt Offerings at MoreBeer
When you purchase 6+ 5lb bags of the same grain MoreBeer will apply a volume discount. You can see this discount on each product page.
Malt Deal at MoreBeer! < filters to show malts that have 5 lb offerings, sorts by popularity
Deal on All Grain Kits
Adventures in Homebrewing and Austin Homebrew Supply both discount seasonal homebrew beer recipe kits by 20%. Selections include both all grain and extract options. Shipping is free to many US addresses with a qualifying order.
- AIH: 20% Off Seasonal All Grain Kits | 20% Off Seasonal Extract Kits
- AHS: 20% Off Seasonal All Grain Kits | 20% Off Seasonal Extract Kits
Kit of the Week
MoreBeer’s Kit of the Week gets you a 20% discount and always includes an All Grain option.
Check out this week’s Kit of the Week – remember coupon code KOTW
Make a Friend, Get a Great Deal on Grain
Make friends with your local brewery or brew pub and they just might let you purchase grain from them a great price.
Bulk Grain Storage Options
- Vittles Vault Airtight Stackable Pet Food Container – popular for grain storage – via Amazon – Hands on Review
- Gamma Seal Lids via Amazon – works with standard 5 gallon buckets. The base stays installed on the bucket and the lid spins off easily and has an airtight seal. No more prying off bucket lids. My estimate for storage capacity is about 5 lbs per gallon. So, a 5 gallon bucket holds about 25 lbs of grain. That’s an estimate.
- Resource Post: Storage Options! – Base Grain, Specialty Grain and DME
Vittles Vault Review!
Grain Mill Reviews
All Grain-Related Reviews:
A collection of reviews that we’ve tagged as directly or indirectly related to all grain brewing
Hands on Review: Vittles Vault Stackable Storage Bins for Homebrew Grain Storage!
Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application. Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application. Always read and follow manufacturer directions. tag:itsapage top:bulkgrain tag:tpr