Buying by the Sack

I brewed 35 batches of beer between 4/19/2008 and 2/27/2012. That means I have brewed about every seven weeks. I would have guessed it would have been more frequent. In the last year, I have brewed about every four weeks. That is more like it. The average grain bill for my last 13 batches has been about 12 pounds. If it were all base malt then I would be going through a 55 pound sack of grain every five months or so. I have been using Crisp Maris Otter as my base malt, so let us see what the marketplace for sacks holds.

• Midwest Supplies: $63.99 + $26.28 shipping = $90.27 -or- $1.64 per pound shipped

• Fifty Pound Sack: $79.00 + $0.00 shipping = $79.00 -or- $1.43 per pound shipped

• Brewmasters Warehouse: $101.75 + $6.99 shipping = $107.99 -or- $1.96 per pound shipped

Just for comparison, here are the same vendors for 10 pounds of Crisp Maris Otter, noting that Fifty Pound Sack only sells by the sack.

• Midwest Supplies: $16.99 + $13.56 shipping = $30.55 -or- $3.06 per pound shipped

• Brewmasters Warehouse: $18.50 + $6.99 shipping = $25.49 -or- $2.55 per pound shipped

While they do not sell by the sack, I have been buying my Crisp Maris Otter from Rebel Brewer. Here is their price for 10 pounds.

• Rebel Brewer: $14.31 + $14.02 shipping = $28.33 -or- $2.83 per pound shipped

So, I could pay just over 50% of what I have been paying by buying by the sack.