Storing Malt

[Parrot]

I've been away for the last two months working and before I went away I stored 50Kg of Whole Malted Barley, in their original sacks,  in a ventilated wooden crate I built for the purpose i.e. to store my grain safely and keep the mouses away from it. Anyway, on my return I wanted to use up the grain and on opening the crate I could see tiny little 'mites' on the bags, thousands of them, (mites not bags  ) I've never come across this before as I never have grain for more than a few days at a time. They're in the grain as well.

Is there anything I can do with this grain or is it lost. Any advice will be welcome.

P 

[Leann ull]

It's lost whose malt was it? Crushed or whole? pictures?
Pretty common in flour

[Vermelho]

Buy the blue plastic drums from adverts, they seal fully and have been excellent for me so far

[Shanna]

Buy the blue plastic drums from adverts, they seal fully and have been excellent for me so far

Ditto, have three of them myself and would swear by them.

Shanna

[Parrot]

I kind of knew it was lost but I'm an optimist - usually! Not worth posting pics as these little critters are too small to show up on my Macro camera. They look like brownish/white dots but they're moving so I know they're alive. Anyway, I've now to get rid of two sacks if infested grain and it's not getting in the boot of my car

The drums are an excellent idea I'll go get a few of them before I order more malt from Shane.

Thanks all

P 

[Leann ull]

How did you pick up on them? Unlikely they came with the malt, I had some mites years ago in the UK on wine labels and they sound similar they ate the feckin lot of them, so it was lucky dip on wine for six month then I sterilised everything using a garden sprayer and strong bleach.

[Parrot]

Hey Ciderhead, sorry for the delay but I've been fumigating my mancave and disposing of all that lovely malt  and haven't logged in here for a few days.

I only noticed them when I opened the storage box I leant on the front edge and thought it felt a little gritty. I ran and got a magnifying glass and there were all these tiny, tiny dots running around and they were everywhere Then there was a red dust under the box when I moved it out from the wall. This red dust turned out to be the dead bodies of expired little critters that were apparently unceremoniously dumped out of the box once they'd kicked the bucket. I even had to wash out my mancave vacuum cleaner as the tubes were lined with the carcases of the little baskets

Anyway, all's well that ends well and I've got a couple of 50 litre blue barrels with seal rings for storage now and I won't be keeping any grain for more than a few days anymore - lesson learned

Thanks all.

P