As far as I can make out there's not been a malt buy since 2014 or so. Are they no longer being done or is there no longer any interest?
I just picked up a bag from Malting Company of Ireland, used by some of the better-known Irish brewers. It's more expensive than what I usually buy so I'm hoping/ expecting its good (haven't tried it yet though!)
I think they do discounts for bulk buys. Worth considering.
The price of malt has come down so much its just easier to order it from your local friendly home brew shop. The planning and logistics of drop off and distribution is just not worth the couple of euro you may save on a bag. You can get it freshly delivered to your door for much the same price.
We were talking about this at the NCB meet up last night. Hops maybe but grain group buys have been knocked on the head for us.
+1
Group buys have a place but you need to be using the freshest ingredients you can get, for the sake of pennies on litres it's not worth using 12 month old stale grain or manky hops.
When Grain was 35 a bag yeah not with offers for bags at the moment tho, and there is the power of the NHC I guess ;)
Quote from: CH on November 25, 2015, 07:10:47 PM
When Grain was 35 a bag yeah not with offers for bags at the moment tho, and there is the power of the NHC I guess ;)
I didn't realise malt was that dear a few years back. Fair point as well about using fresh ingredients, I suppose it would come into its own if buying a lot of non-base malt i.e. Munich or Rye/Spelt/Wheat malt.
Some of the old hands told me 50-60 at one point and so there was loads coming in from UK
Quote from: CH on November 26, 2015, 08:06:34 AM
Some of the old hands told me 50-60 at one point and so there was loads coming in from UK
Sweet mother of divine inspiration that is one scaldy price on malt.
And there was 2 hops to choose from and they walked to school in bare feet
Quote from: CH on November 26, 2015, 09:12:54 PM
And there was 2 hops to choose from and they walked to school in bare feet
The walk home from school was twice as far and it was uphill both ways
School, SCHOOL, you lucky pampered bas**rds.
We were taught by mad people whipping us with birch twigs while chanting Welsh poetry!
Uphill, UPHILL, You lucky [you get the rest]! Our school place of beatings was at the bottome of a 50 foot cliff and to get home the drop was 100 foot
Quote from: Mac on November 25, 2015, 05:13:38 PM
I just picked up a bag from Malting Company of Ireland, used by some of the better-known Irish brewers. It's more expensive than what I usually buy so I'm hoping/ expecting its good (haven't tried it yet though!)
I think they do discounts for bulk buys. Worth considering.
Any update on how you got on with the MCI malt? I've seen people give it glowing reviews on here before saying its up there with Weyermanns.
Also if you get over 20 bags (i.e. 21 bags) its €13.75 ex-VAT or €16.9125 VAT incl. ;)
If you can get your local club to buy more than 20 go for it. I don't think its worth doing it at the national level. I mostly use Minch and frankly its cheap as chips
Quote from: Pheeel on January 15, 2016, 11:58:31 PM
If you can get your local club to buy more than 20 go for it. I don't think its worth doing it at the national level. I mostly use Minch and frankly its cheap as chips
Well if tis that all ye have!