Do you suppose chickens would like some of those spent grains?
Linda, you could try 'em on the chickens.
Since all the sweetness has been washed out, you could put a little back in. I don't have any idea what they'd think of the hops if you are getting the spent grain blended with the yeast and hop residue.
There was a recent BYC discussion on sprouts for the hens. It's sprouted & toasted barley that's being used to make beer.
Honestly, you'd need to be careful about allowing the hens to have "fermented" barley or any product with alcohol in it. Not very kind to get 'em drunk. But, more than that, fetal alcohol syndrome isn't just a problem for humans. There's been studies to show that it effects all critters.
Spent grains usually haven't been fermented - the malt syrup has been washed out of them and
the syrup goes into the fermentation vats. However, charging the spent grains with the yeast from the bottom of the vats means that it would quickly start fermenting. I understand that they
kill the yeast with salt before mixing as a livestock feed.
I've made beer quite a few times. Seems to me that the process could be a good way to raise the protein level of a cheap feed. Soak a cereal grain - toss in some yeast - allow to ferment for a week - pour out most of the liquid (beer, but I'm NOT drinkin' it :/ - then cook off the alcohol. A slow cooker might work well since it takes very little heat.
I could make
real beer and give them what's in the bottom of the brewing vat but to make much difference I'd need to make about 5 gallons of beer a week, I'm thinkin'. Hmmmm
, might be a good excuse
. . . nah!
Steve
:tools
No I certainly wouldn't want to give my babies alcohol. I remember seeing the birds eating the old fermented Pyracantha berries off the bush and then flying into windows, etc. (When I was a kid -- Yes! I can still remember that far back!)
