Grain for Dummies

 

 
These instructions will guide you through the process of preparing grain either to be used as spawn to inoculate bulk substrates or as mushroom substrate that can be directly cased.  


Basic rye recipe for 1 pint jar:

- 100g (=3.5 oz~125 ml~0.53 cup) rye
- 110g (= 3.9 oz =110 ml~0.46 cup) water
- knife tip full of gypsum

Basic millet or birdseed recipe for 1 pint jar:

- 100g (3.5 oz~140 ml~0.59cup) birdseed
- 80g
(2.8 oz = 80 ml~0.34cup) water
- knife tip full of gypsum

If you are going to prepare rye for producing spawn, you might use a tad less water( I use 105g in that case)

Note:
1/4 qt(quart) = 1/2pt(pint) = 1cp(cup) = 236ml(milliliter) = 236cc(cubic centimeter)

The cups, pints and quarts are in the US liquid measuring system.

Fill into the jar, screw the lid fitted with a polyfill filter on the jar and pressure cook for 1 hour.

The water absorption ability can vary depending on the grain quality and the type and the size of the pressure cooker.

It´s best to make a batch of test jars when one acquires a new grain for instance 100g rye and 100, 105, 110, 115 and 120g water.
Then you´ll see which water content provides the best result.


rye kernels

millet based birdseed


Immediately after the pressure has settled, take the still burning hot jars from the cooker using a towel and shake them well to mix the wetter and drier kernels.


rye after pressure cooking


If you turn the jar upside down, you can see the drier kernels separate from the wet kernels at the bottom.


rye jar upside down


After shaking the grains should appear wet, after a few days after inoculation they will loose this look and look more drier.

Put the jars back in to the pressure cooker and let sit until cool.

It has to be pointed out that the grain on this picture was meant to be directly cased after colonisation.

 


rye shaken


The grain used for spawn should look a bit drier, but still moist, and have less exploded kernels. The rye on this picture has been pressure cooked 48 hours ago with a rye/water ratio of 100g/105g.

rye for spawn