Homebrewed Business David Crane’s spent grain goes to the dogs


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avid Crane homebrews with a dual purpose. Aside from creating beer, he also makes a product out of his spent grain: dog treats. Using 40 silicon molds, spent grain, and a secret recipe, he’s constantly producing Doggie Beer Bones as well as Stone Bones (Stone Brewing Co.’s licensed version of the treats). Having lived in Colorado, North- ern California, and now San Diego, David’s been a homebrewer since 1996. His “brew- house” lives in the second bedroom of his Golden Hill apartment, and he keeps a regu- lar brew schedule to fulfill demand for Beer Bones. He’s also growing hops on his balcony just outside of Downtown San Diego. David cooked up the idea for Doggie Beer Bones after brainstorming creative ways to utilize the spent grain over the holdiays a few years ago. Big resource for his homebrew- ing? “[The book] Radical Brewing (by Randy Mosher) gives great recipes, and Home Brew Mart’s staff is a great resource. They’ll call you out on something you could’ve done better and tell you why without making you feel like an


David’s Mint Chocolate Stout - All Grain


Batch size: 5 gallons Boil size: 6.1 gallons Boil time: 60 minutes Total Grain weight: 16.75 pounds


Efficiency: 75% Original gravity: 1.086 Final gravity: 1.024 Alcohol (by volume): 8.1% Bitterness (IBU): 26 Color: (SRM)77.1°L Yeast: WLP004 Irish Ale


Grain Bill


2 Row Base - 10 pounds 59.7%


Barley (Roasted) - 2 pounds 11.9%


idiot.” We asked David what he’d do different- ly as a homebrewer just starting out: “I would brew more frequently with different recipes. Knowing what I know now, I’d recommend reading Gordon Strong’s Brewing Better Beer.”


Barley (Flaked) - 1.5 Notes:


pounds 9.0%


Chocolate - 1.5 pounds 9.0%


CaraPils - 1 pound 6.0% Crystal 40L - 0.75 pounds 4.5%


Hop Bill


3.5 ounces total Cluster 7%, Pellet 1 oz (60 Min)


Kent Goldings 5%, Pellet 1.5 oz (10 Min) Centennial 10%, Pellet 1 oz (2 Min)


Additions Chocolate Powder - 8 oz (5 Min)


Mint Leaf - 0.75 oz (Treated as a dry hop addition, 7 - 10 days or to taste in Secondary)


Mash Mash Thickness: 1.25qt of water per lb of grain


Total Water: 9.8 gallons Strike water target 153°F - 5.2 gallons 60 minutes


Fly Sparge for 45 Minutes - 170°F, 4.6 gallons


Ferment 14 days @ 65-68°F Add Mint Leaf after primary fermentation completes or in secondary


This recipe was adapted from the one in Radical Brewing. For the mint, I rinsed it first with vodka, then ground it with a mortar and pestle. You can simply quarter the leaves if you prefer. I also make a yeast starter for all my batches. Currently using Brew Pal on my phone for recipe calculations.


Hop vines growing on David’s balcony


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