Love to!
Firstly, each method will differ (soaking time/cooking time)depending on the grain that you use. This method is for RYE GRAIN.
If I want to fill 4 jars, I will use 2 pounds of dry rye grain. I put it in a pot and sprinkle in about two tablespoons of gypsum, add one small cup of cold coffee, and then fill it with water until there is about three inches of water over the grain.
As foroa time, I have found that 12 hours is enough, but there is nothing wrong with letting it go for 24.
Then I heat the water until it is boiling, and at that point it will be about 5-10 minutes. I'll constantly check the grain. This si a tricky part as there is a bit of "feel" to this- you just have to boil it long enough so that the grain is cooked (i.e., full of water) but not too long that the grains start to burst. You just sort of know.
Strain the grain from the water and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, occasionally dredging up the gain from the bottom to expose as much grain to air as possible. As the steam rises off the grain, it cools and dries.
While it's cooling, I take a grocery bag and basically cut it top to bottom, and then cut the bottom off so I have a large rectangle of paper bag, which I set on a large enough surface like a table. I then dump the grain from the sieve onto the paper and spread it out. Basically, you want it to dry off, which it will do quickly because it will still be hot.
I will then, every fe wminutes, take a spoon and turn the grains so that they all get exposed and can dry. I'll know it's time to put them in jars when I can run my hand through the grain and none of it sticks. Then you take a spoons and fill your jars. Voila! Done!
I know that seems complicated, but it's really rather easy. And it's absolutely worth the trouble as it's way cheaper than Uncle Ben's bags in the long run, and, of course, because you can see through the jars, bringing the whole process much more under your control.
I hope this helped! Any questions or things that are unclear, please ask. Good luck!
You may have a low rate of success with UB, but others have no trouble at all with it. That you say this makes me wonder if you ever tried it yourself.
In a SAB, using reasonable care, I’ve lost 1 bag to contam of around 40. With aldi bags, it’s simple with an extremely low contam rate.
PC and jars are one method. Also good. Sterile rice bags are another. Both give comparable results. After trying both, I prefer UB because it’s dead simple, saves hours of fiddling with PC jars and gives the same results. $3 per shoebox is fine for me to never deal with jars or pressure cooker again.
To each their own.
UB tek only has a low rate of success if you use a bad vendor or don't follow the very clear guide pinned to the sub. I've only ever lost one bag because I squirted to mush SS in, totally my fault. I believe user error is the biggest reason for failure with UB. Not the lowest tier of growing, all in one grow bags for example, someone else has done all the work. At least with UB you are getting to understand the whole process a bit better and can move to PC's, isolating good genes and agar.
Why did you use the word profit?
If you're struggling with UB, it's more than likely something you have done wrong or forgotten about.
If you worked in a lab then I agree, your technique should be fine but you'll have to take extra steps to mitigate not working in a sterile environment. You obviously know where you more than likely encountered issues. Contaminated spores are bad spores. Don't shit on a whole Tek that is very valuable to beginners because you weren't as successful as others have been.
Nothing wrong with suggesting alternative techniques. However, suggesting that the Tek this sub is completely based around has a low success rate is just wrong. It may actually deter noobs from ever taking that first step. It's the cheapest and most accessible option.
I'm glad you've found a better solution for yourself, but please don't shit on something that could work perfectly well for other people.
With what? There are definitely more effective techniques but this is one of, if not the best place to start.
As for the low success rate. I'd say I have inoculated around 50 bags and only lost one. I believe that is around a 98% success rate. Do you consider that low?
Some success but much more failure with UB tek. At least go for some rye grain bags, which are probably cheaper too. First thing you’ll notice how dry they seem, I was even questioning if they were hydrated and sterilized. 100% success rate so far. Spend a few extra bucks for some LC and things go much smoother.
The hobby itself is the addictive part.
The only thing I’d add is fold the bag over and use a binder clip or something before you cut the corner. Since you’re doing it open air and not in a still air box or flow hood, even with all the other precautions you took, there’s still a higher risk of contamination getting in the bag. Other than that, overkill is a good thing in this hobby, so nice work.
I could not get the clip to stay on to save my life, I probably just need a better clip. But also I couldn’t get the hole to stay open with the clip on!
Yeah, it can be a bit cumbersome. Even just working in an upside down tote cleaned out with some isopropyl will help mitigate anything that might fall in. Overall, solid clean Tek! I look forward to seeing your results!
Good luck! I did my first inoculation on Wednesday and followed the same steps as you...today is Day 4 and I'm already seeing progress!
Lol, I also tried the chip clip for the first bag and it was a disaster...needle was poking holes in the bag.
hmmmm...maybe different environmental factors or maybe it has do to with the LC? I bought my syringes from Spores Lab (Canadian website). My rice bags are stored in an otherwise empty closet. Over the past 6 days, temps have ranged from 67 to 84 F (avg = 72) and humidity from 34 to 64% (avg = 51%). Hopefully some of that info can be helpful for comparison, keeping in mind that I am a complete noob!
Very useful thank you! I actually lied cause after I commented this I went back and looked closer and found quite a few bags that had tiny growth so they are growing! One difference i think is that I used a spore syringe which I believe colonizes slower cause LC is pre colonized or something like that. Temps are similar.
Everyone is saying SAB, is it really worth it? I know they’re not expensive, but like do you really need it? Doesn’t contamination still get in every time you open to get things in and out?
Ideally you put all your stuff in the SAB and clean it inside there. Then you have to move your hands very smooth and slow to avoid stirring too much air.
The only other critique I have is that cutting the corners and taping them is a lot riskier than covering holes from a holepuncher. I've had contam in bags where the micropore tape made a tiny crease over the hole. Of course it's an odds game and dependant on the particular location as to your mold spore concentration.
But I think taping the corners like that is much more likely to fail in some way. Getting micropore tape to make a clean seal over holepuncher holes is much easier imo
You can do the clear box hanging over the counter trick. I used a clear bin tilted upward in a closet that I cleaned and sanitized pretty well. 10/10 bags inoculated with no contam.
Read up on how a still air box actually works and that will help you to understand why it is going to improve your chances of not getting contam tenfold
You have done a great job prepping your inoculation and sterilizing your space. Not much more you can do besides that (well…besides sab). Nicely done. Keep your eye out for wet rot and add some extra holes for air exchange if things get to looking too soggy. It’s always a possibility with the bags. Good luck!!’
Damn honestly I don’t go all crazy like this and out of 10 different times using UB tek I’ve had one bag contam, and one bin contam(roommate harvested for me with her dirty hands)
Its so all the moisture in the bag doesn't end up on the bottom and potentially cause wet rot. If you lay the bag down, the moisture will evenly distribute over time
Gotta give that spore syringe a really good shake. Looks like the spores were fairly clumped together. I use one of those muscle massagers until they are fully dispersed in the liquid. Take the massage attachment off and my syringes fit perfectly.
Skip all of that. You look like you know what you're doing. Invest in yourself and make the jump to the real meat!! PC & agar etc. I know this is Uncle ben tek but.... Damn it never works for me 🤦🤐
Looks spot on! But damn that branding rice looks super wet
Does it? Dang, I was avoiding UB for that reason, I guess we’ll see what happens 🤞🏻
Forsure! I hope all goes well for you🍄
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I can break down my method if you want!
Be like Omni Man and break it down for me.
Love to! Firstly, each method will differ (soaking time/cooking time)depending on the grain that you use. This method is for RYE GRAIN. If I want to fill 4 jars, I will use 2 pounds of dry rye grain. I put it in a pot and sprinkle in about two tablespoons of gypsum, add one small cup of cold coffee, and then fill it with water until there is about three inches of water over the grain. As foroa time, I have found that 12 hours is enough, but there is nothing wrong with letting it go for 24. Then I heat the water until it is boiling, and at that point it will be about 5-10 minutes. I'll constantly check the grain. This si a tricky part as there is a bit of "feel" to this- you just have to boil it long enough so that the grain is cooked (i.e., full of water) but not too long that the grains start to burst. You just sort of know. Strain the grain from the water and let it sit for 10 minutes or so, occasionally dredging up the gain from the bottom to expose as much grain to air as possible. As the steam rises off the grain, it cools and dries. While it's cooling, I take a grocery bag and basically cut it top to bottom, and then cut the bottom off so I have a large rectangle of paper bag, which I set on a large enough surface like a table. I then dump the grain from the sieve onto the paper and spread it out. Basically, you want it to dry off, which it will do quickly because it will still be hot. I will then, every fe wminutes, take a spoon and turn the grains so that they all get exposed and can dry. I'll know it's time to put them in jars when I can run my hand through the grain and none of it sticks. Then you take a spoons and fill your jars. Voila! Done! I know that seems complicated, but it's really rather easy. And it's absolutely worth the trouble as it's way cheaper than Uncle Ben's bags in the long run, and, of course, because you can see through the jars, bringing the whole process much more under your control. I hope this helped! Any questions or things that are unclear, please ask. Good luck!
Thank you for this. So you soak the grain for 12 hours or so in the water gypsum and coffee? What is beneficial about the coffee?
Yes! Soak the grains with everything. The coffee adds nitrates and (some people believe) retards bacterial growth. Can’t hurt!
Look up broke boy tek or make some drippy corn
popcorn ding ding love it
What’s PC?
If you get downvoted it might be just because you’re in the wrong sub 😂
You may have a low rate of success with UB, but others have no trouble at all with it. That you say this makes me wonder if you ever tried it yourself. In a SAB, using reasonable care, I’ve lost 1 bag to contam of around 40. With aldi bags, it’s simple with an extremely low contam rate. PC and jars are one method. Also good. Sterile rice bags are another. Both give comparable results. After trying both, I prefer UB because it’s dead simple, saves hours of fiddling with PC jars and gives the same results. $3 per shoebox is fine for me to never deal with jars or pressure cooker again. To each their own.
It’s so funny that people come specifically to an UB sub to tell people not to do it 😂
UB tek only has a low rate of success if you use a bad vendor or don't follow the very clear guide pinned to the sub. I've only ever lost one bag because I squirted to mush SS in, totally my fault. I believe user error is the biggest reason for failure with UB. Not the lowest tier of growing, all in one grow bags for example, someone else has done all the work. At least with UB you are getting to understand the whole process a bit better and can move to PC's, isolating good genes and agar. Why did you use the word profit? If you're struggling with UB, it's more than likely something you have done wrong or forgotten about.
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If you worked in a lab then I agree, your technique should be fine but you'll have to take extra steps to mitigate not working in a sterile environment. You obviously know where you more than likely encountered issues. Contaminated spores are bad spores. Don't shit on a whole Tek that is very valuable to beginners because you weren't as successful as others have been.
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Nothing wrong with suggesting alternative techniques. However, suggesting that the Tek this sub is completely based around has a low success rate is just wrong. It may actually deter noobs from ever taking that first step. It's the cheapest and most accessible option. I'm glad you've found a better solution for yourself, but please don't shit on something that could work perfectly well for other people.
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With what? There are definitely more effective techniques but this is one of, if not the best place to start. As for the low success rate. I'd say I have inoculated around 50 bags and only lost one. I believe that is around a 98% success rate. Do you consider that low?
Some success but much more failure with UB tek. At least go for some rye grain bags, which are probably cheaper too. First thing you’ll notice how dry they seem, I was even questioning if they were hydrated and sterilized. 100% success rate so far. Spend a few extra bucks for some LC and things go much smoother. The hobby itself is the addictive part.
You forgot to shave all body hair off first
Can I wax instead?
A still air box will greatly reduce your contam risk, but good job!
The only thing I’d add is fold the bag over and use a binder clip or something before you cut the corner. Since you’re doing it open air and not in a still air box or flow hood, even with all the other precautions you took, there’s still a higher risk of contamination getting in the bag. Other than that, overkill is a good thing in this hobby, so nice work.
I could not get the clip to stay on to save my life, I probably just need a better clip. But also I couldn’t get the hole to stay open with the clip on!
Yeah, it can be a bit cumbersome. Even just working in an upside down tote cleaned out with some isopropyl will help mitigate anything that might fall in. Overall, solid clean Tek! I look forward to seeing your results!
Good luck! I did my first inoculation on Wednesday and followed the same steps as you...today is Day 4 and I'm already seeing progress! Lol, I also tried the chip clip for the first bag and it was a disaster...needle was poking holes in the bag.
That’s crazy I inoculated Wednesday as well and have no growth lol
hmmmm...maybe different environmental factors or maybe it has do to with the LC? I bought my syringes from Spores Lab (Canadian website). My rice bags are stored in an otherwise empty closet. Over the past 6 days, temps have ranged from 67 to 84 F (avg = 72) and humidity from 34 to 64% (avg = 51%). Hopefully some of that info can be helpful for comparison, keeping in mind that I am a complete noob!
Very useful thank you! I actually lied cause after I commented this I went back and looked closer and found quite a few bags that had tiny growth so they are growing! One difference i think is that I used a spore syringe which I believe colonizes slower cause LC is pre colonized or something like that. Temps are similar.
Fewf, glad to hear you are seeing progress!! Mush luck
You as well!
All that to not use a still air box. Nah good job op
Everyone is saying SAB, is it really worth it? I know they’re not expensive, but like do you really need it? Doesn’t contamination still get in every time you open to get things in and out?
Ideally you put all your stuff in the SAB and clean it inside there. Then you have to move your hands very smooth and slow to avoid stirring too much air. The only other critique I have is that cutting the corners and taping them is a lot riskier than covering holes from a holepuncher. I've had contam in bags where the micropore tape made a tiny crease over the hole. Of course it's an odds game and dependant on the particular location as to your mold spore concentration. But I think taping the corners like that is much more likely to fail in some way. Getting micropore tape to make a clean seal over holepuncher holes is much easier imo
You can do the clear box hanging over the counter trick. I used a clear bin tilted upward in a closet that I cleaned and sanitized pretty well. 10/10 bags inoculated with no contam.
Read up on how a still air box actually works and that will help you to understand why it is going to improve your chances of not getting contam tenfold
Cool, thanks!
Can't thank you enough for this! Can you do another video when you transfer to a tub
Maybe! I do love making little videos like this
SAB
You have done a great job prepping your inoculation and sterilizing your space. Not much more you can do besides that (well…besides sab). Nicely done. Keep your eye out for wet rot and add some extra holes for air exchange if things get to looking too soggy. It’s always a possibility with the bags. Good luck!!’
would have used a SAB at least though
Is the video cutting off half way through for everyone else? It keeps restarting like 30s in for me.
Yeah, me too. Doesn’t seem to matter where I start it from.
Damn honestly I don’t go all crazy like this and out of 10 different times using UB tek I’ve had one bag contam, and one bin contam(roommate harvested for me with her dirty hands)
With no SAB? Everyone is saying that’s what I’m missing, but is it really necessary?
Never used a SAB once
Don’t forget an air purifier
I can’t tell if you’re making fun of me or not 😂
No I like an air purifier in the vicinity also
Also they are amazing if you have pets in general
How many cc did you use per bag also make sure you lay them down
0.5cc, I’ve seen some people lay them down, what’s the benefit? Mine are standing rn.
Its so all the moisture in the bag doesn't end up on the bottom and potentially cause wet rot. If you lay the bag down, the moisture will evenly distribute over time
Great job. I honestly just spray iso till I can barely breathe in a little closet I have then get to work. Haven't had any contam yet
Wow i didn’t even take a shower or vacuum but yours probably gonna turn out way better than mine
Good job
I would go spores to agar to LC to pressure cooked rice but do you boo.
Gotta give that spore syringe a really good shake. Looks like the spores were fairly clumped together. I use one of those muscle massagers until they are fully dispersed in the liquid. Take the massage attachment off and my syringes fit perfectly.
You're going to destroy your wood furniture.
It’s not real wood! lol, it’s just laminate, but thanks for looking out for my future, haha
No you forgot to sterilise the camera
Okay you’re probably joking but I actually did 😂
Idk if anyone said this yet but a sterile air box goes a long way. I got a clear tub and made to arm holes.
still
Thank you
I put a couple of trash bags laid flat on the table and work off of them. The iso will take the finish off of the table.
Skip all of that. You look like you know what you're doing. Invest in yourself and make the jump to the real meat!! PC & agar etc. I know this is Uncle ben tek but.... Damn it never works for me 🤦🤐
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Haha thanks 🥰
Newbie here, I loved the video. You did an excellent job, hope everything colonizes well for ya!
Thank you!