Grain Storage Question

I am moving to AG and have a quick question about grain storage. I brew once or twice a month so I tried to keep some extract on hand for when i needed it. I would like to do the same with grain.
Question
#1. Can I mill the grain at the store and keep it for a month or two or should I leave it whole? (I do not have a mill so I would have to make extra trip to the store to buy fresh)
#2. Paper or plastic? Does it matter as longas it is stored in a cool dry place?
Thanks

I wouldn't use grain that has been crushed after more than a week, and I keep my grain in those large rubbermaid bins that you can buy pretty much anywhere right now with the after christmas sales. I actually bought two more yesterday since they were only $5 at Walmart.

I brew about once every month or two also and order about 2 kits at a time online. I save the 2nd plastic bag that comes around the grains I get from brewmasters and put them around the grain I plan on storing, so there are usually 3 bags tied around my grain.

I store it in the fridge in the back against the corner and have used grains after up to 5 weeks of being crushed, I was mad at myself for letting it sit around that long but it turned out to be my best brew!

I would feel safe keeping it refrigerated for up to 3 weeks if needed.

If you don't pre-mill your grain and store it in a nice sealed container, you can pretty much store it indefinitely. I use orange homer buckets for grain storage. Each holds 25 pounds of grain.

If you do happen to mill your grain for a brew day, and can't brew, stick it in your freezer. It will prolong the life.

I second Revvy's orange Homer Buckets from Home Depot, they work great and hold exactly 25lbs.

Does light affect the uncooked/cracked grain? I think it might with the sweating process. I would not store cracked grains for a prolonged period of time. and if your storing I would choose a bin that doesn't easily let light through.

just 2cents though not proven or disproven

Slink

You can store milled grain, but you have to keep it sealed and free from moisture. Treat it like you would treat a box of saltine crackers.

what revvy said!!

alemonster said:

what revvy said!!

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+1 Air and moisture are the enemy, the more that you expose to either the shorter the life....I guess you should also add bugs to the enemy list

You can always tell the bachelors... they are first to promote the idea of putting brewing stuff in the fridge. We the married (with kids) have a different reality

Keeping it in the fridge will generally allow the grain to pick up off smells/flavors from co-habitants in the fridge.

If it's crushed, keep it in sealed buckets in a cool dry place. I've had some crushed grain over a year and the beers from it have won awards.

MC

Misplaced_Canuck said:

Keeping it in the fridge will generally allow the grain to pick up off smells/flavors from co-habitants in the fridge.

If it's crushed, keep it in sealed buckets in a cool dry place. I've had some crushed grain over a year and the beers from it have won awards.

MC

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That's awesome, I thought that the fridge might add odd flavors, my buddy hardly has any food in his fridge though and uses baking soda in it. I guess if I can get 25 lbs into one bucket from farm & fleet for 3 dollars with a lid I might as well! My new apt had an attic too so I could store it cold... not to mention with my new carboy I will need more room for beer in the fridge.

passedpawn said:

You can always tell the bachelors... they are first to promote the idea of putting brewing stuff in the fridge. We the married (with kids) have a different reality

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Not married, but close enough. +1 to this!

If you have a vacuum sealer... you can use that to prolong the life of crushed grain quite a bit.

maffewl said:

If you have a vacuum sealer... you can use that to prolong the life of crushed grain quite a bit.

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That would be good but the problem is, if you end up with grain weevils, them little suckers can make it through ziploc vacuum seal bags.

I had a nasty infestation of weevils a few years ago, and I moved ALL grain based products in my pantry to hard plastic, I've been good since.

M_C

Misplaced_Canuck said:

That would be good but the problem is, if you end up with grain weevils, them little suckers can make it through ziploc vacuum seal bags.

I had a nasty infestation of weevils a few years ago, and I moved ALL grain based products in my pantry to hard plastic, I've been good since.

M_C

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Weevil eggs are present almost all the time. Keep the grain dry and cool. If it is stored in a garage in the summer it will get warm and humid enough for the little buggers to hatch. I have a basement and my grain is stored there year round in plastic bins. I have yet to see weevil outbreak.

passedpawn said:

You can always tell the bachelors... they are first to promote the idea of putting brewing stuff in the fridge. We the married (with kids) have a different reality

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HA!

Or for those of us divorced types, it's back to the fridge. Next to the stale takeout pizza and the bottle of milk that curdled 2 weeks ago...

Thanks for all the good info. I will probably start by crushing at the store and keeping the grain cool and dry for a bit till I can afford a grain mill. Then I will sore bulk in buckets.

passedpawn said:

You can store milled grain, but you have to keep it sealed and free from moisture. Treat it like you would treat a box of saltine crackers.

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+1
There is no way to get any brewing stuff in the fridge next to the 3 gallons of milk and stuff for the kids.

Hey guys, what about rice hulls? Do the same rules apply for extra rice hulls?

Cacaman said:

Hey guys, what about rice hulls? Do the same rules apply for extra rice hulls?

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Seal them in a large baggie and you are good. There is no kernel there (i.e., nothing to stale or absorb moisture) so I don't think there is any risk, regardless how you store them. (I have to admit, though, I haven't used them in years. Turns out they are unnecessary for my system.)