Any cool containers to store grain in?

I've been thinking of getting some large containers to store grain in so I don't constantly have to go to the brew store. Has anyone seen or heard of any cool idea's for storage? I was thinking wine barrels, but that has nothing to do with beer (not that it has to).

Personally, I use the 5 gallon "Homer" buckets from Home Depot...2 of them will hold a 50 lb bag.

I wouldn't store it over a year, especially through the summer here. If you are going to buy 50 lb bags I would put it in a good trash can like these:

http://www.homedepot.com/Kitchen-Cl...053&langId=-1&keyword=trash can&storeId=10051

Has no one seen any kind of creative storage though? Something interesting like a mini silo or something off the wall?

Was just thinking and thought the metal milk containers might be cool.

This is what I got. Love these things. Going forward, I think I'll go with the 6 gallon since I can't quite fit 50lb in 2 5 gallon buckets.

Item: IN MS C100 - 5-Gallon Bucket (No Lid)
Item: IN MS L701 - GAMMA SEALT Lid

http://beprepared.com/

Howie said:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753798

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Love these - use a 13 gal version for fermenting 10 gal lager batches.

I have a 3000 bushel steel bin to put my unmalted grain in. Alongside that is two 2500 bushel bins for other grains. Is that what you meant?

Oh by the way, I'm a small time farmer and those grains are meant to go to market.

I'd use the buckets you get for free from grocery store bakeries. They have seals in the lids and for free you can't beat the price. The only drawback is that they are 3 gallon.

I also use the gamma vaults. They are fantastic.

Euphist said:

Personally, I use the 5 gallon "Homer" buckets from Home Depot...2 of them will hold a 50 lb bag.

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This...but I do smaller sized batches and usually only order for 5-6 brews so its easy to store in two of them

As an alternative to Vittle Vaults, I've been wanting to try these.

They're called Buddeez Bag-In Pet Food Dispensers and this one is 60 gallon. Sunken wheels on the back. Complete with scoop. Haven't found them anywhere that shipping isn't 50% of the unit price.

SankePankey said:

As an alternative to Vittle Vaults, I've been wanting to try these.

They're called Buddeez Bag-In Pet Food Dispensers and this one is 60 gallon. Sunken wheels on the back. Complete with scoop. Haven't found them anywhere that shipping isn't 50% of the unit price.

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I have one of those for dog food. Purchased in-store at PetCo.
Even though the top has an O-ring, it doesn't make a real seal like a bucket lid does FYI

These are what I use:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002H3S5K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Each will hold a 50# bag with space to spare, and they stack vertically. Totally airtight too, unlike the 5 gallon buckets so you won't get ants/weevils/etc in your grain should you store it in your garage like me.

I have gotten 4 and 5 gallon buckets at my Acme bakery. 3 gallon aren't the only ones around.

Howie said:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753798

Click to expand...

I have three of these is different sizes I use to store bulk grain in.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009YYQ4S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I use these. $24 with free shipping if you have Prime. Holds a 50lb bag perfectly.

Good thread, I've got some ideas now!

Disintegr8or said:

I have one of those for dog food. Purchased in-store at PetCo.
Even though the top has an O-ring, it doesn't make a real seal like a bucket lid does FYI

Click to expand...

OK cool. That's why I never bought one. Was waiting to hear that. Thx.

+1 on the free bakery containers. Need 2+ though for a 55lb bulk grain bag, but they are air tight and easily stackable. Only real drawback is cleaning out the flavored frosting, very tempting to just scoop and eat

Pulling off a 5 gallon bucket snap lid reminds me of *+&$+!! drywall mud. I got a couple of those twist off Gamma2 lids from Home DePot, which seems ok but the main lid gasket reeks of plastic funk. At roughly $4 for the bucket and $7 for the lid, the cost is close enough to buy regular screw lid FDA approved buckets from this place.

U Line screw-Top-Pails

For a few bucks more, 6.5 gal with blue, red, or white lids. Thinking this could be a nice fermenter too. lHBS sells the lid grommets. I hate stirring up the yeast getting the snap top off an ale pail.

Anyone try these yet? (Probably where the bakery's icing buckets come from...)

That's what my lhbs uses. Very nice

Five gallon buckets as cheap as you can find them.

And these:
http://www.amazon.com/GAMMA-SEAL-GALLON-LID-WHITE/dp/B005SRUR6M/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1329317116&sr=8-11

When you said cool, you made me think you were talking about "cool" as in "on display". My first thought was that nothing is cooler than the bags they come in (makes a surprisingly comfortable couch if you stack them right), especially if they are Weyermann or some other "real" bag (not Briess like paper bags). Then I started thinking of large glass silo's you could build with stainless steel lids. Like those sugar things on the counter, but 10 times the size (and in the living room, of course). Or a 15 gallon, tear-drop shaped demijohn!

After reading, I realized you meant something plastic with a fancy lid.

Another thought - a lot of grocery stores are getting rid of bulk coffee displays. It would be awesome to have specialty grains in those style dispensers.

kincade said:

These are what I use:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002H3S5K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Each will hold a 50# bag with space to spare, and they stack vertically. Totally airtight too, unlike the 5 gallon buckets so you won't get ants/weevils/etc in your grain should you store it in your garage like me.

Click to expand...

Maybe this is a dumb question, but you're saying the 40 lb version will hold 50 lbs of grain? I dig the vertical stacking feature. Good way to safe space in the basement.

I don't know why the 40# was linked, I use the 60# I believe. I think the 40# would work if the opening were vertical, but that would prevent it from stacking.

BVilleggiante said:

... Has anyone seen or heard of any cool idea's for storage?...

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Probably not cool enough?

I've been storing mine in buckets like the ones from U-line. But reading through this thread just gave me an idea. I have this 15 gallon plastic inductor tank (conical fermentor) that I no longer use as a fermentor (thanks to Brewhemoth). I could use it like a grain silo. Now I just need some way that I could lower it for filling and raise it up again to dispense near my scale...