Grain Storage Options

My wife scoffed at $40 for a vittles vault. Probably cause we already have one for our dog food. She told me to find a cheaper option. Without the shipping, technically these are cheaper options, but the descriptions seems sorta sketchy. HomeBrewFinds.com listed them. Any thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/13-gallon-Barrel-Drum-Plastic-multipurpose-white-red-Lid-/200849025434
http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-Gallons-Barrel-Open-Top-Metal-Strap-/200857030523

I know that 5 gallon paint buckets won't hold enough. Having multiple containers sort of defeats the purpose. Has anyone seen 10g paint buckets in stores?

jgaepi said:

My wife scoffed at $40 for a vittles vault. Probably cause we already have one for our dog food. She told me to find a cheaper option. Without the shipping, technically these are cheaper options, but the descriptions seems sorta sketchy. HomeBrewFinds.com listed them. Any thoughts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/13-gallon-Barrel-Drum-Plastic-multipurpose-white-red-Lid-/200849025434
http://www.ebay.com/itm/15-Gallons-Barrel-Open-Top-Metal-Strap-/200857030523

I know that 5 gallon paint buckets won't hold enough. Having multiple containers sort of defeats the purpose. Has anyone seen 10g paint buckets in stores?

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2- 5 gallon buckets hold my 50 lb sack with room and they are cheap. It's easier to lift 25 lbs of grain in a sturdy bucket than 50. They stack well and they are sealed. Doesn't get much better than that.

Sorry vittles vault the only way to go. Make sure they have the o-ring around the lid. Becomes air tight!!! Can be stored where ever for how ever long. Animals can't get in, even the small furry kind we all like to kill. Any bugs in the grain, yes there are bugs in it, die because of lack of air. I started putting a layer of CO2 in mine. Always see dead bugs, but not near as many as before!!
Being able to buy in full back makes the &40-&50 payback in pretty short order if you brew allot.
Ohh almost forgot, they are built so that carrying them around is not a problem.

divrguy said:

2- 5 gallon buckets hold my 50 lb sack with room and they are cheap. It's easier to lift 25 lbs of grain in a sturdy bucket than 50. They stack well and they are sealed. Doesn't get much better than that.

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Agreed but not always air tight, have had mice chew through and got very tired of stacking and unstacking. Always seemed the grain I wanted was on the bottom. Just my thoughts.

I got one of these (60-69 quart) and it will a hold a 55 pound sack with no problem and its on wheels!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00186RTWW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

OldManBrew said:

Agreed but not always air tight, have had mice chew through and got very tired of stacking and unstacking. Always seemed the grain I wanted was on the bottom. Just my thoughts.

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Yikes! If your mice can chew through a 5 gallon homer bucket... You're storing them in the wrong place..lol they don't leak if you buy the lid with the gasket. They do, if you buy the cheap lid. They also have the gamma lids that screw on and off and they are awesome.

This is what I use:

http://www.fleetfarm.com/mff/detail/behrens-31-gal-galvanized-trash-can-with-cover-1270/0000000053319

I store all of my grain in my garage and have had no problems with bugs or rodents. I just leave the grain in its original sack.

divrguy said:

Yikes! If your mice can chew through a 5 gallon homer bucket... You're storing them in the wrong place..lol they don't leak if you buy the lid with the gasket. They do, if you buy the cheap lid. They also have the gamma lids that screw on and off and they are awesome.

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Like the screw on lids, hate the others -- scraped up my fingers to many times trying to get them off. Think this was why I luv the vaults so much. Can get into them pull grains and have an air tight container without moving anything.

We had a real problem with field mice when we moved into our new house. They can and will chew through anything!!! Once construction in the area finished they seemed to vanish

Can't beat the price for Home Depot or Lowes food grade buckets with silicon gasket lids for <$5 each! I have 10 of these stacked in my basement with base malts and one in my freezer with my hops! Since these containers are air tight mice will not be able to smell the grain! I do keep a mouse poison bait trap in my brew room though just in case a vermin gets inside!

So at my Home Depot they only have orange 5 g pales, are those the foodgrade ones? My lowes has specifically food grade ones but no lids for them.
I have had good luck asking at the grocery store bakery, they usually have some that had frosting and such in them.

Almost any 5 gallon bucket and Gamma Lids.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=gamma+lid&sprefix=Gamma+lid%2Caps%2C309

The lids are also available at HD.

I get my buckets at a local dairy for $1.50. Others get them free at Chinese restaurants (soy sauce) by asking for empties.