Best way to store your equipment

Okay, so as a new brewer I'm struggling with the best way to store all my new equipment. I'm just wondering if anyone has any good ways to keep all of their neat and out of the way. Bottles, equipment, chemicals, grain/ingredients, anything really.

So anyone that has a good setup, post it on here so I can mercilessly steal your ideas.

Right now, my storage is just keeping my two glass carboys in milk crates, all of my tools in my bottling bucket, ingredients are everywhere, and my bottles are in random 6pack cases.

As long as the stuff in your bottling bucket isn't metal or scratchy, you've got the right idea - consolidate and store stuff inside other stuff.

And milk crates are awesome. I bought 12 of them a while ago. Each holds 23 bottles (some guys fit 24 in a crate, but I can't figure out how to do it) and they stack. I have all my packaged beers in crates stacked four high. Really efficient storage.

I got a large rubbermaid tote (stole it from SWMBO really) to keep most of my equipment in and a small frosting bucket (maybe 1-2 gallons) for really small stuff like airlocks/stoppers/spigots inside the tote as well. Mostly everything fits in there except the big stuff.
Buckets stacked together, better bottles hung upside down from the ceiling, clean bottles on one side of the bench in old cardboard cases, "dirty" bottles on the bench in six pack holders, full bottles in the cellar along with the fermenting beer, grains in old 5ish gallon frosting buckets with Gamma lids stacked up on the side wall. Kettle/MLT/burner all stays in the garage so I don't have to carry it up from the basement every time. Hops and yeast in a rubbermaid container in the fridge.
It's constantly evolving though depending on equipment and ideas I get from here. After a while you'll figure out what works best for you.

I found the closet under my staircase makes for excellent brewing storage and fermenting during summer since its dead center in the house with no windows.

That said once i get my garage clean im storing more out there, my stash is getting too big.

Anywhere that doesn't piss off your wife/girlfriend/sig other!

Brewer's Best boxes!!!!!!!

I have 1 that is for bottle caps and priming sugars and another with hydrometers, thermometers, StarSan, Bottle cleaners etc etc.

I am lucky that SWMBO gave me the living room and dining room for my "Brewery"! It fits the "Lager fermenter", Beer Fridge", Ale ferment area(old coolers), fish tank(55 gallon freshwater), bar area and bottle aging chamber.

Those boxes that Brewer's Best Extract kits come in are REALLY GOOD boxes!

The picture is sideways, but this is what I did for most of my stuff in the garage. The storage under my stairs is where I ferment with a swamp cooler and store conditioning beer inside a large rubbermaid tub to contain messes should a bottle decide to go boom.

Once again the shining light of why I live alone but own a single family home. I store bottles, pots, and carboys in the basement. Tools, airlocks, grain bags, grain, corn sugar, sanitizer, etc, all live in the kitchen cabinets. Life is grand.

These kinds of organizers with drawers are cheap, don't take up much space, and are perfect for storing hydrometers, thermometers, stoppers, airlocks, hops socks and all the other little stuff you have.

I'm currently using the box that my last bottling bucket and other misc stuff was shipped in as well as a couple small plastic totes. Doesn't take up too much space and everything stores away neatly. My only real problem is what to do with all the beer bottles after I've cleaned them. Looks like I may have to invest in some milk crates!

I put up two sets of shelves in the garage (heated, finally) and I am working on converting one whole side of the garage into a brew room.

Half that crap they sell you dont even need! I use two buckets and airlock and going caveman pour int bottle bucket.All that other stuff i dunno where it even is. Dont want to know either. Just more things to screw with your mind. My bud says k.i.s.s method keep it simple stupid. Works for me less is more.

Edit need auto siphon though....back hurts lol

JonM said:

As long as the stuff in your bottling bucket isn't metal or scratchy, you've got the right idea - consolidate and store stuff inside other stuff.

Click to expand...

I don't like storing anything in my bottling bucket. I can, however, fit my immersion chiller, thermometers, and a bunch of brew day stuff in my brew pot. I then flip its lid upside down (handle into the pot) and stack on top of it. Keeping items necessary for a task together is always a time saver.

I have started to put up peg board and trying to have a spot on the peg board for each tool for brewing but I want to protect my tools. So right now I am in the middle of trying to find containers such as the tube the hydrometer comes into protect and keep each item clean. Thinking of PVC tubing or something in that fashion. Should have it done in the next month as currently not at the top of my priority list.

Thanks for the ideas guys, i think I'll be looking for some tupperware and milk crates, and maybe a shelving unit (Lowes/HD usually has good prices for those on black Friday)

OClairBrew said:

The picture is sideways, but this is what I did for most of my stuff in the garage. The storage under my stairs is where I ferment with a swamp cooler and store conditioning beer inside a large rubbermaid tub to contain messes should a bottle decide to go boom.

View attachment 77371

Click to expand...

i see a redhook long hammer ipa box!!
awesome beer, wish they would make the blonde ale again

It's one of my favorite commercial beers! They have the best bottles too IMO.

yup i save the bottles also, i go to the NH brewery all the time

I don't have a good method for my bigger items, but I LOVE this thing for all of my small stuff:



It's a Stanley Tool Organizer, and it holds pretty much all of my stuff, including all of my water salts, fittings, airlocks, yadda yadda yadda.

I am thinking about using one of those stacking drawer things for things like hoses and specialty grains, etc. Basically anything except the CFC and long items like autosiphon and mash paddle, etc. Those I usually store in a grain bucket, which I don't mind getting scratched.

All of my fermenter buckets hang by their handles by nails pounded into the rafters of my garage.

Here is a picture of what I meant. Again I am just starting this so a bunch of the equipment is not hangin but you get the picture.

Recently just bought two 4 level adjustable wire racks from costco, they are like 32 bucks or something...also at costco bought a 3 set of big storage containers for like 20 bucks. Have everything seperated into the 3 bins based on use...

One bin holds everything i need on a brew day, starsan, yeast nutrient, chiller, whirlfloc, tubing, etc. Another container is about half full of starsan liquid, the 3rd for now is full of all my bottling stuff, since i keg now i dont bottle a whole lot and need a place to store everything.