Bulk grain storage

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BeerAg

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I'm looking for an affordable way to store the 100+ lbs of grain I just purchased. I will keep it in a detached garage, so I am semi-worried that the smell of malted grain might attract the interest of rodents.

What is the most cost effective solution for storing bulk grain in an air-tight container?
 
I got the pet food container on wheels from Petsmart. It is cool because it is on wheels, it (barely) holds a full sack, and is air-tight, so it will keep un-cracked grain for over a year. Plus I think it was like $20 ea.
 
Check out any local farm supply stores. My local one has 30 gal. poly drums with lids and bandclamps for about $20.
 
Bad news, too late to help you since you've already made your decision and purchase. Many it'll help some one else.

When I was young and poor I lived in a less than desirable part of the greater Altanta area. I had 2 dogs. I got the bright idea to store their dog food in a Plastic rubber maid trash bin. Rats ate right through the top over night after I'd had the thing a little more that a couple of weeks.

After that started feeding them canned food.

Maybe with air tight lids the pails will work OK because they won't smell the grain. But if there are rats in you neighborhood I wouldn't bet on it.

But a plastic trash can is not a good option based on my experience.

I don't have rats to worry about now but the raccoons and opossums are just as bad. A metal Trash can with the grains stored in plastic garbage bags and a 25# weight on top works well.
 
I was thinking about buying in bulk and storing at home, until last weekend anyway.

I bough my crushed grains from the LHBS Friday. Sunday morning I opened up the grains and they were crawling with dozens of some kind of fruit fly type insect. Mmmm, more protein in my brew.

What do you guys who store grains do about insect control?

Usually my LHBS throws some dry ice in to suffocate the bugs. I guess they need to do it again.
 
A determined rat can chew through just about anything. The hope is that the air tight container will limit any odor emitted, and prevent rats from chewing through the garage door to get into the garage in the first place.

I don't really have a problem with rats per say, I've never seen evidence of one in the house or garage, but I have seen them on the back fence, and don't want to tempt them.

As for 30 gallon drums, that seems like a great deal, but I think that your definition and my definition of "bulk" might be a bit different.

As for bugs, I'm hoping the air tight container will keep out problems. I'll just have to be careful about leaving the lid on. If I do get some bugs, I'll let the grain hang out in my chest freezer fermenter for a day. That will teach um.
 
For a reference, I use 5 gallon buckets to store grain (the ones exactly like a 6.5 gal plastic fermenter but 5 gal). They are nice because the lids snap on real tight, and you don't have to worry about anything getting in. Each 5 gallon buckets fits right around 25 lbs, so for 100 lbs, you'll need around 20 gallons storage give or take.

-Jon
 
I bought some big rubbermaid tubs with snap on lids, and they seem to be doing a sufficient job. I kept them in the basement during summer and now that it's cooler out they're in the garage (we don't have rodent problems). the one nice thing about winter time is that you get to use your garage as cold storage.
 
raceskier said:
I was thinking about buying in bulk and storing at home, until last weekend anyway.

I bough my crushed grains from the LHBS Friday. Sunday morning I opened up the grains and they were crawling with dozens of some kind of fruit fly type insect. Mmmm, more protein in my brew.

What do you guys who store grains do about insect control?

Usually my LHBS throws some dry ice in to suffocate the bugs. I guess they need to do it again.


Well if you buy in bulk you don't want to have the grains milled. So having unmilled grain would help.

Also if you are getting bugs in 2 days I would suspect that you are bringing them home from your LHBS. That plus the fact that he throws dry ice in to kill them also make me think the problem is at the LHBS. I've never had that problem which makes for a 3rd reason I'd suspect your LHBS maybe others have had problems like that.

Here are some suggestions. Store them in the fridge but make sure you take them out at least 8 hours before you brew. Make sure the bag is sealed as tight as you can get it. Try another grain supplier and see if you get the same problem.
 
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