So I'm finally past the "buy a recipe kit & try it out" stage & looking to buy some grain in bulk to save money. Before that I need to figure out storage. I have a few 5 gallon buckets but those gamma lids are way too expensive. What kind of cheap airtight containers are you guys all using?
Grain storage options?
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If you have a cool dry place to keep the buckets you can just use a lid with the rubber seal in them. Zip lock bags in addition helps. Vacuum bags even better.
I use lock and lock type containers for smaller amounts. I get them at a regional discount chain. Ocean State Job lot.
The Gamma lids are well worth the $$, IMO. About $8 us at Home Depot.
I have at least 150 pounds in my inventory.
I use lock and lock type containers for smaller amounts. I get them at a regional discount chain. Ocean State Job lot.
The Gamma lids are well worth the $$, IMO. About $8 us at Home Depot.
I have at least 150 pounds in my inventory.
TheHappyHopper
Well-Known Member
Out of curiosity - what weight of grain can you fit into a 5 gallon bucket? I have been thinking about starting to purchase grains in bulk eventually.
Do you have a DIY warehouse store local? Home Depot, Lowes, Menards or probably any hardware store. They should have the lids with the rings already in them. I wouldn't try to find the o-rings separately.
At Home Depot they are the orange lids.
15-20 lbs. I have 50# of 2 row in (3) homer buckets W/ gamma lids.
The gamma lids are worth it.
Agreed. It takes two 5 gallon buckets for a 50-55 pound sack and you will have some left. I put those into my recipe if I am ready to brew, or the lock and lock boxes.
Airtight dog food containers from Fleet Farm for large amounts. Roughly 40 pounds or so... Plus, the ones i have are on wheels, so that is pretty awesome too. Otherwise I use empty coffee cans for smaller amounts.
Homer Buckets with lids work great and they are cheap...
They stack nice and grain properly stored will last a long time.
Just don't brew with them...
bja
Well-Known Member
I just close up the sack that it came in.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
bja
Well-Known Member
I never noticed that, but the sacks I get have a plastic liner inside them that's pretty easy to seal up.
I use the white (food grade) buckets from Home Depot. Those lids have rubber seals in the lids. Use a rubber mallet to pound down the lids. You can get a plastic bucket wrench for fairly cheap if you have trouble getting the lids off. I can fit about 25# of grain in one bucket.
If you have room, those large Roughneck black trash cans can work well too to hold a whole sack. I would line the cans with a couple of trash bags, then put the sack in the trash can and tie up the trash bags for storage.
If you have room, those large Roughneck black trash cans can work well too to hold a whole sack. I would line the cans with a couple of trash bags, then put the sack in the trash can and tie up the trash bags for storage.
wardens355
Well-Known Member
Cheapest would be to find a bakery and take their waste icing/frosting buckets and clean the bejesus out of them (takes some time, but maybe you consider your time 'free'), including the lid w/ gasket (it's nice that they come with gaskets!). Buckets are nice because you can stack them. I have twelve 6-gallon food grade buckets with Gamma Lids and I prefer those, but I also have 4-5 buckets I got from a local grocer's bakery.
aviator01
Well-Known Member
This plus This = 3 50lbs sacks of grain in my garage.
Homedepot has the lowest price on gamma seal lids I can find, when you buy a 3 or 6 pack.
The homer buckets are cheap and work great and if you buy the 6 pack of each they qualify for free shipping.
A 50lbs sack will fit perfectly into 2 buckets with gamma lids. A 55lbs sack will have a little left over, which should be milled and used to make sweet, sweet wort goodness.
Homedepot has the lowest price on gamma seal lids I can find, when you buy a 3 or 6 pack.
The homer buckets are cheap and work great and if you buy the 6 pack of each they qualify for free shipping.
A 50lbs sack will fit perfectly into 2 buckets with gamma lids. A 55lbs sack will have a little left over, which should be milled and used to make sweet, sweet wort goodness.
WissahickonBrew
Well-Known Member
kombat
Well-Known Member
I say go for the Home Depot buckets and the Gamma seal lids. I've got 17 of them. Yes, it was pricey initially, but it's well worth it. It makes unmilled grain last years and completely insulates it from pests.
WissahickonBrew
Well-Known Member
Unless you go a very long time between brew days, this is unlikely. Grain has a very long shelf life. When all grain guys leap to bulk buys they are usually higher volume brewers and grain just does not sit around, or you are buying more than you should.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I only noticed this with one particular sack that I opened in the spring and sice I didnt brew all summer due to other priorities when I went to use the grain in the fall I noticed it did not seem to crunch or taste quite as good as I remembered it usually does... I tend to throw a few kernals in my mouth of grains when adding them to recipes just to get a feel for the taste tey might contribute..
I could have been mistaken but it just seemed stale to me.
during the winter I brew a lot (well I would think by normal consumption standards for a homebrewer) I have used 3 55lb sacks since Christmas this year..
Snicklefritz
Well-Known Member
I use these:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002H3S5K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Follow Amazon for a sale, I think I bought mine at like $19.99/ea
Holds a 50-55 lb bag perfectly.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002H3S5K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Follow Amazon for a sale, I think I bought mine at like $19.99/ea
Holds a 50-55 lb bag perfectly.
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BlueHouseBrew
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I use Homer buckets with regular lids for base malts and flaked grains. For specialty grains I use 1 gallon Sterilite pitchers. If you're lucky, these can be purchased from Walmart for $2.49, which makes them the cheapest option (by volume (other than Homer Buckets)) by a long-shot. They are also extremely convenient for measuring the specialty grains / dme / dextrose.
For the most part, non-flaked grains weigh about 5lbs per gallon. So you can fit about 5lbs in a pitcher and 25lbs in a bucket. (Though with some persistence you can force a 55lb sack into two buckets.)
For the most part, non-flaked grains weigh about 5lbs per gallon. So you can fit about 5lbs in a pitcher and 25lbs in a bucket. (Though with some persistence you can force a 55lb sack into two buckets.)
WissahickonBrew
Well-Known Member
I was wondering if anyone sees any issue with using containers that previously held whey protein in it, like the one below. Its a transparent blue container, so light would get in.
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/bodytech-whey-tech-vanilla-2-lb-powder/vs-2054#.VTV-LCHBzRY
http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/bodytech-whey-tech-vanilla-2-lb-powder/vs-2054#.VTV-LCHBzRY
