Food safe buckets

[ericsgarland]

I'm looking to add a couple of fermenters and my local store wants about 17 bucks for a bucket. Looking to buy local are the buckets at lowes or Home Depot food safe?

Thanks
Eric

 

[IslandLizard]

The color ones are no good for fermentation. Clear or white #2 and #1 (perhaps not all) are food safe.

If you're making 5 gallon batches, you'll need to count for some head space, like 20-25%, so 6.5 gallons are the minimum size.

 

[humblehops500]

Although they are only 5 gallons, I picked up 4 buckets at local Stop n Shop for FREE They are white HDPE buckets used for cake frosting, so obviously food grade plastic. They just throw them away so no problem giving them to customers. Maybe not the best for fermenting in but nice to have a few buckets around, right?

 

[flars]

Clear or white buckets marked, on the bottom, with HDPE2 may be the best choice. This designation will also handle boiling liquids, which typically is not needed in brewing.
Make sure the bucket will have at least 25% head space for the volume you plan to brew.

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

These are my favorite buckets to use for fermenters, and I've picked up a few more for sanitizer storage, grain storage, etc.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24116&catid=626

 

[heckabrew]

These are my favorite buckets to use for fermenters, and I've picked up a few more for sanitizer storage, grain storage, etc.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24116&catid=626

these look nice! do you have to buy the lid separate from the bucket? the description is lacking.

edit: NVM, figured it out, the lids are sold separate.

 

[IslandLizard]

These are my favorite buckets to use for fermenters, and I've picked up a few more for sanitizer storage, grain storage, etc.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=24116&catid=626

these look nice! do you have to buy the lid separate from the bucket? the description is lacking.

Lids are sold separately.

The buckets are great for storage but fermenting, I'm not so sure. I have a few of those smaller buckets and lids, the 3.5 gallon ones.

Aren't those tamper resistant lids really hard to clean and sanitize? They're not smooth on the bottom, they have 20-some reinforcement tabs with sharp corners and the seal is in a very narrow channel. How do you deal with that?

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

I just soak them in hot water and PBW and have never had a problem on probably 20 or so batches with them. I also have never had krausen all the way up to the bottom of the lid, since my batches are always at 5 gallons or a little less, but they probably are difficult to clean if you get gunk up in there.

 

[Fbrews]

I use these for smaller batches, about 8 and 5 bucks for small one at wally world.
The big one can hold 2.5 gal with small amount of head space.


http://www.containerstore.com/catalogimages/216451/10014041gSlimlineFridgeJug_600.jpg

 

[Sailingeric]

$17 seems like a lot but get a good bucket. I like the 8 gallon Brewcraft bucket, which is about $20 at LHBS. In the big picture, once you get your equipment set up, you will recoup cost versus buying beer in the store.

 

[ThunderpantsBrewing]

$17 seems like a lot but get a good bucket. I like the 8 gallon Brewcraft bucket, which is about $20 at LHBS. In the big picture, once you get your equipment set up, you will recoup cost versus buying beer in the store.

This is true if you can keep yourself from constantly upgrading or trying new processes with new equipment. I have been brewing a few years and am still buying new equipment all the time because I like new equipment.

 

[IslandLizard]

I just soak them in hot water and PBW and have never had a problem on probably 20 or so batches with them. I also have never had krausen all the way up to the bottom of the lid, since my batches are always at 5 gallons or a little less, but they probably are difficult to clean if you get gunk up in there.

Thanks for sharing your positive experience with those lids. I guess a soak in hot PBW and the right touch will clean them if they do get gunky.

The O-ring/seal seems to be some sort of dense foam material, which was another concern. Little tricky to remove too, it's really deep down in that groove.

Price wise that's indeed a very good alternative.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Although they are only 5 gallons, I picked up 4 buckets at local Stop n Shop for FREE They are white HDPE buckets used for cake frosting, so obviously food grade plastic. They just throw them away so no problem giving them to customers. Maybe not the best for fermenting in but nice to have a few buckets around, right?

Then my Stop and shop sucks.I went in asked if they had any 5 gallon buckets and they said they need to inventory them and don't throw them out.Apparently BS.I ended up buying 2 yesterday for 17 each at LHBS.Oh well there clean and new.Brew day today

 

[heckabrew]

This is true if you can keep yourself from constantly upgrading or trying new processes with new equipment. I have been brewing a few years and am still buying new equipment all the time because I like new equipment.

+1
I'm in the exact same boat, constantly trying out new things. Maybe someday I'll stop spending money on equipment but I doubt it.

 

[djstaticburn]

Go to Lowe's and get a five gallon food grade buckets (like four bux and some change) and two lids (1.97 i think) drill just shy of a 1/2" hole in the lid, stick a grommet and airlock in, and BOOM! May not wanna do a full five, to leave just a bit of headroom to try and aviod blowout. but do 4 or 4 1/2 gal. From the info ive gathered this will just give your beer a little better body and flavor due to less water.

(Only on 2nd batch, (cold crashing atm) so plz seasoned guys correct me if im wrong)

Jim

 

[timpoulsen]

This company is not far down the road from me and these buckets for under 10 bucks work fine. Food safe and regular or gamma seal screw on lids are available. Many colors to choose from but only white in the 6 & 7 gallon size. The pry open tool they sell for the regular lid is only 8 bucks.
http://www.uline.com/BL_8150/Plastic-Pails-and-Lids?keywords=buckets

 

[AndyRN]

I use the food safe, 5 gal, buckets as a secondary. As other said you will blow the lid off a 5 gal bucket if you use it as your primary.

 

[grrickar]

Menards (if you have such a thing near you) sells food safe white 5 gal buckets for less than $4. They also have the best price I have seen on gamma seal lids to fit those buckets - the lids are under $7 - even less with the 15% off everything sale they have on at the moment.

And yes, if you get freebies get the icing buckets *NOT* pickle buckets. I have tried almost everything to get the smell out of some freebies I got, and it just won't happen. If you think it will fade over time, consider mine which I have had airing out in a garage for two years and still smell.

 

[Barkley990]

I've been using Home Depot white #2 buckets and lids for about a year now. Very easy to drill a hole for an airlock. We have 50 or so batches between 5 buckets. I've never had any infections or issues. Even put 150 degree wort in several times to cool overnight before pitching yeast. Sure it doesn't have a fancy homebrew store logo on it, but for $4-5, you can't beat them. 🍻