5 Gallon Buckets at Lowe's & Secondary ?'s

[HopKeller]

Lowe's has food safe/BPA free 5 gal buckets (for $4) - anyone used these as a secondary? Seems like they would work perfectly and would allow little headspace like a carboy. All I need to buy is a lid & an airlock from my LHBS. Esp. good for my setup as my ferm freezer (which is large enough for two buckets) has a shelf that doesn't allow me to use my 6.5gal bucket with the airlock.

 

[day_trippr]

If your batch will fit, go for it...

Cheers!

 

[mredge73]

If the recycle code on the bottom is 1 or 2, then it is good to brew!

 

[carrolte]

here's a pick of the bottom.

 

[mredge73]

I can barely make it out, looks like a number 8.
In that case, then the debate is out there and is endless...

My 2 cents:
I wouldn't use it for a secondary, but maybe a primary.

 

[IffyG]

I wouldn't use it for primary or secondary, but they are great for storing bulk grain.

 

[BetterSense]

I have a white lowes 5 gallon that has a 1 on the bottom and it's made by Encore plastics. I'm 99% sure it's food grade. I use it for a secondardy and bottling bucket because it's not quite big enough for a fermenter.

 

[Monstar]

I use home depot buckets. 4 bucks, and they have a two.

 

[HopKeller]

For those that are against, what's the biggest reason? Potential off-flavors or toxins?

 

[mredge73]

O2 permeability.

1 and 2 have little to no permeability.

 

[IffyG]

For those that are against, what's the biggest reason? Potential off-flavors or toxins?

People use those buckets to haul stuff around the store... at least it's a common practice around here. The buckets are all at the front of the store and they are used like baskets at the grocery store. I can't guarantee any bucket I grab from them isn't scratched and I'm not going to risk 30 bucks of ingredients to save 10 bucks on a bucket.

 

[carrolte]

sorry the pic compressed when uploading but it is a 2 inside a triangle

 

[mack25]

I noticed these over the weekend. They are actually marked as "food safe" on the shelf. Consensus seems to be that the normal HD and Lowes buckets are food safe*, but I'll sleep a little better using these knowing they were labeled as such.

*probably, maybe, possibly.

 

[Monstar]

Been using em forever. No off flavors or infections and I'm still alive! Haha

 

[logdrum]

People use those buckets to haul stuff around the store... at least it's a common practice around here. The buckets are all at the front of the store and they are used like baskets at the grocery store. I can't guarantee any bucket I grab from them isn't scratched and I'm not going to risk 30 bucks of ingredients to save 10 bucks on a bucket.

Never take one of the top 5 buckets

Sent from my iPod touch using HB Talk

 

[HopKeller]

The Lowe's bucket I bought today has a #2 on the bottom.
Again, this is my only option given the interior height of my ferm chamber.
I'll just scrub it real good with a wire brush to make sure it's good 'n clean.

 

[turkeyjerky214]

Here's what I ferment in now.
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=46493&catid=752
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=43954

The spout fits a regular stopper, and for a blowoff tube, I cram a short section of 1" PVC with a tube on the end. The extra headroom is great, and they're cheaper than Ale Pails. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that you need a rubber mallet to get them on and a tool to get them off.

 

[IffyG]

I'll just scrub it real good with a wire brush to make sure it's good 'n clean.

That's a bad idea. You never want to use anything that might scratch the plastic.

 

[sudsmcgee]

I'll just scrub it real good with a wire brush to make sure it's good 'n clean.

For the love of.....please say you're joking. Do NOT use a wire brush!

 

[iaefebs]

You can also check at a place that sells cakes. I don't know if you have any large bakery's in the area, I get them from Sam's club. They will give you the icing buckets for free, they have them in two - five gallon sizes. Food grade and great storing grain and anything else. Five gallon is to small for five gallon batches but would work for 3 gallon batches.

 

[HopKeller]

The smiley face was meant to imply sarcasm...guess it failed.

 

[norsk]

US Plastics 6 and 7 gal buckets work great for the price, add a spigot with an inverted inlet (Williams Brewing et al) and you're good to go. On the other hand... I found it almost impossible to find a bucket that isn't food grade as opposed to those that are specifically food grade.

 

[DakotaRules]

The Lowe's bucket I bought today has a #2 on the bottom.
Again, this is my only option given the interior height of my ferm chamber.
I'll just scrub it real good with a wire brush to make sure it's good 'n clean.

I got the joke and it was hilarious!

 

[day_trippr]

The smiley face was meant to imply sarcasm...guess it failed.

Winky face works best for wise crackin'...

Cheers!