Bulk grain storage

[brewyourown4life]

just wondering what people use to store there grains. going to start buying base malts in #50 bags

 

[iijakii]

Basically anything that seals. Home Depot buckets with the gasketed lid. Store it somewhere cool and dry.

 

[OG2620]

Food grade buckets with air tight Gamma lids in a cool basement. I get 30# per bucket or thereabouts.

 

[gcdowd]

Would those plastic storage totes work? They are certainly larger but probably don't seal as well.

 

[Demon]

Home Depot buckets

 

[KitB]

Hopper bins, lined with XXL Ziplocks:

http://www.homedepot.com/Storage-Or...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051

 

[Face Eater]

I have been using dog food containers for a while now and they do the job. They are a bit pricy but I just bought the large ones (forget what size they are) and they will hold a sack of grain and a bit more in them. I leave my grain in the sack inside of them. If I were to do it again I would probably use buckets like others have posted for a more cost effective stackable method.

 

[logdrum]

Home depot also sells charcoal bins similar to the pet food bin. I leave the grain (or flour, or birdseed) in the original sack, about $12

 

[passedpawn]

What part of your house or apt are you going to keep these containers?

How do you store small quantities of grain now (i.e., 5#)?

 

[kapbrew13]

Try this. Read this not too long ago.
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2012/0...tml?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&m=1

 

[Brew-boy]

5 gallon buckets with the gasket lid, I got mine from Tractor supply company.

 

[KitB]

What part of your house or apt are you going to keep these containers?

I have 6 of them in my basement bar area.
Contents are currently:
1) 2-Row
2) Munich
3) Pilsner
4) C-75
5) Assorted small bags
6) Assorted small bags

 

[brewyourown4life]

What part of your house or apt are you going to keep these containers?

How do you store small quantities of grain now (i.e., 5#)?

small amounts of grain i vacum seal and store in a tote. i will be storing everything in the basement

 

[brettwasbtd]

Home depot also sells charcoal bins similar to the pet food bin. I leave the grain (or flour, or birdseed) in the original sack, about $12

One of those fit an entire 50lb sack?

 

[BrewThruYou]

I use a combo of Vittle Vaults and Home Depot buckets. I like the vittle vaults because they hold an entire sack and the seal is better than the HD buckets...I've had some problems with the lids cracking on the HD buckets.

Downside is cost...those homer buckets are like $2.97 with $0.97 lids. I have two vittle vaults for my two main base grains (2-Row and Pilsen) and then have homers for any other bulk grain (wheat, maris otter).

 

[lpdjshaw]

I bought two of these when they were on sale. Still a little expensive but I figured I'd never have to worry about anything breaking on them and would have them for the rest of my life. They're food safe, BPA free, have a super heavy duty large O ring in the lid and fit a whole bag of malt as well.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/foodStorage/bulk?productId=10004271&N=68995

 

[Irrenarzt]

Brute 32 gallon can, holds 3x50 pound sacks. Works great, grain lasts a long time. Mice don't get in it.

Here's a pic with 2 bags but you can get more in there. Problem is its hard to lift with a 3rd sack in there.

 

[Wreck99]

Brute 32 gallon can, holds 3x50 pound sacks. Works great, grain lasts a long time. Mice don't get in it.

Here's a pic with 2 bags but you can get more in there. Problem is its hard to lift with a 3rd sack in there.

That's alot of grain...

 

[emjay]

I use a combo of Vittle Vaults and Home Depot buckets. I like the vittle vaults because they hold an entire sack and the seal is better than the HD buckets...I've had some problems with the lids cracking on the HD buckets.

Downside is cost...those homer buckets are like $2.97 with $0.97 lids. I have two vittle vaults for my two main base grains (2-Row and Pilsen) and then have homers for any other bulk grain (wheat, maris otter).

They sell the Vittles Vaults lids, called Gamma seal lids, by themselves for use on standard buckets with a 12" top diameter. I use cheap food-grade buckets (actually got them free from a winemaking friend - they initially held grape juice) with the Gamma Seal Lids for the best of both worlds. I believe the lids cost me about $6 each off Amazon.

That's alot of grain...

That's actually not that much for somebody that mills their own grain and buys in bulk. I have the equivalent of 7 sacks (over 8 with the assorted specialty malts), and I don't even brew that much. 2-row, pilsner (floor-malted Bohemian), Marris Otter, pale wheat, Vienna, and Munich all get bought by the sack.

 

[Wreck99]

Is the trash can airtight though? Or does that matter?

I'm just getting into AG (2 batches under my belt now), after 6 months of extract brewing. I'm looking into buying grain in bulk and a mill. Just need to figure out what I'm storing it in and what I should buy in bulk. I figured I'll map out a few recipes for the rest of the year and go off that. I was considering using Homer buckets for the grains...

 

[dannedry]

I use the cheap 5 gallon buckets and lids from Menards, and have had no problems with them in 2 years of brewing. I stack them in my basement. Specialty grain I keep in ziplock bags in the freezer with my hops.

 

[Irrenarzt]

Is the trash can airtight though? Or does that matter?

I'm just getting into AG (2 batches under my belt now), after 6 months of extract brewing. I'm looking into buying grain in bulk and a mill. Just need to figure out what I'm storing it in and what I should buy in bulk. I figured I'll map out a few recipes for the rest of the year and go off that. I was considering using Homer buckets for the grains...

Been doing this for years without issue. However, I live in a dry climate. If you live in humidity, you may want a better seal. I've been through 10's of 50 pound bags without even a bug in there as far as I can tell and grain hasn't gotten stale, bug infested or mice eating it (I have a lot of mice in my garage as evidenced by all the traps I get filled). That said, I brew alot. Usually every Saturday. So I go through grain fairly fast.

 

[Wreck99]

Cool thanks for the feedback. I love in a less than dry climate, but my basement is always dry as a bone. I'll probably use homer buckets. Seems to be a practical way to go.

 

[emjay]

Cool thanks for the feedback. I love in a less than dry climate, but my basement is always dry as a bone. I'll probably use homer buckets. Seems to be a practical way to go.

Look into Gamma seal lids for your homer buckets if you want something good and cheap. They're stronger (more durable AND allow for better stacking than the regular foam-gasket lids), and *totally* airtight.

 

[Wreck99]

Dome hepot carry those?

 

[EternalHoppiness]

My HD does. I think they are about $6/each for the Gamma lids. . .

 

[emjay]

Dome hepot carry those?

My HD doesn't, but it's in Canada. I bought mine off Amazon. Your HD probably does though, since this guy says his does...

My HD does. I think they are about $6/each for the Gamma lids. . .

That's what I paid for mine. Compared to the non-standalone Gamma seal lid (ie Vittles Vault), $6 each is peanuts, though I think most places sell them for twice that (~$12). But hell, I'd pay $15-20, easy, if that's the only option I had. I just don't want people thinking they're getting ripped off paying more than $6, though they should be aware that they might be able to find them that cheap.

The lids come in 2 pieces:

1) An outer ring which gets affixed (rather permanently) and seals to the rim of the bucket... you need something like a rubber mallet to install it, unless you do like I did and JUMP on the upside-down bucket and let the ground do the mallets job.

2) The inner "lid" which seals to the outer ring. It closes with a screwing motion, twisting it clockwise into the ring. And obviously, the lid is taken off by "unscrewing" it. This also makes it a heck of a lot easier to open than a typical bucket lid... not killing my hands every time I want to take the lid off is worth the price alone!

 

[b-boy]

I've been paying about $10 each for the Gamma lids. That includes shipping. They are fantastic. There are places that will sell them for less if you buy in bulk.

A somewhat related question:

I have a garage and a basement to store my grain in. I use the gamma lids and lowes buckets.

The finished basement is cool and somewhat damp. I run a dehumidifier down there.

The garage is dryer, but has large tempurature swings.

Which is better?

 

[Irrenarzt]

I would say more dry is better. If you have to run a dehumidifier, then you know it's humid. Temp swings don't seem to affect unmilled grain in my experience as my garage is not well insulated so it swings quite a bit.

 

[emjay]

I've been paying about $10 each for the Gamma lids. That includes shipping. They are fantastic. There are places that will sell them for less if you buy in bulk.

A somewhat related question:

I have a garage and a basement to store my grain in. I use the gamma lids and lowes buckets.

The finished basement is cool and somewhat damp. I run a dehumidifier down there.

The garage is dryer, but has large tempurature swings.

Which is better?

If you use the Gamma seal lids, humidity isn't much of an issue... unlike the standard bucket lids, they actually ARE airtight. I'm not sure how hot it has to get before temps become an issue, but I think it should be fine as long as it doesn't denature the enzymes, and that happens at 160-170°. So really, just choose whatever is most convenient for you.