Cheap and effective ways to store 50lb sacks of grain?

[Oleson M.D.]

We store our grain in the original bags from the malting company. They are plastic lined, and great for long term storage. We have never had any issues.
Why spend money on needless buckets or containers?

 

[MikeCo]

I use 5-gallon buckets because they stack easily. The original bags should work fine unless the storage area is susceptible to rodents getting at them.

 

[matt_m]

I have Vittle Vaults but last summer I needed more and couldn't find any deals on the Vittle Vaults (it was hard to even find them in stock at the time.) I ended up ordering a 6-pack of these 5-gallon buckets with Gamma Seal lids which ended up being $95 delivered with coupon code dontgo10. Turns out I like them more. It takes 2 buckets to hold 50lb but handling a 25lb bucket is a lot easier than handling a 50lb vittle vault. Plus there's more flexibility with not having to dedicate 50lb of storage to one product.

 

[Broothru]

I divide bulk amounts into 5~10# vacuum bags and then store those in the Vittle Vaults. It makes portioning 'predictable'. Specialty grains are in 1~5# bags. I keep a running inventory that really doesn't take much time to maintain, so I know what's in which gamma container and how much on hand when I get ready to brew. No mice, no bugs, no surprises.

 

[Bobby_M]

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I found the best place to store excess grain is at the local homebrew shop. Yes, I own a shop so you might think this is self serving but hear me out. When I didn't own a shop, I wanted to be the king of my homebrew domain and sourced several sacks of base malt, several pounds each of different specialty grains, storage containers, a mill, etc etc. I was proud of myself for "saving so much money" on bulk grain.

Two problems. Whatever grain is starting to age out, if you are so inclined to track such things, starts steering your brewing decisions. E.g. "if I don't brew a stout next, I'll never use this grain". Then you fight against that constraint and brew what you want only to dump 50 pounds of grain in the garbage.

Not everyone has a decent local shop, but if you do, think of the increase prices of by-the-pound grain purchases a fee you pay them to keep the grain fresh for you.

 

[BAF]

I buy sacks of base malts (2-row, MO, and Pilsen), and buy 5-10 pounds of other specialty grains at a time (depending on how much I need/realistically am going to use).

Like others have said, 2 food-grade 5 gallon buckets will easily hold a sack of grain if you wait to open it until you need it. Get the off-brand gamma lids at Home Depot for 9 bucks a pop; much cheaper than online and they seal just perfectly well in my experience. Un-opened sacks I put in large rubber totes. A 27 gallon tote will hold 2 sacks. Then I just pull a sack out when I need to replenish.

I wish I had a good local shop. The closest one to me closed a year or two ago (and was still a decent drive away), and the next closest one is an hour away. I prefer to buy in bulk versus needing to take a couple hour trip to get ingredients. Knock on wood, I haven't noticed any freshness problems; most stuff gets used within a year or so.

 

[Bobby_M]

I was not suggesting that bulk buying is bad for everyone's habits but more of a warning that it's not a one size fits all. I felt that it really didn't work out for me.

 

[Broothru]

Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I found the best place to store excess grain is at the local homebrew shop. Yes, I own a shop so you might think this is self serving but hear me out. When I didn't own a shop, I wanted to be the king of my homebrew domain and sourced several sacks of base malt, several pounds each of different specialty grains, storage containers, a mill, etc etc. I was proud of myself for "saving so much money" on bulk grain.

Two problems. Whatever grain is starting to age out, if you are so inclined to track such things, starts steering your brewing decisions. E.g. "if I don't brew a stout next, I'll never use this grain". Then you fight against that constraint and brew what you want only to dump 50 pounds of grain in the garbage.

Not everyone has a decent local shop, but if you do, think of the increase prices of by-the-pound grain purchases a fee you pay them to keep the grain fresh for you.

All true,Bobby, and I still go to my LHBS for anything less than 10#, as well as make a few impulse buys of “gotta haves” and a wine kit or two. What doesn’t get used in my recipe gets vacuum sealed, inventoried, and put in a Vittle Vault/gamma lid bucket. The only big bags (group buys through local brewery or the LHBS) get ‘portioned out’ in vacuum bags and used for current brew session or stored in the Vittle Vaults.

 

[SteveH aka shetc]

Brülosophy Episode 264 | exBEERience: Going Bulk

 

[giraffeman]

Good way to store bulk grain is in a extra corny keg. I purge it with CO2 and then fill it with the grain.
its a bit of a pain getting it out but it works Great

 

[NUBIG10]

just get a nice rack for cheap, build one from 2x4's

 

[AzOr]

Check with your local bakery, donut shop or if your local grocery store has an inhouse bakery. Ask for the 2-3 gallon plastic bins that the ingredients come in. They have lids with gaskets so they seal air tight and keep out the critters. They may give them to you or sell for a reasonalable price.

I’ve done this several times at my local Fred Meyers (aka Kroger).They always have these buckets laying around. The only time they didn’t was when they had just thrown them out.
I use these med size buckets for Vienna and Munich malts. The also work great for wood pellets and crab bait buckets.

Also check Craigslist for water storage containers. There’s a whole cadre of buckets used in the commercial food industry. Think corn syrups, honey etc.
I bought 8 gallon buckets w ratcheting lids. It’s been a while but I think I paid $15 or so. Also purchased 20 gallon barrels that we use for emergency water storage, but they could easily be used for grain storage as they have lids w gaskets. It’s a great way to recycle these plastics that would just be thrown away.

 

[z-bob]

Two 5-gallon white buckets. (the white ones are food-grade) I use the black non-gasket snap on lids. The gasketed lids are too hard to remove, and the expensive Gamma lid I tried broke. I store the buckets in my basement utility room; it stays pretty cool year round.

If the bag's not open yet sometimes I just leave it in the bag, and keep it off the floor for a variety of reasons.

 

[ITV]

For my smaller bags of grain (< 20#) I store them in my Vittles vault.

For my large bag of two row (>50#) I store them in my 70 qt rectangular mash tun.