Cheap or Alternative Ferment Buckets?

[LloydRenee]

I have a hard time spending $20 on a bucket when the same style of buckets at Home Depot or Lowes only cost $3.00. Yes I would use those except they seem a bit to short to me. What are some alternative ferment buckets? Eventually I will move into carbouys and stuff lik ethat but for now I trying to keep it simple and cheap. I can find some on-line for $8 to $10 but once you tag on shipping and what not we are right back up to $20 plus again. Anyone have an alternative that works? Can you use painters buckets from HD or Lowes? Is the air space in there not enough? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[xsists]

I don't think the HD or Lowes buckets are "food grade". You could try finding some business that has a water cooler and use the jug part that holds the water. Should be just like a better bottle.

 

[dbals]

Those "Home Depot" buckets are NOT made for food. Look at the bottom of the bucket for the number and compare on this site: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

You also want the 6.5 gal bucket so you can put 5 to 5.5 gal of wort in it and still have a reasonable amount of space for the Krausen.

Hope this helps

 

[LloydRenee]

I kind of figured that was going to be the case with the HD and Lowes buckets. Its kind of why I didnt buy them to begin with. I may have to just stop being a cheap bastard and spring for the $20 lol. You cant blame a guy fro trying to get more beer for his buck...

 

[ChrisS68]

Not sure where you're finding $20 buckets. That is awfully steep.
You can ferment in pretty much anything that is food grade. Its usually the colorant they add that would make it non-food grade. Make sure its the right kind of plastic. Just need to make sure its large enough for the batch size plus extra headspace for fermentation.

 

[Chap]

Go to your local bakery or grocery store bakery and ask for an icing bucket. When I lived in San Diego Vons had them and would give them away. If I remember right they were 5 gallon buckets.

 

[Starderup]

The local Jason's Deli will often deliver lunches in a green bucket that originally had dill pickles in them. My company throws them out when I don't snag them. It is very easy to clean them out, and they are 6 gallons. All I have to buy is the lid.

 

[jmhart]

Those "Home Depot" buckets are NOT made for food. Look at the bottom of the bucket for the number and compare on this site: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

You also want the 6.5 gal bucket so you can put 5 to 5.5 gal of wort in it and still have a reasonable amount of space for the Krausen.

Hope this helps

The HD bucket thing has been discussed at length and frequently. They are made from HDPE, same as the buckets sold at your LHBS. The HD buckets aren't labeled as food grade, but that doesn't mean they AREN'T food grade. It just means HD didn't want to pay to have them tested, cause, well, why would they?

You can do your own search for more info, but plenty of people use them.

 

[Beezy]

My last brew was in a HD bucket for 3 weeks. It tastes great and I am not dead. If you are worried about it then don't do it but yeah it worked for me.

 

[JuanMoore]

+1 on asking at the bakeries in your area. They often have 6 or 6.5 gal buckets and usually give them away. I wouldn't use a pickle bucket though, there's no way to remove the odor and I don't care for pickle flavored beer myself.

 

[Starderup]

+1 on asking at the bakeries in your area. They often have 6 or 6.5 gal buckets and usually give them away. I wouldn't use a pickle bucket though, there's no way to remove the odor and I don't care for pickle flavored beer myself.

I have already used one several times, and it was quick and easy to get it clean.

 

[Beezy]

I have a pickle bottling bucket. I don't notice any lingering smells and subsequent effect on my product but the beer doesn't stay there long anyway.

 

[Starderup]

I have a pickle bottling bucket. I don't notice any lingering smells and subsequent effect on my product but the beer doesn't stay there long anyway.

That's my experience. I washed it with warm soapy water, and rinsed it with Star San. Done.

 

[GatorDad]

Some people will put their beer in anything to save a buck... Just buy the $20 bucket. It's a one time expense for a lifelong hobby.

 

[msa8967]

I have used 5 gallon white buckets from Walmart's paint department with zero problems. These are food grade plastic buckets and cost around $4 including the lid but you have to buy a grommet for about 50 cents from local hardware store. The cost is the plus side but the "downside" to some is that these buckets hold a maximum of 5.25 gallons of volume and thus cannot do a true 5 gallon batch. Thus, iIeither brew a 4 gallon version of the recipe or an 8 gallon version if I want to try different yeast or keg half and bottle the other half.

 

[Stevo2569]

I got 3- 6.5 gal white HDPE buckets with lids from a guy on EBay for $30 shipped. He had 100's of em. Same $20 buckets LHBS sells.

 

[Fletch78]

The only bad thing about the orange Home Depot buckets is:

1: Can't do a 5.5 gallon batch, as previously mentioned

2: You've got to keep track of which bucket is for beer, which one you had antifreeze in, which one you used to clean out the turtle tank, and which one you crapped in on the side of I-75 after a greasy lunch at a truck stop, etc.

 

[GatorDad]

^^^ lol

 

[Beezy]

The only bad thing about the orange Home Depot buckets is:

1: Can't do a 5.5 gallon batch, as previously mentioned

2: You've got to keep track of which bucket is for beer, which one you had antifreeze in, which one you used to clean out the turtle tank, and which one you crapped in on the side of I-75 after a greasy lunch at a truck stop, etc.

If anything I would want less than 5 gallon because I am the only one drinking at my house. Number 2 maybe the one with the airlock on it is the beer? Just maybe?

 

[broadbill]

If anything I would want less than 5 gallon because I am the only one drinking at my house. Number 2 maybe the one with the airlock on it is the beer? Just maybe?

You'll want that full 5 gallons when made that perfect pale ale. If you are going to go with the cheap white bucket from HD/Lowes, go with 2 and split the batch.

 

[Beezy]

You'll want that full 5 gallons when made that perfect pale ale. If you are going to go with the cheap white bucket from HD/Lowes, go with 2 and split the batch.

I do do 5 gals in those buckets and I don't believe in perfection I believe in variety. Really considering going 2.5/3 gallon batches to have more brew days or I may find some folks to give sixers to. That said I would like to get bigger fermenters. My main fermenter is glass. The bucket comes out when I have more than one bubbling.

 

[Fletch78]

^^^ lol

You laugh, it's all funny ha ha until it's you... coincidentally this may or may not have happened on I-75 in Lake City or County Florida, 30 or so mile north of Gainseville in 1996.

 

[broadbill]

I do do 5 gals in those buckets and I don't believe in perfection I believe in variety. Really considering going 2.5/3 gallon batches to have more brew days or I may find some folks to give sixers to. That said I would like to get bigger fermenters. My main fermenter is glass. The bucket comes out when I have more than one bubbling.

Whatever works for you. I think for most people the most difficult part of brewing if finding the time to do it. That is why most people go with 5 gallons at a minimum and sometimes shoot for 10 gallons. As far as time goes it takes about the same amount of time to brew 3 gallons as it does 5 gallons as it does 10 gallons. So as far as suggestions go, keep in mind that the majority of us have no experience brewing at the smaller scale you are planning to.

 

[Beezy]

Whatever works for you. I think for most people the most difficult part of brewing if finding the time to do it. That is why most people go with 5 gallons at a minimum and sometimes shoot for 10 gallons. As far as time goes it takes about the same amount of time to brew 3 gallons as it does 5 gallons as it does 10 gallons. So as far as suggestions go, keep in mind that the majority of us have no experience brewing at the smaller scale you are planning to.

Yeah thats why I think I am going to stick with 5 gal until I have more experience. I am going to have to have a little party here soon and kill off a case or two.

 

[Boy]

Ask you LHBS what they do with their LME barrels when they are empty. The 15 gallon barrels are great for fermenting in and a lot of people have gotten them for free from a LHBS or other source that does not want to recycle them.

 

[TheMan]

Those "Home Depot" buckets are NOT made for food. Look at the bottom of the bucket for the number and compare on this site: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

You also want the 6.5 gal bucket so you can put 5 to 5.5 gal of wort in it and still have a reasonable amount of space for the Krausen.

Hope this helps

The markings on my ale pail are identical (#2 HDPE) to the ones on the homer buckets. And the Ale pail does not say anything about being food grade. Many people on this board have used them with no issues. I don't use them to ferment, but wouldn't have a problem with them based on the reports of others on this forum.

To the OP, if you have corny kegs you can use them. I have extra's laying around and so I have been using them, easy to clean and simple to store.

 

[CidahMastah]

The markings on my ale pail are identical (#2 HDPE) to the ones on the homer buckets. And the Ale pail does not say anything about being food grade. Many people on this board have used them with no issues. I don't use them to ferment, but wouldn't have a problem with them based on the reports of others on this forum.

To the OP, if you have corny kegs you can use them. I have extra's laying around and so I have been using them, easy to clean and simple to store.

+1

The HDPE marking indicates that the HD buckets are food grade. I use them all the time for utility buckets with beer and wine making, occasionally fermenting if I use whole fruit (I have all glass fermenters for all my other fermenting).

i.e. in a pinch HD buckets are great until you splurge on fancy gear.

The only case where HDPE 2 should be disregarded is with black HDPE 2 buckets. I have read multiple places that the black buckets are specifically called out as "never" food grade.

 

[Boy]

I've read in a few threads on here that someone actually contacted the manufacturer of the HD buckets and they are food grade and perfectly safe. Could be totally off here but with complaining about the dye used: aren't the white buckets dyed? Otherwise they would most likely be opaque. Granted different ingredients for different dyes. Just saying.

 

[Komodo]

These last two posts are contradictory to what I've found. The label of #2 means it's HDPE but not necessarily food grade. When you say "used them with no problems" that doesn't make sense to me as the problems wouldn't be something so readily apparent? The acidity and alcohol would leach stuff into what you drink . . and you wouldn't know what effects that would have for who knows when.

I'm not trying start arguments or be a PITA, just saying it's not consistent with what I've seen. Here's a good one:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

 

[CidahMastah]

These last two posts are contradictory to what I've found. The label of #2 means it's HDPE but not necessarily food grade. When you say "used them with no problems" that doesn't make sense to me as the problems wouldn't be something so readily apparent? The acidity and alcohol would leach stuff into what you drink . . and you wouldn't know what effects that would have for who knows when.

I'm not trying start arguments or be a PITA, just saying it's not consistent with what I've seen. Here's a good one:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html

This site doesn't list facts about HD buckets or similar. It is composed of a broad series of generalizations that are safe, legally to post. How could they recc you use a random bucket from a random store without getting themselves in trouble? Of course they are going to say "avoid all buckets that don't list themselves as food grade."

We aren't putting "brine" into buckets either. Which is what the usage is geared towards on that site.

I wouldn't be worried about using HD buckets. The beer you are making in the buckets causes far more health risks than the plastics ever will.

keep searching the countless threads on this topic on HBT - draw your own conclusions from them.