Dry storage for grain

[CascadesBrewer]

For my bulk grain nabbed some homer buckets and 2 different types of Leaktite lid.

I use a similar solution. I use the $5 white food grade buckets from Home Depot with the $2 snap on lid. I could justify the $42 price tag to get 6 sets. I keep my grain in a finished and temperature controlled lower level though. The Vittles Vault also seem like a pretty solid option as well. I often see them in the $25-$30 price range. A positive of buckets is that they stack inside each other when not in use (plus you can never have enough buckets on brew day!).

Walmart has some decent priced containers for storing a few lbs of grain. I don't see a direct listing for the one I have a bunch of, but I think it is the small container in this set: Mainstays Plastic Food Storage Containers with Flip-Top Lids, Set of 3 small medium and large - Walmart.com The downside of that container is that it holds about 4 lbs, and it would be nice if it fit a full 5 lb (I sometimes get 5 or 10 lb bags of common grains from MoreBeer). This one Mainstays Cereal Keeper, 2 Count - Walmart.com probably holds a full 5 lbs.

 

[NBBrewer]

Hi,

I've been reading a lot of stuff on buying grain in 50lbs allotments. The issue I'm dealing with is humid climate and a damp basement floor if it rains really hard for a day or two. Obviously, I would need an air tight container to store the grains, but what about food grade bags (Like these) inside a new plastic outdoor trash can (Like this) and store that in the basement?

Thanks!

I have my buckets with screw tops for base grains and my epsom salt jugs (oh and a few juice jugs)for specialty grains. Works pretty good and was pretty much free.

 

[d40dave]

Around 2017 I got 3 of these for around $17 each. I subscribed to homebrewfinds which alerted me to the deal. I should have gotten at least one more.
https://www.amazon.com/Vittles-Vault-Outback-Airtight-Container/dp/B0002DJOOI

 

[Nate R]

To the OP... i started with just one vittles vault for one large sack. Like 55# 2-row i think.
I then used $2.29 wal mart food grade buckets and $1.39 (?) Wal mart food grade lids. (Not gamma. But cheap as sheet if you ask me).
That lasted me a while. Then as i quickly learned how bad azz and easy it is to have my own bulk grain, i expanded over time and now have 4 stacked in a closet (this dang obsessive hobby).
So... maybe get one to start? Then look for good deals?
What do you brew? Probably dont need any specialty malts in bulk. I buy bulk 2-row, wheat, and pilsnet malts. Then 10# of misc. (And a bulk bag of viking malt that was so so so cheap at morebeer.)

 

[odie]

5 gal buckets and gamma lids are all you need. those gamma lids were built with "preppers" in mind. they will keep grain for years.

 

[mashpaddled]

Buckets with gamma lids would be the cheapest useful option. Regular bucket lids would be ok if you turned over your grain supply frequently or didn't have humidity problems.

 

[ThenFalcon]

FWIW, I did a test with a gamma lid using some water and it leaked pretty easily when turned upside down. I'm using gasketed lids from HD now.

 

[BrewAgain]

Has anyone thought of using a extra or not good enough for beer keg for grain storage? Could purge the O2 pretty easy and probably work ok to pour out for weighting.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Has anyone thought of using a extra or not good enough for beer keg for grain storage? Could purge the O2 pretty easy and probably work ok to pour out for weighting.

This seems like massive overkill. When you have been in your favorite brewery, where have you noticed that they store their grains? In the bag on pallets stuck on shelves in a corner of the brewery? In a silo sitting outside? I suspect the primary enemies for homebrewers would be rodents, bugs, and humidity.