Food Grade Buckets and Lids-@Lowes

[Deadalus]

In case this hasn't been posted. Lowes has 5 gallon food grade buckets, lids, and resealable lids pretty cheap. These were in the paint aisle.
5 gallon food grade bucket-$4.48
Regular lid-$1.88
Resealable screwtop lid-$7.35

They even had 2 gallon buckets with lids and maybe one size smaller. I had been debating getting a Vittles Vault for base grains but I have always used older fermentation buckets. I retire them for that purpose but I still needed a couple so I bought these.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Yep, good deal. Also check Home Depot.

 

[Nate R]

Wal-Mart has what I think is the best deal for the white 5-gallon food-safe buckets. About $2.98 maybe? Under $3.00 for sure. If you are buying like 5 or 10 it can add up.
Note on all of these- be careful with any of the color variant buckets... I think usually only the white is food safe (although I am sure there are exceptions)

That 2-gallon size would rock for the 1-gallon brewers! Great find!

 

[odie]

buy the gamma lids. Lowes has them.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

You can usually get food grade buckets at Walmart for free or for a dollar from the bakery that had icing in them originally. They usually run them through the dishwasher so that they are clean while being stored. You just have to ask at the bakery for icing buckets.

 

[dwhite60]

The white 2 gallon buckets at Lowe's are not food safe. They are distinctly marked on the bottom. The 5 gallon are food safe.

 

[Deadalus]

buy the gamma lids. Lowes has them.

What department? The brand name is not showing on the website, at least at mine. Didn't specifically see them near where I bought the one's I linked.

The white 2 gallon buckets at Lowe's are not food safe. They are distinctly marked on the bottom. The 5 gallon are food safe.

I didn't turn them over but they were labelled at the store as food safe. I am pretty sure the store ones were these that are listed online because I was wondering what the tear strip was on the lid. Lowes does sell a blue one maybe that's the one you are thinking of? The ones I saw where white. Now I see the reviews are mixed at the Lowes site but one person did report fermenting wine in it.

 

[Deadalus]

You can usually get food grade buckets at Walmart for free or for a dollar from the bakery that had icing in them originally. They usually run them through the dishwasher so that they are clean while being stored. You just have to ask at the bakery for icing buckets.

I will try this I'm by the deli occasionally and the bakery is right there. I had gotten a free pickle bucket many years ago and I think I eventually got the smell out but am not 100% certain. I can always use it for a stick bucket for the woodstove. That's what my oldest brew buckets end up as and since the fireplace insert is in the living room I kind of like it.

I had seen people wondering about whether different stores' new buckets were food safe so I liked that the Lowes ones were specifically marked. Also that the lid was specifically for that bucket.

 

[Barbarossa]

For Canadians, Canadian Tire has food grade 5g buckets and lids for real cheap. I have seven of them for some reason.

 

[odie]

What department? The brand name is not showing on the website, at least at mine.

Lowes in the paint department usually. Where all the empty buckets and pails are. Brand name is "gamma" or something like that. Around $7 a pop but well worth it for grain storage. Home Depot sells a "knock-off" version for about the same price but the lid doesn't look as solid.

As far as "food safe" buckets...I think pretty much any bucket is fine for grain as long as it's new. Used you should make sure nothing nasty was in it first. For liquid storage or fermenting then food safe really is a must.

I have several pool chemical buckets (chlorine tabs and such) that store grain. They are very well washed and aired out and hold a 55lb sack. If your kids can swim in it, it's not gonna hurt your beer. Y'all wash your fermenters with similar chemical cleaners...

 

[lumbergh]

You can usually get food grade buckets at Walmart for free or for a dollar from the bakery that had icing in them originally. They usually run them through the dishwasher so that they are clean while being stored. You just have to ask at the bakery for icing buckets.

You can also get them from grocery store baker as well. Call them early in the day before they throw them out. The cake decorators usually come in very early and toss the buckets before they leave.

 

[madscientist451]

Local grocery store near me sells the icing buckets for $1.

 

[MaxStout]

If you have a Menard's (midwest US), they usually carry food-safe buckets and Gamma Seal lids. Both in the cleaning products aisle.

 

[Deadalus]

Lowes in the paint department usually. Where all the empty buckets and pails are. Brand name is "gamma" or something like that. Around $7 a pop but well worth it for grain storage. Home Depot sells a "knock-off" version for about the same price but the lid doesn't look as solid.

As far as "food safe" buckets...I think pretty much any bucket is fine for grain as long as it's new. Used you should make sure nothing nasty was in it first. For liquid storage or fermenting then food safe really is a must.

I have several pool chemical buckets (chlorine tabs and such) that store grain. They are very well washed and aired out and hold a 55lb sack. If your kids can swim in it, it's not gonna hurt your beer. Y'all wash your fermenters with similar chemical cleaners...

The paint department is where I got the lids I linked to in the first post that are similar to the Gamma lids (brand name) but are a different company. There were no Gamma lids there, and they are not listed online at Lowes either but maybe your Lowes sells them. No biggie, I'm fine with trying out the one's I bought, just wanted to see if they were potentially elsewhere in the store and I missed them.

 

[MaxStout]

Note on all of these- be careful with any of the color variant buckets... I think usually only the white is food safe (although I am sure there are exceptions)

That 2-gallon size would rock for the 1-gallon brewers! Great find!

Agree on the 2 gal buckets. I had picked up a few from a bake shop a couple years ago. Drilled and fit them with plastic spigots from Morebeer. Easy bottling bucket for 1 gal batches.

 

[Deadalus]

What department? The brand name is not showing on the website, at least at mine. Didn't specifically see them near where I bought the one's I linked.
I didn't turn them over but they were labelled at the store as food safe. I am pretty sure the store ones were these that are listed online because I was wondering what the tear strip was on the lid. Lowes does sell a blue one maybe that's the one you are thinking of? The ones I saw where white. Now I see the reviews are mixed at the Lowes site but one person did report fermenting wine in it.

I was back at Lowes with a return so I went and checked the 2 gallons again. The white ones are labeled food grade and there is nothing on the bottom saying they aren't. The blue ones didn't say they weren't on the bottom either but aren't labeled as food grade. The 2 gallon white ones are from the same company as the 5 gallons, United Solutions. The only screw on lids for five gallon buckets they had were the ones listed in my first post.

I thought of maybe using the 2 gallon buckets for specialty grain storage as I have an eclectic mix of containers for those. I have bought 3 pairs of these 6 qt Cambros from Sams Club ($4.50). I think they hold 5-7 lbs each because I am pretty sure I split 10 lb bags between 2 with one Cambro being full and the other not as much. I use them for Vienna, Munich , and wheat malts. I kind of like them because they remind me of working in the restaurant biz.