Free Buckets

[billf2112]

I went to Super Wal Mart today and asked what they do with their icing buckets. They put them in the recycle bin.

I asked for some and they were more than happy to give me 3 with lids. They are 5 gallons, not big enough for a fermenting but great as a sanitation or if I drill one maybe a bottling bucket.

Not to bad.

 

[sensortech]

I work in a supermarket and get some buckets there as well. All you have to do is ask, they do just get tossed.

 

[msa8967]

I have used these buckets from Walmart for brewing 3-4 gallon batches. I might scale down a recipe I have not tried to this size and use this size of bucket. They are also the right size for storing 20-25 lbs of grain.

 

[rjwhite41]

I work in a restaurant and we toss 5 gallon buckets daily. I snag a couple every once in a while.

 

[stjackson]

I would be wary of using a used plastic bucket that had more than likely not been handled properly. It is very easy to put microscopic scratches in the plastic in which bacteria can hide, making those hard to effectively sanitize. Not saying you shouldn't try it, but I make sure to be extra cautious when sanitizing a used bucket.

 

[sensortech]

agree with stjackson. I just use them to store grain, collect hot water from wort chiller, and other stuff that doesn't require them to be sanitized.

 

[duckmanco]

^^^ I don't know, I think they'd have to be pretty badly gouged to cause any real problems, and then with good sanitation efforts in place, I'd bet they'd be fine... can't be much worse than the threaded parts of bottling bucket spigots. I think buckets are more resilient than we allow them to be. My 2cents anyway.

 

[likwidbliss]

My buckets are over a year old and are used often. Scratches every where. Zero infections year to date.

 

[theschick]

I get the 3.5 gallon icing buckets from the grocery store. Perfect for my 2.5 gallon batches, or dividing up a 5 gallon batch to see how different yeast work.

 

[Scallywag]

My local walmart bakery charged me $1.00 a piece. ;(

 

[BennyN]

What do you guys use to punch a hole in the bucket for the air lock? Awesome thread, BTW. I had no idea I could do this.

 

[LaurieGator]

I have been using them for experimental mead and melomels. I got a couple of 4.5 gallon buckets that had Bavarian Cream filling in them and a couple of frosting buckets (2 gallon). They also make handy buckets for Joe's Ancient Orange Mead.

It frees my carboys up for more beer

 

[TheDom]

I love my local Publix (supermarket, for those not in the southeast US) bakery, they're a constant supply of food-grade buckets for me. The 5gal ones are a little small for a regular beer primary, but I'm thinking they may work just fine for a few batches of apfelwein.

 

[Justibone]

What do you guys use to punch a hole in the bucket for the air lock? Awesome thread, BTW. I had no idea I could do this.

We used a drill bit and those little rubber grommets that go in the firewall of a car. I can't remember the sizes... take your airlock to Lowe's or Home Depot and then test to be sure.

If you wanted to cut a hole big enough for a bung, you could use those things that attach to a drill, I can't remember the name....

 

[CoalCracker]

Hole saw or step bit? Or the actual punch people are using for kettles.

 

[Justibone]

Hole saw.

 

[Razorbrew]

My local walmart bakery charged me $1.00 a piece. ;(

I got my first few for free, but have had to pay a buck for the rest. But still it's a buck. Much cheaper than an Ale Pail. I think my LHBS sells their buckets for close to $20. My SuperCenter has 2 sizes. One will hold 5 gallons the other 6 gallons. Using these buckets has allowed me to really step up my brewing volume. I split 8 gallon batches between 2 buckets. I think I have 10 buckets in various stages of fermentation.

I have an 11/16 paddle bit I use to put a hole in the lid. Works great with the smallest bung my LHBS sells.

 

[str8wire]

We need some one who works in a university lab to get an electron microscope image of the surface of a food grade bucket. I'm guessing that there is always microscopic porosity that could harbor bacteria.

 

[starrfish]

I was looking for a bucket for a 4gallon cider & a 4 gallon mead so a 5 gall bucket would be perfect!!!... My walmart said they sent theirs back to Icing Manufacturers. NO SCORE!

 

[Justibone]

We need some one who works in a university lab to get an electron microscope image of the surface of a food grade bucket. I'm guessing that there is always microscopic porosity that could harbor bacteria.

Yes, and no. There are parts of the surface that are small enough for bacteria to fit inside, but due to repellant forces from lipids, protein, etc. that's not quite enough for bacteria to be able to colonize a bucket. If there is a big scratch, the bacteria could theoretically form a specialized colony (biofilm) not dissimilar to the one on your teeth, my teeth, etc., in said scratch. They would wash out of their little holes if that's all they were doing, but by forming a plaque in a big rough spot then they might be able to infect the bucket long term. I have no idea how deep a scratch would have to be to create an opportunity for a biofilm, but I suspect if the scratch was big enough to make a shaving, it would be plenty big for a biofilm.

Just because the li'l buggers can fit into a hole doesn't mean they can successfully hide there.

 

[Justibone]

I was looking for a bucket for a 4gallon cider & a 4 gallon mead so a 5 gall bucket would be perfect!!!... My walmart said they sent theirs back to Icing Manufacturers. NO SCORE!

See if they'll sell it to ya for a buck. They probably only get a credit from the manufacturer anyways, and it might be less than a buck.

 

[akthor]

I get the same buckets at the bakery of the local grocery chain.

I use them to brew 4 gal batches of Apfelwein

 

[BennyN]

We used a drill bit and those little rubber grommets that go in the firewall of a car. I can't remember the sizes... take your airlock to Lowe's or Home Depot and then test to be sure.

If you wanted to cut a hole big enough for a bung, you could use those things that attach to a drill, I can't remember the name....

Awesome! Much thanks.

 

[rico567]

What do you guys use to punch a hole in the bucket for the air lock? Awesome thread, BTW. I had no idea I could do this.

I ordered 7 gallon US Plastics buckets. I used a 1/2" paddle (wood) bit to make the holes. Made beautiful, clean holes that were ideal for the rubber airlock grommets sold by finer homebrew suppliers everywhere.

 

[akthor]

My LHBS sells the little grommets for like .30 cents. I drill a hole put the grommet in and then stuff the blow off hose in there.

We used a drill bit and those little rubber grommets that go in the firewall of a car. I can't remember the sizes... take your airlock to Lowe's or Home Depot and then test to be sure.

If you wanted to cut a hole big enough for a bung, you could use those things that attach to a drill, I can't remember the name....

 

[akthor]

It's easy to make the holes by hand with a sharp pointy knife if you don't have a drill. Just spin the knife around like a drill the more you do it the bigger the hole gets.

I ordered 7 gallon US Plastics buckets. I used a 1/2" paddle (wood) bit to make the holes. Made beautiful, clean holes that were ideal for the rubber airlock grommets sold by finer homebrew suppliers everywhere.

 

[Justibone]

... if you don't have a drill...

If you are not stranded on a desert isle, and you don't have a drill, that's it. You get your Man Card pulled. We can't be havin' that.

 

[billf2112]

Some of used all the "man card" points on the initial brewing supplies. I could always get a drill bit under the home improvement budget I guess.

 

[akthor]

The plastic is pretty soft and the hole I am making is small and I have a drill but sometimes I am too lazy to go get it and a knife is right there

If you are not stranded on a desert isle, and you don't have a drill, that's it. You get your Man Card pulled. We can't be havin' that.

 

[Skarekrough]

Some of used all the "man card" points on the initial brewing supplies. I could always get a drill bit under the home improvement budget I guess.

Exactly. The "home improvement" budget is an incredible resource that should not be ignored or abused.

It's the bridge between something that she wants done to the house which is more expensive to have a professional do and your ability to have the tools to make things with afterward she probably will frown upon.