Grain Storage Question

[pshankstar]

I did a Google search and found some older posts of people using the rubber maid bins (not air tight) or the 5 gallon buckets from Lowes or Home Depot (as long as they are HDPE) for grain storage. I was looking on HDs website and it says their buckets are not food grade.

So I was wondering for the people who store bulk grains has the buckets been ok? Or even the rubber maid bins even thou they may not be air tight? I figured I would ask again since those posts were pretty old and to make sure nothing has changed.

Thanks in advance!!

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1459708549.135743.jpg

 

[Murphys_Law]

Lowes has food grade buckets (white) and gamma lids. Those are popular (and good). I also use a large Rubber Maid bin with a rubber seal. I think I picked it up at wal mart.

 

[havoc531]

Check out Vittles Vaults pet food containers if you want airtight and tested food safe. Really, any HDPE bucket with gamma lid will do so long as it's not a colored bucket.

 

[Yesfan]

What do you guys think about these?? They're made by a company called Iris

link


I like them because they have rollers on them. I thought that would be good for bulk grain and the smaller ones that seem to be stackable would be good for the specialty grains.


The only problem I have is how big of a container does one need? Most of the sizes are listed in gallons. Is there a way to figure out how many pounds of grain will a container in X amount of gallons will hold?

 

[pshankstar]

Lowes has food grade buckets (white) and gamma lids. Those are popular (and good). I also use a large Rubber Maid bin with a rubber seal. I think I picked it up at wal mart.

Too bad the Lowes food grade buckets are not sold in the stores in my area.

Thank you all for your input! [emoji106]

 

[RedlegEd]

@pshankstar. These are Ziploc Weatherguard available at Walmart (and some big box stores) and are really good for a mouse & weatherproof solution to storing grain. The bigger one (60qt) will easily hold 65+ pounds of unmilled malt, and the smaller (44qt) will hold right at 55# (25KG) of unmilled malt. They come in clear and opaque, and best of all, they're under $15.00!

 

[brew703]

Go to your grocery store and ask the bakery dept for icing buckets. They are free. Then go to lowes or hd and get gamma lids. That's how I store my grains.

 

[havoc531]

Plan on 5lbs per gallon if you're sizing containers

 

[drgonzo2k2]

5 lbs per gallon seems about right. I've been repurposing my apple juice jugs from Costco to hold grains I buy small amounts of, and 5 lbs fills them pretty much to the top. I wind up with 5 of them every time I make cider.

 

[pshankstar]

@pshankstar. These are Ziploc Weatherguard available at Walmart (and some big box stores) and are really good for a mouse & weatherproof solution to storing grain. The bigger one (60qt) will easily hold 65+ pounds of unmilled malt, and the smaller (44qt) will hold right at 55# (25KG) of unmilled malt. They come in clear and opaque, and best of all, they're under $15.00!

I saw these at Target this afternoon but the plastic isn't HDPE. I wasn't sure if that would make a difference or not. I also checked the pet food containers too and they were not stamped with the HDPE logo and said "For Pet Food Only".

 

[pshankstar]

Go to your grocery store and ask the bakery dept for icing buckets. They are free. Then go to lowes or hd and get gamma lids. That's how I store my grains.

Thanks for this info!! I never even would have thought of this. I will definitely look into this idea for sure!

What size do these buckets usually come in?

 

[Veldy]

What do you guys think about these?? They're made by a company called Iris

link


I like them because they have rollers on them. I thought that would be good for bulk grain and the smaller ones that seem to be stackable would be good for the specialty grains.


The only problem I have is how big of a container does one need? Most of the sizes are listed in gallons. Is there a way to figure out how many pounds of grain will a container in X amount of gallons will hold?

Yes. Buy a bag of malt (50-55 pounds). Weigh the 5-gallon bucket empty (tare). Then fill it with grain to the maximum level you would store malt at...near the top ;-). Weigh it again. Use that weight to estimate...divide by five for pounds per gallon, divide by 20 for pounds per quart, etc. Then, buy all the grains you want for your brewery...and you will know what containers sizes you need to store your grains.

This is really a no-brainer since anybody storing multiple grains in their brewery is bound to need a full sack of grain (50-55 pounds). If you say you can't afford to buy a sack of grain, then you can't afford to stock your brewery with grain to begin with

 

[Yesfan]

I saw these at Target this afternoon but the plastic isn't HDPE. I wasn't sure if that would make a difference or not. I also checked the pet food containers too and they were not stamped with the HDPE logo and said "For Pet Food Only".

I don't know about the HDPE part, but from what I found the Ziploc containers are BPA free and are #5 plastic. I'm willing to bet they are HDPE.


I tried to find the link, but can't find anything on Ziploc's site. They look a lot like the Iris containers that also makes the ones I linked to earlier. My guess is they are one and the same, just the brand name is different. The Ziplocs seem cheaper too.

 

[pshankstar]

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback. Being the cheap scape I am, I went to the local grocery store for some frosting buckets. I was able to get a dozen of them with lids. The lids have a nice gasket in them that appears to make them air tight as is.

They may not be as pretty as some other containers but for free I cannot beat it! Thanks again everyone I appreciate all the suggestions!

 

[brew703]

Thanks for this info!! I never even would have thought of this. I will definitely look into this idea for sure!

What size do these buckets usually come in?

I believe they are 5 gal

 

[brew703]

You can also get the 2 gallon buckets. I usually get both when I go.

 

[brew703]

Thank you all for the wonderful feedback. Being the cheap scape I am, I went to the local grocery store for some frosting buckets. I was able to get a dozen of them with lids. The lids have a nice gasket in them that appears to make them air tight as is.

They may not be as pretty as some other containers but for free I cannot beat it! Thanks again everyone I appreciate all the suggestions!

FYI the lids suck. They do not seal great and they may not be 100% air tight. I do use some of the small buckets to ferment in and I have to duck tape the lid closed for it to seal properly.

As for cleaning, rinse then I usually add some Oxy and then hot water. I let it sit out in the sun for a day or two then rinse and clean.

 

[brew703]

My bad. Didn't see your last post. Glad you were able to get some buckets.

 

[armytrucker]

I am using steal trash cans from menards and that's what the farmers use for chicken feed so far my grains are still good after a couple months they are 20 gal high grade galvanized steel I don't know how air tight they are but I live in the country and store in my garage so we do get mice so plastic isn't really a good option for me

 

[schematix]

I use 5 gallon paint buckets from lowes and home depot with nearly airtight fitting lids. Holds roughly 25lbs.

 

[pshankstar]

FYI the lids suck. They do not seal great and they may not be 100% air tight. I do use some of the small buckets to ferment in and I have to duck tape the lid closed for it to seal properly.

As for cleaning, rinse then I usually add some Oxy and then hot water. I let it sit out in the sun for a day or two then rinse and clean.

Oh no kidding! The majority of the buckets were 3.5 gallons. None of them were 5 gallons in size. I wonder if the gamma lids from Lowes would work on the 3.5 gallon buckets.

I was also wondering if I could use some of these for small fermenters... So it's good to know others do. I am always looking to make small batches to experiment with.

 

[kh54s10]

I get my 5 gallon buckets from a local dairy. They originally had chocolate or coffee syrup in them. I get Gamma Lids at HD. I looked online and with shipping you cannot get them any cheaper. A 5 gallon bucket holds about 25 lbs so you need two of them for a full bag of grain.

I get Lock and Lock style storage boxes in several sizes for my specialty grains. Ocean State Job Lot has them in this area.

The Iris container linked in a previous reply, is expensive, looks like the wheels would eventually break off, and is not big enough for a 50 pound bag.

 

[brew703]

Oh no kidding! The majority of the buckets were 3.5 gallons. None of them were 5 gallons in size. I wonder if the gamma lids from Lowes would work on the 3.5 gallon buckets.

I was also wondering if I could use some of these for small fermenters... So it's good to know others do. I am always looking to make small batches to experiment with.

I don't think the Gamma lids will fit the 3.5 gallon buckets. Go to another grocery and ask for the 5 gallon round buckets. I know the grocery store I go to has the 2 & 5 gallon buckets and also some square buckets.

if you use any for fermenting, make sure there are no scratches on the inside and duck tape the lids closed. I had one that popped off and created a mess in my ferm chamber. I had the lid taped and a blow off tube but I filled the bucket too much and left little headspace.

 

[Yesfan]

I get my 5 gallon buckets from a local dairy. They originally had chocolate or coffee syrup in them. I get Gamma Lids at HD. I looked online and with shipping you cannot get them any cheaper. A 5 gallon bucket holds about 25 lbs so you need two of them for a full bag of grain.

I get Lock and Lock style storage boxes in several sizes for my specialty grains. Ocean State Job Lot has them in this area.

The Iris container linked in a previous reply, is expensive, looks like the wheels would eventually break off, and is not big enough for a 50 pound bag.

Thanks Kh,

The wife was out today at Wally World and she picked me up one of those Ziploc's that Redleg posted. I think I like them better than the wheeled Iris container I linked earlier.

@pshankstar. These are Ziploc Weatherguard available at Walmart (and some big box stores) and are really good for a mouse & weatherproof solution to storing grain. The bigger one (60qt) will easily hold 65+ pounds of unmilled malt, and the smaller (44qt) will hold right at 55# (25KG) of unmilled malt. They come in clear and opaque, and best of all, they're under $15.00!

I only have the 4 gallon for now and I have all my specialty malts in it. They were out of the 60qt, so I'm hoping to get one or two of them later. I may just bite the bullet and get the 4 pc set from Amazon.

Thanks Red!

 

[pshankstar]

I don't think the Gamma lids will fit the 3.5 gallon buckets. Go to another grocery and ask for the 5 gallon round buckets. I know the grocery store I go to has the 2 & 5 gallon buckets and also some square buckets.

if you use any for fermenting, make sure there are no scratches on the inside and duck tape the lids closed. I had one that popped off and created a mess in my ferm chamber. I had the lid taped and a blow off tube but I filled the bucket too much and left little headspace.

I just checked to see if one of my lids for my 5 gallon home depot bucket would fit on one of the frosting buckets and it did. So I would think the gamma lids would work too. Maybe I would just need to take one with me to the store and see if it fits on it or not.

Good point to make sure the inside is not scratched. Also, thanks for the heads up on making sure the lid is more secure if used for fermentation. I wonder if the gamma lid would work better for the fermenter idea with a hole drilled out for a blow off tube or airlock?

 

[Yesfan]

.............Good point to make sure the inside is not scratched. Also, thanks for the heads up on making sure the lid is more secure if used for fermentation. I wonder if the gamma lid would work better for the fermenter idea with a hole drilled out for a blow off tube or airlock?

I also wouldn't put the hole for the airlock dead center of the lid either. This will keep the bucket handle from hitting it if you have to move the bucket for whatever reason.

 

[brew703]

I just checked to see if one of my lids for my 5 gallon home depot bucket would fit on one of the frosting buckets and it did. So I would think the gamma lids would work too. Maybe I would just need to take one with me to the store and see if it fits on it or not.

Good point to make sure the inside is not scratched. Also, thanks for the heads up on making sure the lid is more secure if used for fermentation. I wonder if the gamma lid would work better for the fermenter idea with a hole drilled out for a blow off tube or airlock?

The gamma lid may work for fermentation. I've never used one for that purpose. Give it a shot and let us know.

 

[armytrucker]

I don't know how long grains keep for had my grains since end of july last year they still look fresh and dry don't smell bad or anything so debating weather to still use them I believe November was the last time I brewed

 

[RedlegEd]

@ armytrucker. I'd think that as long as they didn't get moldy or dry out, they should be good to to go. The worst that could happen is your efficiency goes down a bit. BTW, thanks for you service!

 

[kh54s10]

As to how long to store grain: The shorter time the better. But if you store your grains, cool and dry they will last (unmilled) for a long time. I have some grains on hand that are maybe 2 years old. They are still not stale. I take a grain or two and chew to see how dry and that they still have good flavor.

Someone mentioned using a Gamma Lid for fermenting. I wouldn't for 2 reasons, 1) the krausen will get up under the inside of the outer collar part and be really difficult to clean. 2) they are pricey and I would not want to be drilling, risking a cracked lid. Use something cheaper. You will also most likely want a 7 gallon fermenter bucket from one of the homebrew suppliers. Most of them would include a lid.

 

[pshankstar]

I wanted to report back the gamma lids will work on the 3.5 gallon frosting buckets. I still haven't been able to get my hands on any of the 5 gallon ones as of yet, but I have plenty of the 3.5 gallon ones for now.

FYI... One 50 pound bag of 2 row will fill three 3.5 gallon buckets. When I weighed the first bucket after filling it, it weighed in around 18 pounds. I figure I will keep the remaining buckets for now and clean them as I need them. There might be other grains I could use a fair amount of that would benefit from the 3.5 gallon buckets but not the 5 gallon ones. For the other grains that I use in much smaller portions I will look for smaller containers to store them.

Oh and as someone pointed out how much of a PIA it may be to clean and sanitize a gamma lid. So for now I will hold off on using one as a fermenter and just use the "duct tape" trick with one of the lids that came with the bucket if I decide to ferment in one.

Thanks again everyone for your input!

 

[Yesfan]

I just placed an order for a 4 piece set. I didn't want to get it just yet, but my brew club is going through with our bulk grain order, so I figured I'd go ahead and have everything in place when I get my grains.

 

[armytrucker]

@redleged thanks as far as a fermentor I get them 5 gal water jugs at wally world for 7 bucks but you wanna use a hose into another jug with half water in it

 

[armytrucker]

going to start brewing weat beer again its all I know so far I pretty much mastered that started with all grain

 

[Yesfan]

My Ziplocs came in today. For a plastic container, they are pretty beefy especially compared to the Sterelite containers I had been using.


I thought I would post and let those know who still bottle that the 60qt Weather Guard containers are perfect for storing two cases of home brew or you can use them to store your empty bottles.

I still have two cases of bottled brew, so thought I would try that out. It is heavy and the bottom flexes just a wee bit, but I believe it is more than sturdy enough to carry two cases of home brew. I think I'll just use mine for empties, since those are a lot lighter.


The 16qt will hold a case of beer too.

Of course, you can't fit the lid on the 16qt, but it might be a nice way to carry a case of beer.

 

[RedlegEd]

What do you guys think about these?? They're made by a company called Iris

Sorry, your links aren't working.

 

[mongoose33]

I'm using food-grade 5-gallon buckets from Farm and Fleet with Gamma Seal lids on top. Years ago I ran across a sale or whatever on Gamma Seals, paid IIRC $2.99 for them. So it's not hard to just use them on 5-gallon buckets.

Smaller amounts of grain/adjuncts are either stored in 5-quart ice-cream buckets or in 1-quart Ziploc containers.