How do you store your grain?

[CircleC-Brewer]

Trying to determine the best way to store the 300 pounds of brewing grains I just bought. The malt is currently in 55 lb bags, but I would like to store them in something more secure and if possible airtight. I went to lowes today and nothing there seemed to fit the bill. Any recommendation would be appreciated.

Circle C Brewer.

 

[COLObrewer]

I store mine in plastic and metal 55 gallon drums with a sealable lid, just throw the sacks in and seal.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

This topic has been discussed before. Use the search to find it. Homer buckets from HD work the best for most people.

 

[justbrewit]

I will be storing mine in vacuum bags and an upright freezer

 

[Pappers_]

I have large plastic, stackable bins with snap-on lids. I leave the grain in the 55# lb. bag it came in, put it in a large garbage bag and then inside the bins. Triple layer.

 

[tdavisii]

i use rubbermaid bins.

 

[The Pol]

Cool dry place. In sealed plastic bags. Keeps little friends out for LT storage.

Also, keep in mind humidity and temp. are important. The Barley weevil lays eggs in kernels before you buy your grain, it is inevitable. At temps around 80F and relative humidity 75% and up... those eggs will incubate and hatch in your grain sacks/bins. Many times the bugs dont GET in... they are ALREADY in, just waiting to hatch.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I keep mine in the bags they came in.

Whenever I open one and don't use it all I pour it into the blue plastic Maxwell House coffee containers. I tape a label (from the bag) near the handle. This way I can stack them and still read what's in them.

 

[azscoob]

I use my vacuum packer for damn near everything, so small quantities go in those bags for later use, for large volumes I would use the "space Bags" that you seal up using your home vacuum. you could put your grain in the bag, put the bag in a storage bin and vacuum it, sealed up against critters and moisture! I dont yet buy grain in bulk so I cannot say how well it works, but a google search turned up a guy who stores his grain in them.

 

[claphamsa]

leave them in the bag, once you open it, put the rest in a homer bucket!

 

[RiverSwillBeer]

anyone refrigerate or freeze them ???

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

I don't fridge or freeze, just room temp (about 78F in my house). A friend said that if you're really concerned about bugs and/or spoilage to inject CO2 into your grain containers. This will displace the oxygen and also kill any bugs. I think that's a bit extreme as long as you're using your grain within a year after you buy it. I'm just now finishing off the last of my bulk grain from March of this year, and have had no problems with just throwing them in a homer bucket. $4 with a lid, price is right, and HDPE, each bucket holds 25# of grain...works for me!

 

[Scut_Monkey]

I use homer buckets but I'm new to bulk grain purchases. I keep them in the basement at about 70F.

 

[JVD_X]

Package your grain into small-er containers like rubbermaid and then freeze solid for two-three days to kill off the bugs and eggs. Transfer them to homer buckets for long term storage and keep sealed at room temperature for up to a year.

Some folks do not advocate using homer buckets which mice can chew and go crazy over night.

 

[brrman]

I keep my base grains in these: Holds a full 50lb sack of grain...
Iris Airtight Food Container 60 QT (Amazon.com)

I keep my specialty grains these: This one holds 5 lbs of uncrushed grain perfectly... There are lots of Lock & Lock sizes.
Lock & Lock 16.75 Cup Square Storage (Walmart or Amazon.com)

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I just roll up the bag and either tape it closed or use a rubberband. All the individual bags go into a couple of stackable plastic bins. 55# bags just stay in the bag...usually in the original box it shipped in. I don't need to store grains for all that long so this works.

 

[COLObrewer]

Also, keep in mind humidity and temp. are important. The Barley weevil lays eggs in kernels before you buy your grain, it is inevitable. At temps around 80F and relative humidity 75% and up... those eggs will incubate and hatch in your grain sacks/bins. Many times the bugs dont GET in... they are ALREADY in, just waiting to hatch.

I wonder if the eggs taste better or if the larva tastes better or if the adult barley weevil tastes better, seems like there would be a timing issue here.

Remember when employed in the hobby of beer making it is always best to choose the lesser of two weevils. Sorry.

 

[The Pol]

I wonder if the eggs taste better or if the larva tastes better or if the adult barley weevil tastes better, seems like there would be a timing issue here.

Remember when employed in the hobby of beer making it is always best to choose the lesser of two weevils. Sorry.

I would suspect that the larvae will feed on your precious grain, I prefer to brew with the eggs!

 

[schweaty]

Vittle vaults. These can hold a full 55# bag of grain. They make a larger one as well. Keeps the grain dry and fresh.

 

[Saccharomyces]

No problems with Homer buckets here. And I live on the edge, too... I store my grain in a storage unit (no ill effects noticed). I figure those big grain silos aren't air conditioned so why treat my grain any better.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

I have yet to make a bulk purchase, but I plan on it in the not too distant future. I've seen grat containers at Petsmart that will do the job, and they claim to be airtight, some even have a foam or rubber seal.

 

[budbo]

I keep my base grains in these: Holds a full 50lb sack of grain...
Iris Airtight Food Container 60 QT (Amazon.com)

I keep my specialty grains these: This one holds 5 lbs of uncrushed grain perfectly... There are lots of Lock & Lock sizes.
Lock & Lock 16.75 Cup Square Storage (Walmart or Amazon.com)

I use the same ones except my base grain container is a little wider, doesn't have wheels, and holds around 75lbs. I got them at Target fairly inexpensive

 

[Synovia]

Vittle vaults. These can hold a full 55# bag of grain. They make a larger one as well. Keeps the grain dry and fresh.

Vittle Vaults are like $45 a piece, and they don't hold the grain any drier or fresher than a homer bucket does.

 

[The Pol]

I was going to say, those vittle vaults around here are uber expensive ways to store grain.

 

[springer]

I use the Vittles Vault II they are 21 each at US Plastics and if you buy 4 you get 10% off . I use Homer buckets too but the damn lids always seem to crack after a few use's. But what do you expect for 5 bucks ..


So one Vault holds a 55 pound sack of grain is 18$ as apposed to 2 Homers that will hold almost the same amount at 10$ ... And I have yet not had to replace a lid or seal on the Vaults.

VittlesII

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

This is what they use at my LHBS to store their grain:

Plastic Tanks, Plastic Buckets, Plastic Bottles, Labware, Plastic Tubing, PVC Pipe, Plastic Sheet - United States Plastic Corporation ®

 

[The Pol]

I store my grain, as beer... in kegs.

 

[brrman]

I use the same ones except my base grain container is a little wider, doesn't have wheels, and holds around 75lbs. I got them at Target fairly inexpensive

I actually just picked up another one for myself (this one made by Richell) from Walmart for like 16 bucks and looks just like the Iris amazon.com one. I like the wheels cuz I roll the container over to my measuring and milling station.

 

[redneckbeagle]

New to Bulk grain storage!

Thinking of busting my 55 # bag into smaller freezer bags, trying to get as much air out as possible and place in the Freezer. Any problems with that?

Thanks,

 

[Homercidal]

Just picked up a couple of Homer Buckets this weekend on sale. Was pleased to see that two of them held a full sack of grain perfectly.