I may be the last person to find this out but... Was at Lowes today and noticed they have white 5 gallon food grade buckets for $3.97. Would be great for someone brewing smaller batches or storing grain. Just thought I would put it out there.
Lowes food grade buckets
- Thread starter zach976
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Tommyb52
Well-Known Member
I got one from there too and used it as a secondary fermenter which worked great. I just used the lid from the primary bucket and the beer had no off flavors.
Thanks might make good buckets for cider, I plan on doing 4 gallons in next time and backsweeting with 1. Might be perfect, did they have lids too?
Here in WA Fred Meyer stores have 5G buckets for a similar price manufactured by Argee Corp of Santee, CA.
If you find white Argee buckets elsewhere those are verified as food safe. They manufacture many of Lowes and Homer buckets as well but have stated that while the plastic is food safe the dyes are not necessarily (I believe this holds true for most all HDPE buckets).
I'll keep my eye out for Encore as well. Love cheap buckets.
If you find white Argee buckets elsewhere those are verified as food safe. They manufacture many of Lowes and Homer buckets as well but have stated that while the plastic is food safe the dyes are not necessarily (I believe this holds true for most all HDPE buckets).
I'll keep my eye out for Encore as well. Love cheap buckets.
These are quite useful. I added a spigot to one for a bottling bucket. Another pair of these white food-grade Lowes buckets (one with a bunch of large holes drilled in the bottom/sides) serve as my grain bag squeezer for BIAB.
Tommyb52
Well-Known Member
I didn't see any lids there either.
I see lids on the site and they say they have them at my store, are they food grade too?
Check in the paint section for lids, I use one of these buckets along with a lightweight, blue snap on style lid for storing starsan. It seems to me that they also had the heavier normal snap on lids for these buckets, and some gamma seal style lids, but it has been over a year since I bought my bucket from them.
For another possible cheap source of 6 gallons buckets, call around to any local pet/fish stores that have a good saltwater fish selection. The salt they use often comes in 6 gallon white buckets, and they will often times have the empty used buckets for sale for cheap, or even free. You will have to use your judgement on the useability of these buckets. The one I have is a former Kent Marine salt bucket, and is made by API/Kirk Container out of California, but it is relegated to fish aquarium use.
For another possible cheap source of 6 gallons buckets, call around to any local pet/fish stores that have a good saltwater fish selection. The salt they use often comes in 6 gallon white buckets, and they will often times have the empty used buckets for sale for cheap, or even free. You will have to use your judgement on the useability of these buckets. The one I have is a former Kent Marine salt bucket, and is made by API/Kirk Container out of California, but it is relegated to fish aquarium use.
MindenMan
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the sea water bucket idea. I have two or three sets of lids/buckets from Home Depot they do have the correct number and food grade markings if I remember. I used one set to make a Zapap tun, and drilled out two of the others for spigots. I didn't want to use a 6-1/2 gallon bucket for 3 gallons of cider, or 4 gallons of cold crashing an ale. For about $5.00 you get a food safe bucket and a lid with an airtight seal. They have been reused many times, and still resemble new and still airtight. I don't recommend using the Homer buckets as they feel slippery from the mold release when they are made. Kind of oily actually.
TungstenBeer
Well-Known Member
Just to add to the discussion - I bought a handful of these and I'm using them with some gamma lids for grain storage. They work great and the lids fight perfectly.
That was my next question, does home Depot carry food grade as well. I go there all the time and just never spotted them I guess.
What number am I looking for btw?
TungstenBeer
Well-Known Member
Granted, I can only speak for the 2 stores near me, but neither of those Home Depots had food grade buckets.
Picked up a bucket and lid, got a grommet and trying to get a 1" tube in there ha... Cheaper than getting a glass carboy.
Same here. The buckets each hold a little under 25 pounds of grain. I have four, and found the buckets at the paint desk at the Lowe's near me. I had to go to another store for the gamma lids, The lids Lowe's has for these buckets are a bit of a pain to take off and put on IMHO.
I, personally, only use food grade buckets for any aspect of my brewing. It hasn't been any extra trouble for me to have the peace of mind. Some people don't care though.
30Bones
Well-Known Member
I picked up 4 today from Lowes for grain storage. Thanks to the OP
m3n00b
Well-Known Member
Love those lowe's bucket. One will hold 35lbs of jasmine rice. Great storage tool in case SHTF.
I also store my starsan solution in one and extract/specialty grains in others.
I also store my starsan solution in one and extract/specialty grains in others.
30Bones
Well-Known Member
Took 2 full and I'd say a quarter to a third of another for 50# of grain. Dang those lids take a beating to get on. Removing will be a real treat!
I don't think the blue lids are supposed to go with the white buckets judging by the way they (don't) fit, but they're all Lowes had for me. I stocked up, at any rate--who cares if a lid is food safe? Nothing's touching the lid for long. Think I'm due for some 8 gal small beer batches in these (4+4).
Marginally OT but I saw Firehouse Subs sells their used 5 gal pickle buckets for $2 a pop, with lids, guaranteed food safe, so I stocked up big time. Dude selling me the sandwich thought I was a lunatic. It seems it only takes about a month for the pickle smell to go away. In as much as it does go away. What pairs with dill pickle, citra IPA? Pastrami saison?
Marginally OT but I saw Firehouse Subs sells their used 5 gal pickle buckets for $2 a pop, with lids, guaranteed food safe, so I stocked up big time. Dude selling me the sandwich thought I was a lunatic. It seems it only takes about a month for the pickle smell to go away. In as much as it does go away. What pairs with dill pickle, citra IPA? Pastrami saison?
Be sure to check out the contractor pricing for the food grade buckets at Lowes. My local store sells them for around $3.97 a piece, but they're $2.00 a piece if you buy five. Who couldn't use five buckets?
30Bones
Well-Known Member
That would have been nice to know since I got 4 and could have gotten several more for the same price
m3n00b
Well-Known Member
How do you find out contractor pricing?
My Lowes had that under the tag in yellow I think. I don't think it was $2 at my store though or I would have been more inclined to get more. I'll check next time though.
ObsidianJester
Well-Known Member
Yeah I've been using them since this summer for storing my grain I buy in large enough amounts that a small storage bin will not suffice.
They have lids, and all you have to do is ask an employee where they are.
However my first batch of buckets I just bought online. Shipping was pretty cheap as I recall. The lids are in the same location in the store.
The non food grade buckets you get at lowes or Home Depot I use to clean bottles, or equipment in.
And yeah if you want to have a secondary they would work great for that too, just drill a hole for your airlock in the lid.
They have lids, and all you have to do is ask an employee where they are.
However my first batch of buckets I just bought online. Shipping was pretty cheap as I recall. The lids are in the same location in the store.
The non food grade buckets you get at lowes or Home Depot I use to clean bottles, or equipment in.
And yeah if you want to have a secondary they would work great for that too, just drill a hole for your airlock in the lid.
Dr. Francois
Well-Known Member
Plain white buckets and lids at Walmart are Encore brand and food safe. I bought one to hold rice and another just in case...I hate going there. I keep going because Cafe Bustelo espresso is $3 a brick and we go through a brick a week.
Found the receipt:
Bucket: $2.97
Lid: $1.17
Found the receipt:
Bucket: $2.97
Lid: $1.17
