Store Grain in Keezer?

[brewit2it]

I got a 50lb sack of great weastern 2 row yesterday and trying to decide where to store it. With summer coming there isn't really a space in my house that stays consistently under 80 degrees all day long. I'm wondering if the Keezer is a better place to store the grain at 40 degrees but likely at higher humidity than an interior closet.

Also while I have your attention anyone know how many lbs of unmilled grain fit in a freezer size ziplock? I am thinking of breaking it down into ziplocks, but again, a little worried about the trapped humidity, lack of breathability of the bags.

 

[Walker]

Also while I have your attention anyone know how many lbs of unmilled grain fit in a freezer size ziplock?

I know that a 5 gallon bucket holds a half a sack of grain, so 1 gallon (which I think is the size of the large freezer bags) would hold 5 lbs.. but it'd probably be JAMMED FULL with 5 lbs in it.

 

[TheMan]

I got one of these http://www.petco.com/product/5867/Gamma-Vittles-Vault.aspx?CoreCat=LookAhead

Holds the entire bag, plus a bit more. My apartment regularly hits 80+ in the summer. I have no issues with bugs or anything.

 

[jbrookeiv]

I know that a 5 gallon bucket holds a half a sack of grain, so 1 gallon (which I think is the size of the large freezer bags) would hold 5 lbs.. but it'd probably be JAMMED FULL with 5 lbs in it.

Do as Walker says, pick up two 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot for $6 and call it a day. Air tight, you could probably put them in your keezer without any problems, except maybe wasting valuable keezer space.

 

[passedpawn]

1# of barley is just a slight bit under 1 quart. In fact, I never weigh my grain, I just use a quart measuring cup. So,

• 1 gallon container = 4#
• 5 gallon container = 20#.

I store unmilled grain like this.

The grain keeps fine, for at least years. But beware the grain weevil.

 

[Golddiggie]

I'm thinking about vacuum packing the open sack of grain I have (what's left in it)... Probably measure out either 5# of 10# increments. You can get the gallon size bags on a roll, so you can make them as long as you want/need to fit what you have. A couple of rolls and I should be set for the open bag (has about 32# left in it)... I might even do that with the three other sacks I have left (full, unopened)... Then I can just store them in large bins, each bag marked of course. Pull out what I need/want to use, mill it up, and go to town. :rockin:

 

[jturie]

1# of barley is just a slight bit under 1 quart. In fact, I never weigh my grain, I just use a quart measuring cup. So,

• 1 gallon container = 4#
• 5 gallon container = 20#.

I store unmilled grain like this.

The grain keeps fine, for at least years. But beware the grain weevil.

You are WAAAAYYYY too organized! Nice closet.

 

[Sheldon]

Love that closet and how neat and organized it appears. Cheers and hats off to you.

 

[Golddiggie]

That closet looks like it is used by someone that's a wee bit AR...

Where I live, right now, I don't have enough closet space to even THINK about doing that. I do plan on packing my grain in vacuum sealed bags over the next few days. That should eliminate any potential insect issues, and eliminate any moisture issues too. I'll just need to be sure to label the bags with what's going into them for grain and weight (not really an issue)... Just need to make sure I have enough bags on hand before I start...

 

[BrewThruYou]

I'm thinking about vacuum packing the open sack of grain I have (what's left in it)...

This is just speculation. Could you possibly drill a hole into the top of a homer bucket, insert the WineSaver attachment into the hole using a gasket or grommet for a seal, use the accessory tube and pump all the air out that way?

I have a FoodSaver, but don't have the WineSaver attachments. If someone already had the WineSavers, they'd really only be out a $0.97 Home Depot lid if it didn't work.

 

[Golddiggie]

This is just speculation. Could you possibly drill a hole into the top of a homer bucket, insert the WineSaver attachment into the hole using a gasket or grommet for a seal, use the accessory tube and pump all the air out that way?

I have a FoodSaver, but don't have the WineSaver attachments. If someone already had the WineSavers, they'd really only be out a $0.97 Home Depot lid if it didn't work.

I'd rather have it in 5# and 10# bags that I can just grab and go/brew with... A single box of gallon bags should be just about enough to do two full sacks of grain (28 bags in a box, so ~112# of grain there). I can use either quart bags, or something for the balance. I might just get the rolls and figure out how long to make the bags so that they hold either 5# or 10# of grain in each. It will come down to how large each bag is, so that I can store them more easily.

 

[passedpawn]

That closet looks like it is used by someone that's a wee bit AR...

AR... no. The yeast in my homebrew takes care of that I do like to be organized. I also like to be able to brew at a moments notice, so I can brew almost anything without going to the LHBS or online shop.

Anyway, if the grain is not milled, it will keep just fine without a vacuum-pack or refrigeration. You don't have to believe me, but I've been doing this for a while without problems. Except for the GD grain weevils (they're gone now).

 

[Golddiggie]

AR... no. The yeast in my homebrew takes care of that I do like to be organized. I also like to be able to brew at a moments notice, so I can brew almost anything without going to the LHBS or online shop.

Anyway, if the grain is not milled, it will keep just fine without a vacuum-pack or refrigeration. You don't have to believe me, but I've been doing this for a while without problems. Except for the GD grain weevils (they're gone now).

So, at what storage temp do you NOT want to exceed, with whole grain?

I'm new to having whole grain on hand, so it will be good to know this.

I plan for the vacuum sealed bags more for my own organization, and not needing to worry about it at all. Plus, it will be easier to take grain with me when I brew (not able to brew where I live right now due to a neurotic/a$$hole landlord) at other locations. Once the initial packing is done, it will be easy to use the bags... I won't need to carry a full, or mostly full, sack of grain with me. Just grab a couple of bags of grain (whatever type I'll be using), my mill, other hardware, and go BREW!!

I'm already planning on moving out of this place. Just need to get a new job first, save for a couple of months (having the grain on hand helps there) and then just tell the LL where (and how) to shove it...

 

[passedpawn]

Room temp is fine. I don't believe my local commercial grain distribution company stores the 50# and supersack (>2000#) bags in any refrigeration. It's just a warehouse at ambient temps, which can get pretty warm down here.

Limiting moisture is pretty important. So, the better you seal the grain, the less likely staling will occur. My plastic bins don't seal very well, but honestly the grain is quite dry. I nibble a bit sometimes when I brew and it's always crisp.

IMO, the biggest potential problem is grain weevils. They seem to reproduce quickly. They don't really do much damage, and you can use the grain even when infested. But there's a psychological effect

 

[Golddiggie]

So temperature shouldn't be an issue where I am then... Good... I'll still vacuum pack them so that moisture won't be an issue (at all)... Especially for any opened sacks. After the coming brew day, one sack will be over half way gone. About 35# of the 55# sack used. In just two batches, granted the first was 10 gallons...

I do so love having whole grain on hand. Any specialty grains I get moving forward will be whole/unmilled so that I don't need to worry about freshness. Looking forward to many more years of brewing great stuff. :rockin:

 

[brewit2it]

1# of barley is just a slight bit under 1 quart. In fact, I never weigh my grain, I just use a quart measuring cup. So,

• 1 gallon container = 4#
• 5 gallon container = 20#.

I store unmilled grain like this.

The grain keeps fine, for at least years. But beware the grain weevil.

Great replies, and that closet is awesome:rockin:

Okay, what I decided on was freezer bags at room temp. Completely full they fit a little over 5 lbs, like 5.1-5.2 which is perfect since my partial mashes are all planned for 5 lb base malt. What I did was fill 9 bags and had about 4 lbs left over. I put that in a large stainless bowl and added a little over 1/2 gallon of filtered H2O which just covered it. I'm going to do sacrification tonight (after about a 20 hour soak) by putting in oven at around 155 for 70-90 minutes (stir every 15 minutes and control temp as much as possible). Then I'll roast it to different degrees L.

Pretty amazing, I'll have 46 lbs 2 row and 4 lbs crystal for $32.25

 

[malkore]

If I put a sack of grain in my keezer in summer, I'd have moldy grain in short order. WAY too humid inside a non-frostfree chest freezer.

repacking it in sealed bags would work and yeah my LHBS does cram 5lbs into a gallon ziploc freezer bag.

I got those pet food storage bins with the 'spin down' lid. never found a bug in there so far.

 

[DeafSmith]

I got one of these http://www.petco.com/product/5867/Gamma-Vittles-Vault.aspx?CoreCat=LookAhead

Holds the entire bag, plus a bit more. My apartment regularly hits 80+ in the summer. I have no issues with bugs or anything.

These look like they would work too (the large size one):

http://www.petco.com/product/9799/Gamma-Vittles-Vault-Stackables.aspx?CoreCat=FamilyCrossSell

I see their sale ends Mar. 10 - also free shipping on orders over $40 if you type in the code "anniversary40"

 

[Golddiggie]

Looks like the small one would be perfect for a sack of grain...

"Holds 40+ lbs. of dry food or 60+ lbs. of bird seed."

 

[DeafSmith]

Looks like the small one would be perfect for a sack of grain...

"Holds 40+ lbs. of dry food or 60+ lbs. of bird seed."

Don't know if you could get 50 or 55 lbs of grain in there or not - particularly if you still have some left when you buy the new sack. Anybody know from experience if they are big enough?

 

[Golddiggie]

I was going with them empty, with a new sack... So an empty one should be large enough for one full sack, and probably have room to spare. I wouldn't try to add fresh grain on top of old grain anyway. Better to get all the old out before you put fresh in. Otherwise that old will keep getting older and not be used. Well, unless you can pick it up and shake the hell out of it. I'm not about to dead lift 60# of grain and shake it like a maraca...

 

[DeafSmith]

I was going with them empty, with a new sack... So an empty one should be large enough for one full sack, and probably have room to spare. I wouldn't try to add fresh grain on top of old grain anyway. Better to get all the old out before you put fresh in. Otherwise that old will keep getting older and not be used. Well, unless you can pick it up and shake the hell out of it. I'm not about to dead lift 60# of grain and shake it like a maraca...

I was thinking I'd just dump the old grain into a bucket, put the new sack into the Vittle Vault, then dump the old grain back in on top of the new so it'll get used first.

 

[Golddiggie]

I was thinking I'd just dump the old grain into a bucket, put the new sack into the Vittle Vault, then dump the old grain back in on top of the new so it'll get used first.

Why not just empty the bin out on a brew day, then fill it back up before the next one? Unless you don't have enough space to store the grain for the time between that is...

 

[DeafSmith]

Why not just empty the bin out on a brew day, then fill it back up before the next one? Unless you don't have enough space to store the grain for the time between that is...

I just want to avoid the possibility of leaving an opened bag of grain sitting around outside the Vittle Vault.

QUESTION:
Does anyone know what temperature the grain has to be kept below to keep the weevil eggs from hatching? I've seen one post that says 80ºF and another that says 70ºF. Keeping it dry also seems to be important.

 

[passedpawn]

There are zip lock bags that you can get at your supermarket that hold about 50# grain. They have a double-zip. Check it out next time you're there. I have a box of them and use them when I split a bag of grain with a friend.

 

[passedpawn]

QUESTION:
Does anyone know what temperature the grain has to be kept below to keep the weevil eggs from hatching? I've seen one post that says 80ºF and another that says 70ºF. Keeping it dry also seems to be important.

I do know that freezing them takes care of the problem. There's this experment: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/grain-weevils-freezing-experiment-209746/

And then this major roundup project. Grain inventory put in freezer overnight. Worked a charm. No more weevils.

 

[Golddiggie]

I'll have to look for those sometime... I do have some 2.5 gallon ziplocks already, but haven't seen anything larger yet...

I did open a sack o grain on Saturday. I zip tied it closed (close to the grain level)... I see that as a decent interim step until I can put it into proper storage.

If I have a bag opened, it's because another bag is empty. If I'm using the vaults/bins, then if a bag of the same kind is open, the grain that was in the bin/vault has already been removed. So, the container is free for the new grain to go in. Takes very little time to get the grain into the vault/container. Even scooping it in shouldn't take too long. Of course, I'm using a large aluminum scoop here (marked 58oz, does about 2-1/2 pounds of whole grain at a time).

Store in the way that makes best sense for you... Personally, I'll be looking to vacuum seal the balance of a sack once I've opened it up. 5#-10# bags of each kind will make recipes easy to follow. Of course, I'll need to open some bags and not use all of the grain at times. But, that's ok, since I can just reseal that bag later. Or just say F it and use all of it.

BTW passedpawn... That's damned sexy there... wow. That Irish red hit me harder than I expected...