Storing brewing tools

[DPB]

Just wondering where some of you store your brewing materials so that they are easily accessible and relatively sanitized. My bottling bucket is full of tubing, siphon, thief, more tubing, raking canes etc. and was interested in stealing some of your ideas.

 

[Brewkowski]

I bought one of those rubbermaid deck boxes and it seems to work ok. I wash and rinse everything before putting it away and then sanitize whent its time to brew. Not sure what size it is but it cost about 70 bucks i think and has two front doors and a lid that is split. with the one shelf in it I hold 3 carboys, brew pot, airlocks, tubes, two buckets, and some other stuff. I put some stuff in buckets and then put the carboy upside down in the bucket. I've got a real small house so outside storage is the only option. Sucks when its covered in snow, but other than that it keeps things organized.

 

[tenglert]

I bought the biggest plastic tool box I could find. It's got compartments on the top of the lid for bottle caps, Grolsch gaskets, and carboy caps. The inside tray houses test equipment, fermentation locks, and other small items. In the bottom I keep a capper, hoses, canes, spoons, oxygen regulator, and un-opened bags of bottle caps. The only things that won't fit are my auto-siphon, extra cane, and a really long spoon. Ingredients go in tubs and in the fridge. Sanitizers and cleaners stay in the laundry room.

I used to keep everything in my fermenters, until I started doing multiple batches. It's best not to store anything in there anyway. Some things can possibly scratch the plastic.

 

[samc]

I am spread out between 3 rooms, the garage and the deck. It drives me crazy but I can't seem to consolidate the stuff. My goal is to build a big workbench with a utility sink attached and storage underneath. Thinking I might just find a used laundry room set up from craigslist. If I owned a truck I would have bought it already!

 

[beerthirty]

Tossed wherever. Everything gets sanitized or boiled before use anyway.

 

[Nurmey]

You might want to reconsider storing items in your bottling bucket. Every time you put something other than sanitizer or beer in there you are scratching it. Nothing except Star San or beer goes in mine.

Large Rubbermaid type storage container are pretty handy and stackable since you will certainly need more than one the longer you brew.

 

[MNBugeater]

I also use rubbermaid bins and built a strage rack from PVC.
Something like this.

 

[rico567]

Tossed wherever. Everything gets sanitized or boiled before use anyway.

This is what I do. It is a mistake to believe that any sanitizer is going to last through a storage period until next time. I always clean after use, sanitize before.

 

[Mutilated1]

Tossed wherever. Everything gets sanitized or boiled before use anyway.

lol - thats the way I do it too

 

[kornkob]

I store my tools in a variety of places-- some in a tool box, others in my brew bucket. All get cleaned and sanitized before brewing anyway and I've never given much credence to scratched buckets as a primary source of infection. (I've actually successfully brewed in a bucket that someone had claimed was a 'proven' source of infection. With proper cleaning and sanitation, scratches so small you can't detect them aren't likely to harbor significant enough infection agents to survive the fermentation process---but that's just my opinion.)

I store my empty kegs cleaned, sanitized and under light pressure. Though I still run sanitizer through them again before filling anyway.

 

[schristian619]

My condo has a panty type of closet just off the kitchen with tile floor and wire shelving. I store everything in there. Kettle, IC, 2 10 gal coolers on the floor, everything else is shelved, including bottles that may be conditioning. All tubing is stored hanging to allow for complete drying. Fits everything perfect with plenty of room to spare.

 

[beerthirty]

My condo has a panty type of closet

Doesn't SWMBO get upset with you for storing brew equipment with her underwear?

 

[jlafleur1974]

I recently turned my one spare closet in my apartment into my 'brew equipment storage area'. I bought a cheap shelving unit from Wal-Mart to give me more storage space and left enough room on the floor for my primary and secondary. It stays a constant 68-70 in there, perfect for my ales.