Suitable containers for grain storage

[Aussiekraut]

The slab for what will be my brewery will finally be poured tomorrow and hopefully, within the next month, it'll all be done and I can move things into it and actually have room in the garage to put a car in  

Now I need to look for better-suited containers for my grains. I don't worry about the base malts I buy in big amounts as they're in big pails with screw on lids and the specialty malts are all in sealed bags. But things like Vienna, Munich or Wheat, are currently in simple tubs holding somewhere between 7 and 10kg and they're fairly cheap containers from Kmart or other el-cheapo shops. They were fine when I kept the grain in the house and even in the garage but I am not sure they will be in the brewery. They don't seal airtight and bugs could squeeze into them, something I want to prevent as you can imagine. 

What are you guys using for that purpose? I have one that has a sealed lid with 6 clips from IKEA but it barely holds 5kg, so I'd have to essentially double the amount of containers. I can do that but don't necessarily want to, if there is a better way.  

 

[ozdevil]

you could try these that can hold up to 25kg   i have a 15kg one and works well




Mine when not in use collapses down  and is also on wheels

 

 

[Aussiekraut]

19 minutes ago, ozdevil said:

you could try these that can hold up to 25kg   i have a 15kg one and works well




Mine when not in use collapses down  and is also on wheels

 

 

Where do I get something like that?

 

[iBooz2]

AK , I use the 20 L handy pails from Bunnings for my specialty grains.  Each type of SG is kept in their individual plastic bags (un-milled) and labeled with a texta including buy date EBC etc..   I can fit 3 or 4 bags of SG into the one 20 L pail and they have tight fitting lids.  Bit of a nuisance on brew day pulling out a couple of plastic bags to get the SG you want but I gotta keep the pests out of it.

For the base malts, I use those 35 L storage barrels like you have in your pic with a 20 L handy pail for the over-flow as they do not hold a full 25 kg sack, as you know, by themselves.  I like these as they stack nicely unlike some of the odd shaped storage solutions I looked at.  I saw some distribution bins at one time and the are the bees knees as they stack closely together and give you access with screw off lids (like a row of cookie barrels) but they were way to expensive for me considering I needed so many of them.

Edited May 1, 2023 by iBooz2

[ozdevil]

12 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

Where do I get something like that?

 

Amazon  mate i just purchased another 1  as i have a 15kg one and  now purchased the 25kg one

[iBooz2]

AK, don't forget, up where you are you really need something that is going to seal tight in order to prevent your local humidity being absorbed by your grains.

[Cheap Charlie]

I use these food grade pails from bunnings, I think they are 20L, but a 25kg sack fits into 2 of them nicely, and they are stackable. So I'm guessing they will fit 10kg nicely.

Less than $15 each.

 

[Aussiekraut]

3 minutes ago, Cheap Charlie said:

I use these food grade pails from bunnings, I think they are 20L, but a 25kg sack fits into 2 of them nicely, and they are stackable. So I'm guessing they will fit 10kg nicely.

Less than $15 each.

 

I had a look at some pails Bunnings is selling. I have 3 35l ones but the smaller buckets I found there don't seal properly. They keep the pests out but humidity might be an issue, at least in Summer. I'll have to re-visit to see if they have something suitable.

 

 

[Aussiekraut]

8 minutes ago, iBooz2 said:

AK, don't forget, up where you are you really need something that is going to seal tight in order to prevent your local humidity being absorbed by your grains.

Yes, that is a problem. Another reason I need some airtight containers.

 

[Cheap Charlie]

Just now, Aussiekraut said:

I had a look at some pails Bunnings is selling. I have 3 35l ones but the smaller buckets I found there don't seal properly. They keep the pests out but humidity might be an issue, at least in Summer. I'll have to re-visit to see if they have something suitable.

 

 

ok, that's a shame, mine seal well enough. Possibly use some oxygen/moisture absorbers?

[iBooz2]

5 minutes ago, Aussiekraut said:

I had a look at some pails Bunnings is selling. I have 3 35l ones but the smaller buckets I found there don't seal properly. They keep the pests out but humidity might be an issue, at least in Summer. I'll have to re-visit to see if they have something suitable.

 

 

AK, with the Bunnings handy pails, 20 l , 10 L and 5 L, you have to pull off that strip of plastic that runs around on the lid first (tamper seal I think it is), then tap the lid on with a rubber mallet.  They seal so tight you may have trouble getting the lids back off again.

Edited May 1, 2023 by iBooz2

[Tone boy]

On 5/1/2023 at 10:40 AM, Cheap Charlie said:

Possibly use some oxygen/moisture absorbers?

Yep I think that is a good idea. You can get big ones, and just throw one in each bucket on top of the grain.

cheap insurance 

[ben 10]

On 5/1/2023 at 10:37 AM, Aussiekraut said:

They keep the pests out but humidity might be an issue

Nah, it's not.
I'll know for sure in a few months when I open mine back up - living in one of the wettest places in aus atm, and my bunnings buckets are in a storage shed just near a big fecking gum boot thingy

[iBooz2]

1 hour ago, beach_life said:

Nah, it's not.
I'll know for sure in a few months when I open mine back up - living in one of the wettest places in aus atm, and my bunnings buckets are in a storage shed just near a big fecking gum boot thingy

@beach_life , I thought the Cassowary Coast Regional Council was giving the big gumboot the "big boot" and removing it.  Is it still there?  Will be lurking around there this Sunday / Monday so will check it out myself.   Yep Tully is damn wet, with an average of four and a half metres of rainfall per annum.  That is wet!

Edited May 2, 2023 by iBooz2