im looking at my available containers for grain storage. does anyone know what gallon size container i would need for a 55lb sack?
Sun, Dec 18, 2011 - 3:03pm
#1
grain storage
grain storage
So, to answer Iggi's original question, what size container for a 55 lb. sack: it appears to be in the neighborhood of 12 gallon minimum.
Thanks for doing a lot of research on grain storage, Tricia!
Just an FYI for everyone, not necessarily saying this is the best way to do it but I actually pulled the trigger on Homer Buckets so I can speak a bit more accurately about them now. Homer Buckets are 5 gallons; $4.25/each with tax; they were easy to manage when I needed to pull one out to measure out grain; they actually stack four high in the grain room (not three as I had estimated); they're air-tight and resealable. The one "con" is that there is indeed about 2-3 lbs. left over after filling two buckets. I simply used another bucket to hold the spillover from all the different 55 lb. bags.
Don't get the rubermaid bins...we had one at the old space...they don't seal tightly enough. We had a mouse get in to the bin when it was at the 914 space. The little guys squeeze in between the bin and the lid where the material is not as strong.
jim, ill split my $0.02 with you.
Jim Chochola said:
...igz...
cost. at that rate, you are better off with the galv. can. tho a plus is stackability
Kyle Arnold said:
...igz...
Just some random thoughts:
At any rate, containers should be the focus of discussion; we want to fit as many as humanly possible in the grain room, still be able to walk around, still be able to reach containers with a minimum of shuffling containers.
I plan on going to home depot or some store on Friday to buy my containers. I am leaning towards either the homer buckets or just the large tupperware type containers. I am receiving 4 sacks of grain and when I was at the brew house tonight I saw someone had one of these up in the loft that held 2 sacks of grain meaning I would only need 2 of these. Is there any opinions or thoughts against getting these type of large tupperware containers?
So, we have $0.06 of opinions here. That's a start! ;-)
Yeah... I don't disagree but here's my rationale on the Homer buckets:
(1) two buckets with lids cost around $8-$10. So, for the price of one galvanized can you can store almost two sacks using Homer buckets;
(2) when I cleaned/tidied up the brew house a few weeks ago (including the loft) there were several sacks of grain *outside* the grain room and, furthermore, not in any container; just sacks leaned up against the wall. They showed no signs of rodents or other damage/infestation. I'm guessing that with a bit more insulation and an actual door on the grain room, and some decoy food/traps, the grain even in a Homer bucket will be pretty safe in there;
(3) (and this is the most important as far as I'm concerned) It looks like we have tons of space (esp. compared to 914) but people tend to fill whatever space they inhabit (and, sorry to say, we don't have the tightest organization at the brew house). If you think about the organization, we can have Homer buckets stacked two or maybe even three high (galvanized cans can't do that) meaning you can store 2-3 sacks (four buckets, two stacks of two; or possibly six buckets, two stacks of three) in a footprint only slightly larger than the galvanized can. Furthermore, we can even have Homer buckets three deep along the wall with a little aisle to walk (i.e., a row immediate against the wall, a second one in front of that, and a third in front of those) and still be able to reach the containers along the wall itself (if the galvanized cans are put three deep, there will probably be no place to walk in the grain room; and even if there is room to walk, it would be impossible to reach the ones immediately against the wall; you'd be trying to reach over two cans...).
Just my two cents, too, though. After everyone's grain is in there after this Friday's shipment, we'll see how we're looking.
I'd still recomend the galvanized trash cans. They are rodent proof and cheap (about 20 bucks). The homer buckets can be chewed through and more important to me...its. Pain in the ass transfering grain into the buckets. They only hold a little over 20#s too.
With the can,you can just thrown the sack into it and call it a day. Holds the whole bag + a little.
just my 2 cents...
uh.... Just letting you know my 10 gallons of barrel aged stout is in the lockers upstairs. I'll take it home as soon as someone can give it a ride...
ya, im going the same route.
Jim Chochola said:
...igz...
So, goin' back to grain storage; I think I'm going to use the homer buckets with lids. Stackable (probably three-high up there) and easier to move than big cans...
Ya those look awesome for storing our small trinkets!
Oh, sweet!!!! Those'll work just fine!
approximately 3'x5'.
...igz...
How big are they?
ah, from my work place. as soon as we can get a vehicle to transport them.
Jim Chochola said:
...igz...
Sorry, I mean "from where? when?" about the lockers.
homer buckets, home depot, $2.78 each, i think the lid is another buck.
ps, nothing is rodent proof.
Jim Chochola said:
...igz...
Agreed. Are they rodent-proof? I think the more space we conserve up there, the better. Plus, a 22.5 lb. bucket can be handled more easily than a full 55 lb. can.
iggi said:
From where? When?
iggi said:
btw, if two homer buckets do indeed hold a 55lb sack, that is in fact the cheapest storage method, and they are easily stackable for space preservance.
...igz...
we have a set of lockers coming to the brew house specific for member use. the lockers in the grain room are to remain there as compartmentalization for specialty grains.
...igz...
It is indeed the idea, Kyle. We do, however, still need to consider organization in there with the limited space and plan on the likely event that some grain containers will need to live outside of the actual grain room (it's getting tight in there already and more than a few of us have not even begun to store our grains in there.
Side note: getting those small lockers out of the grain room and downstairs for Alchemists' use would free up a nice footprint for another can of grain. I will be at the house tonight and will try to put the door on the grain room (maybe even rig up a locker system on the first floor near the coat rack).
it is still the plan, but im just exploring alternatives, largely from a cost standpoint. ive come to realize that i have a bunch of big containers and they may be a decent temporary measure instead of spending moneys
...igz...
I also thought the point of the grain room was to be able to keep our sacks in their away from the rodents? Is this not the plan/case anymore?
Let me know what you think about it now that you have it in-hand. The reviews mention "bugs" not "rodents"; I'm wondering if it will really be rat/mouse proof or just bug proof....
Daniel Barker said:
walmart???????
http://youtu.be/PU9c0j4iOtw
...igz...
There's a new "Walmart Neighborhood Market" downtown on Jefferson and something (Monroe?). They're spose to be a grocery store only though, so I don't know if you can have stuff like this delivered there.
The only walmart is still on the west side, ya?
...igz...
also, consider these (lifted directly from a homebrewtalk thread):
select 50# and choose a store near you to pick up.
picked one up yesterday fits a 55lb bag of grain perfectly
Same here. thought we were going with the galvanized trash cans? whatever we decide we should get them before our sacks come in.
Excellent question, Iggi. As soon as the bulk buy comes in, I want to be ready with some rodent-proof containers of appropriate size.
around 8 i think.