I’ve been buying all my base grains by the bag for some time. But, I now have an opportunity to partner with a local brewery to get much more than a bag at time, but for less than half what a bag costs me now.
So, I wonder. Grain in their original paper bag. How long will it last and still be acceptable? Use your imagination on how much I brew. But, it’s more than most.
I’ve found that a couple years isn’t a problem.
Thanks Denny. That makes the decision very easy. I was thinking 6 months max.
I got a bag of crisp pale a month ago. It says best by april 2014
Look for big Rubbermaid plastic tubs on sale. They’re a great way to store opened bags. I just stack unopened bags on metal shelving.
I’d say that there’s even leeway beyond that date. And a big +1 on the Rubbermaid tubs. Fantastic for storing grain.
I got a few 8 gallon airtight bins from the local agri store, made for dog food. They don’t quite hold a 50lb sack, but I bet a 10 gallon bin would.
I got a sack of Weyermann malt that came in a plastic lined sack that seemed pretty airtight. You might be fine storing it for a long time unopened, and just use the bins for the opened sacks.
i also split my bags in to other bags and stuff these in plastic pails.
I put mine in plastic buckets. When I am not using my fridge to ferment in, I place the grains inside the fridge to keep them away from any pests that may get in the garage.
+1
I use Rubbermaid containers for storing all of my grain. I can keep grain for up to a couple of years with good quality end results.
I’ve been migrating from the plastic tubs to these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJOOI/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00
They’ll hold a 55lb sack no problem.
I’ve also been thinking about getting one of these. I like the idea of easy access.
From Homebrew Finds:
I’ve been contemplating these myself, both for grain storage and for fermentors. a guy in my club (Skylar here on the board) says he uses them to great effect.
I use vittles containers, they hold 50lbs. Usplastics has them for about $19 if I remember correctly. I also use some of their other bins for my specialty grains.
I got my 8 gallon pet food containers because they had wheels on the bottom. Not necessary, but pretty nice.
Rubbermaid tubs here. With the grains in plastics bags in the tubs. Four tubs total… one for 2-row, one for Marris Otter, one for grains with quantities larger than specialty but not full sacks (Pils, Munich, Wheat, etc.), and the last one for single-pound bags of specialty malts.
+1
As I can get 5 gallon food grade pails w/air tight lids for free. (a 50# sack will fit in two pails, and they stack well)
I’ve been using these in conjunction with 5 gallon pails. Gamma Lids. They’re the same lid as on the vittle vaults, just adapted to work on a standard 5 gallon bucket.
As mentioned before, a 5 gallon pail will hold ~25 lbs, so easy peasy.
I am not sure this is an issue, but I know that with some things (like coffee beans) keeping them in a cold place can actually be detrimental as the switch from cold to warm and back again can cause condensation to develop in the container. Just some thign to keep in mind. I think the solution would be to package in 1 - 10 lb increments so you aren’t taking a tub out, opening it and putting it back in over and over.