Grain Storage

[Gormand]

Slowely picking up the bits and pieces I need to move into AG and I am just about there, so sometime in the next couple of weeks I should be looking to pickup my first lot of grain so I can get started. Looking at prices I see there is a massive discount for buying grain in 20kg+ lots. Now as this makes a whole lot of sense for my base malts this is what I am planning to do.
So my question is how do people store all of this grain? 2x20kg lots is going to be a good 6+ months worth of grain for me at this point. Ill be in a garage with cars coming in and out. Is just in the sack fine? Do I need some sort of sealed container? I read on here somewhere else that weevils are an issue and people use sealed containers and bayleaves to keep them away.

So what do you all do? What should I look to grab thats cheap, easy and is going to do the job.

 

[Nick JD]

I keep mine inside the house in a spare bedroom that has a fly screen on the wondow and virtually always has a closed door. I've never had a single critter in it and it's only loosely tied up in the original sack.

Access to the outside world for beetles, moths and rodents? Either move it inside, or invest in some serious storage. Rats and mice will chew through (where you can see it) nearly anything.

Try not to spill any grain around the storage no matter what.

 

[Malted]

Slowely picking up the bits and pieces I need to move into AG and I am just about there, so sometime in the next couple of weeks I should be looking to pickup my first lot of grain so I can get started. Looking at prices I see there is a massive discount for buying grain in 20kg+ lots. Now as this makes a whole lot of sense for my base malts this is what I am planning to do.
So my question is how do people store all of this grain? 2x20kg lots is going to be a good 6+ months worth of grain for me at this point. Ill be in a garage with cars coming in and out. Is just in the sack fine? Do I need some sort of sealed container? I read on here somewhere else that weevils are an issue and people use sealed containers and bayleaves to keep them away.

So what do you all do? What should I look to grab thats cheap, easy and is going to do the job.

Rodents can be a problem too. A sealed container is good insuarance in my books.
I bought a 27L container on wheels with a snap lock lid from the Big Shed (Stratco) thinking it would be the ducks nuts; it fits almost exactly half a 25kg sack of grain...

 

[Leigh]

I use 70L Bins with twist top lids I picked up from the big green shed for base malts (each holds 50kg) and various size rectangle storage boxes with click on lids (also from the Green Shed) for my specialty malts.

Works well for me

 

[Golani51]

I use 70L Bins with twist top lids I picked up from the big green shed for base malts (each holds 50kg) and various size rectangle storage boxes with click on lids (also from the Green Shed) for my specialty malts.

Works well for me

Can someone quote the prices on these containers Ie the 70L bins?

I know CROWN CONCEPTS should have some larger ones and I'll drop them a line. I have mine in the sacks in the garage. I have started to chuck them in very large ziplock bags Ie 4kg batches so that even if one gets infested, nothing else will suffer, and once a bag is opened, it won't tend to be around long enough to get infested. If a rat gets into it, only one bag will be lost. I just chuck these ziploked baggies back in the sacks which are plastic lined, and thus protected further.

I wouldn't mind looking into cheap bins though. Please alert me if you find them cheap around Melbourne.

 

[cdbrown]

I picked up some 60L fermenters to hold each bag. Lined it with heavy duty garbage bag to protect the walls from being scratched by grains or grain bag.

 

[adryargument]

I simply tie a simple knot in the top of the plastic bag inside the sack, then twist the sack and tuck it against a wall in a spare room.
We have mice, kangaroos, possums + god knows what and i have not noticed any spoilage in 2-3 months. However i brew 40L at a time and often use upto 6-9kg a brew for base grains.

So they dont last long.


*cough* bulk buy sydney please*cough*

 

[3GumsBrewing]

I think my containers are the 200L jobies from target or deranged Dave's/crazy cliffs etc. About $20 and they holds 2 25kg sacks.
DK

 

[Greg.L]

I think it stores better as beer than grain so try to make as big a mash as possible. Otherwise I think keep it in the sack in a vermin-proof room. Rats will even eat through a plastic garbage bin if they're hungry.

Greg

 

[stux]

Need to watch for weevils and rodents. Best to keep grain in cool/dry conditions.

I keep my grain in stackable heavy duty food grade 60L tubs in the spare bedroom which is in the climate controlled house

Like this http://www.hospitalitydepot.com.au/catalog...r-645x413x276mm

Nice thing is they nest and stack, they're food grade, and they have lids.

25KG of grain is about 50L

 

[Nick JD]

Bulk buy anyone?

 

[GumbyOne]

Sort of on topic. I recently found a sack of grain I forgot I even had :huh: . Bought it about a year ago i think and it's been sitting in the garage, dry and unopened and seems to still taste ok. Will it still be ok? I'm worried it might have lost it's enzymatic mojo or something .

 

[praxis178]

Depends, what is it?

Sort of on topic. I recently found a sack of grain I forgot I even had :huh: . Bought it about a year ago i think and it's been sitting in the garage, dry and unopened and seems to still taste ok. Will it still be ok? I'm worried it might have lost it's enzymatic mojo or something .

 

[DJR]

A year should be fine as long as it hasn't absorbed too much moisture - which you'll be able to tell pretty quickly as it becomes "slack" and not that crunchy/fresh anymore.

I use the 80L (i think) blue plastic drums with snap on lids (metal snap ring) from the local farm supply shop, cost about $15-20 each , 1 of them holds 2 or 3 full 25kg bags, which is enough for me.

 

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My friend had rat problems and they chewed right through strong plastic bins. If a rat finds out it's there your buggered. Aliminum trash cans work if rats could be a problem.

 

[GumbyOne]

Depends, what is it?

Maris Otter

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

I picked up some 60L fermenters to hold each bag. Lined it with heavy duty garbage bag to protect the walls from being scratched by grains or grain bag.

What a brilliant idea. :icon_cheers:

Sort of on topic. I recently found a sack of grain I forgot I even had :huh: . Bought it about a year ago i think and it's been sitting in the garage, dry and unopened and seems to still taste ok. Will it still be ok? I'm worried it might have lost it's enzymatic mojo or something .

GumbyOne, What sort of grain was it? Do a small batch of beer with it (10L), if it tastes ok, then your laughing. Also if the grain doesn't taste/feel stale when u eat it outta the bag it should (this is one of those walk with caution "shoulds") be ok! :icon_cheers:


EDIT: ok sorry, beer has retarded my ability to type fast. LOL

 

[praxis178]

See the above posting, about mouth feel if its still crunchy it should be good to go, maybe add a little to the length of the mash if in doubt..... BTW to my mind MO is one of those malts that needs a slightly longer mash anyway.

Maris Otter

 

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A starch test after a mash will also tell u if the enzymes are working properly.

 

[InCider]

I had the bush rats eat a hole in the side of a household garbage bin in my shed...not the wheelie bin, just a regular cheapie from the BGS.

Lost a sack of pale...

I have, and will continue to trap those feckers and plant their corpses under my chillies - which are doing fine!