Stainless Drums

[Amber Gold]

Does anyone know of a good source of stainless drums? I'm expanding this year and shooting for 0.5 gpt and want to make sure I have plenty of syrup storage. I'd like to buy some if the price is right. A producer in Loudon uses 15 gal soda kegs which are a great size for me because it's last about a month. 30 gal drums would be another good size, but I think 40's or 50's would be too big.

Thanks.

[Thad Blaisdell]

No matter what you are going to have to pay.... How many are you looking for? How much capacity do you need?

[Brokermike]

you might just consider the 5 gal plastic jugs, and a few 30gallon syrup barrels

[gearpump]

You could try beer kegs. I have found a few on craiglist for $20.00 and less. Then all you need is an expansion plug to seal it and your good to go.

[tuckermtn]

Josh- I put a wanted post on craigslist and got 6 1/2 barrels (15.5 gals) pretty quickly. took the guts out of the valve, then had my welder cut the collars off and weld some 2" stainless collars (from mcmaster-carr) on. So far I think I have $65-70 in to them. Just need to find a plug. So I think I'll have $90-95 in to them. Like the 5 gal soda kegs for short term and will try and use the 15 gals for long term b/c of the collar/plug system- seems more reliable than the 5 gal kegs. but harder to clean I think...

[markct]

i use kegs that i have gotten from the trash and from tag sales. i cut the neck out and tig weld in half of a stainless pipe coupling. they work very well with a standard 2 inch drum plug. i also have a few of the stainless water fire extinguishers that i cut the neck from and tig welded in half a coupling, they hold about 3 gal each and work good for the med amber i save to bottle in xmas glass and such

[Amber Gold]

I already have 15 5-gal plastic jugs. I like to use those for short term storage during the season, but would prefer not for long term storage.

Eric, that would be perfect. Thanks for the tip. What section did you post them in? I'd like to get 6-10 of them. I figure I'll go through ~100 gallons through maple season so those can go straight into jugs and 5-gal drums. I'd like enough storage for 150+ gal of syrup.

[Thad Blaisdell]

If you are smart you will buy dr pepper drums or new ones. Picking up old stuff and modifying it, not sure about that. How do you know where they have been and/or what has been in them. That is not for me. I would bite it and buy brand new first.

[WMF]

You are correct Thad.
In addition keep in mind that taking a beer keg that is owned by a brewery and transforming it for your syrup storage is a form of stealing, at least in the eyes of the brewery.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I disagree on the stealing part of keg ownership. IF you go out and steal one yes its stolen. If a buddy goes out and steals it and gives it to you yes its stolen..............BUT if you go to a junk yard like I do and you see a pile of brand new used once not a scratch on them beer kegs. and You call the brewery and talk to the head of bottling. The guy says that they are distressed over the fact that this happens and they spend over $100.00 per keg wholesale for them. They dont know how and why someone could get that many NEW condition kegs and scrap them.

BUT this is why it happens. If you take a beer keg to a liqure store and ask to get the deposit for it they will say NO. If you bring in a keg and ask for the deposit back and have a recipt for the deposit they will pay you the deposit price. Its how suppliers control the supply of kegs and the deposit money that is in the system. Now if I get a keg from the store pay the deposit drink the beer and then use the keg to make my own beer have I stolen something from the brewery.....YES I DID. I stole the use of that keg from the brewery and over time they will feel the shortage at the fill house and order up new ones and put them into circulation at a cost of the new keg and the liqure store has my deposit money so yes I did steal it.

Back to the story New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins told me that if they baught them back they would create a revolving door policy that would cost them more than the kegs could every be worth. They would have a line around the building of people bringing in stolen kegs. So I got a few from the scrapyard built a releaser and gave a few top friends for EXCHANGE when they get beer.:) Did I steal from the brewery NO it was going to get scrapped and they said Thanks for calling have a nice day and they sent me a nice hat in the mail.

[dnap63]

I occaisionally can get food grade 55 gal steel drums. These drums were used just once and were filled with table grade molasses. I may have 3 or 4 available around January if anyone would be interested.

[Homestead Maple]

Does anyone know of a good source of stainless drums? I'm expanding this year and shooting for 0.5 gpt and want to make sure I have plenty of syrup storage. I'd like to buy some if the price is right. A producer in Loudon uses 15 gal soda kegs which are a great size for me because it's last about a month. 30 gal drums would be another good size, but I think 40's or 50's would be too big.

Thanks.

I will assume that you have checked out the s/s drums that Bascom's sells in 15, 30 and 40 gallon sizes. If you have, then other sites on the web have them but the prices are double and triple of what Bascom's sells them for and I'm not talking other maple supply dealers.

[Thad Blaisdell]

I bought a bunch from a place in Chicago last year.... 30 gal for $135 delivered. Very nice drums wish I could get more but it was a one shot deal.

[Amber Gold]

I have looked at Bascom's and their prices are much better. If I can avoid it, I'd prefer not to drop ~$1000 on drums this winter.

[Randy Brutkoski]

Where do you think would be the cheapest place to buy 40 gallon stainless barrels? And what are the prices.

[tuckermtn]

I saw bascoms had there 30 gal stainless ones for $200. i know it sounds crazy, but that price doesn't seem that bad...

[parkerfamilymaple]

Where do you think would be the cheapest place to buy 40 gallon stainless barrels? And what are the prices.

Dave marvin was selling 40 gallon barinox for 193

[Homestead Maple]

I saw bascoms had there 30 gal stainless ones for $200. i know it sounds crazy, but that price doesn't seem that bad...

Bascom's price on the 40 gallon barinox is $230. $220 if you buy 10 or more. Glenn Goodrich has 16 gal. s/s for $120.00.

[Amber Gold]

Where does Goodrich list the 16 gal drums? I couldn't find them.

[Amber Gold]

I contacted Goodrich's and they non longer carry 16-gal drums...one time purchase they made. They do carry the 15 or 16 gal drums which CDL sells and they're about $160.

[Homestead Maple]

Okay, I didn't know that they had sold out.