Outdoor Brewing to Indoor Fermenting

Ok,
I have done some searches online and gathered some useful information, but I was hoping to lay everything out and see if people thought it would be ok.

Brewing outside of Fort Bragg, NC (Keep in mind Outside Temps in North Carolina)

Using an aluminum Turkey Fryer by Bayou Classic :
http://www.bayouclassiccooking.com/30qt-aluminum-turkey-fryer-k30.html

I was going to make my Wort on my driveway:
(my question is outdoor, open top boiling, how worried should I be about contamination? What can I do to prevent contamination?)

Dump the wort into a plastic fermenting bucket with spigot from Midwest Supplies and pitch the yeast. Let the Primary ferment in my garage.
(my question is in a garage would the temperature be too hot for fermenting?)

Move beer into BB Secondary for remaining fermenting

Bottle in garage, cool in seperate beer fridge.

Is this ok? Or should I be worried about Wort process and fermenting temps?
^Thanks ahead of time for your help!

While the wort is boiling, it shouldnt hurt for anything to fall in, as the boiling will sanitize it. You dont want pounds of leaves and such blowing in, but you dont want to keep the lid on while boiling either. It might be a good idea to to pour from your boil kettle to primary indoors or in your garage if theres a lot blowing around outside at the time. After the boil process is when you have to worry about contamination.

depending on the yeast, the beer should probably be in primary around 70 degrees. If its above 75, chances are you will be getting off flavors because of the high fermentation temp. Is your garage air conditioned?

Im pretty new, so someone correct me if im wrong

ChiN8 said:

Ok,
(my question is outdoor, open top boiling, how worried should I be about contamination? What can I do to prevent contamination?)

Click to expand...

No need to worry, you are boiling the wort, it won't get contaminated from just regular airborne stuff (like yeasts, bacteria, germs). Of course, large flying objects (like squirrels) should be kept out of the wort.

ChiN8 said:

(my question is in a garage would the temperature be too hot for fermenting?)

Click to expand...

It will probably be too hot. I like to ferment most of my beers in the low to mid 60s. Hotter fermentation temps lead to esters and other flavors which you may not desire. You can control temps by putting your bucket or carboy in a a larger cooler filled with water and frozen water bottles.

Good luck!

Thanks for the quick answers!

Question now, seeing as fermenting in my garage is out of the picture!

My Wife will NOT allow me to brew indoors because she heard it smells AWFUL, so I need to someone create an environment for my fermenters to allow for a good beer.

I need this to be cheap after some stupid ass car repairs!

The last couple of batches I have brewed have been mashed and boiled outside. It definitely keeps the boss in a better mood. The biggest problem I have had is oak leaves falling in the kettle. I used an aquarium strainer to get them out. That's the secret to my new "Oaked" Porter. As soon as you shut down the boil, add a lid and don't take it off unless you really need to.

I would definitely reconsider fermenting in the garage. In North Carolina. In the summer.You really want to keep the fermentation temperature low, usually below 70 degrees. Even if kept inside with air conditioning, the heat produced by the fermentation will likely keep the beer a little on the warm side. I keep my beer in a round plastic tub wrapped in sheets with a light blanket over the top. A few inches of water in the bottom around the fermentor, and change out old water bottles that you have frozen. You can keep the temperature anywhere you wish doing this.

Ive only brewed a few batches, but ive made a good bit of wine. I keep my fermenter in my closest the first couple days until fermentation really gets going, then i move it down stairs. I do not notice the smell AT ALL. However when i make wine, the fermentation fills the house will all sorts of smells. Ive made a wheat, porter, and an IPA, none caused any bad smells. Id see if she will let you try it inside once, if she doesnt like it, you can try something like pappers said and fill a large container with ice and water, then put the fermenter in it. Every day youll have to switch out frozen water filled bottles to keep the water cool. You really should keep it at or below 70 degrees. Look up your yeast strain and it will usually have a recommended temperature range.

You mentioned cheap? I bought two round plastic tubs from BJ's for something like $12. An old bed sheet or two clothespinned to the rim so that it insulates the sides. The blanket that you don't need in the summer over top. Water bottles are free if you don't mind pulling them out of a trash basket at work.

Is this the kind of thing people use to regulae fermenting temps with frozen water bottles:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NNMTMG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
??????????????

or do I need something taller?

A couple years ago, a wasp dove kamikaze style into my wort as it was boiling in my driveway. Didn't hurt a thing.

These pictures are Yooperbrew's - add water and change out frozen water bottles once a day to control the temps. You could use this in your garage.

I use the same sort of setup but haven't taken any pictures. Most of the time, my fermentation space (basement) is cool, but in the middle of summer, I use this sort of setup.

Hopefully this link works. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-partial-mash-brewing-pics-75231/index91.html#post2039975

That is pretty much what I am using.

ChiN8 said:

Is this the kind of thing people use to regulae fermenting temps with frozen water bottles:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NNMTMG/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002IOUH9A&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=11B7BQP5E2C52Q9Z621K
??????????????

or do I need something taller?

Click to expand...

That'll work fine.

I can give one suggestion for keeping stuff out of your beer while boiling outside. Buy a grease splatter screen. It looks like a strainer, but instead of having a bowl shaped screen, it has a flat screen. It allows steam to get out, but keeps stuff from falling in.

Great advice! thanks to all!
I actually found a kettle (not a brew kettle) but a weird Outdoor cooker that has a spigot on it. Sold the deal for me, and now with the strainer on top, and a cover for once the boil is complete. I can use the spigot to prevent any further contamination and buy a large bucket for ferementing to regulate my temp in my garage!

THANK YOU ALL!

I brewed outside last week for the first time on a propane burner, its the way to go!
But I was wondering could one 'skunk' the beer if boiling in sun light? I kept in the shade.

dmako said:

I brewed outside last week for the first time on a propane burner, its the way to go!
But I was wondering could one 'skunk' the beer if boiling in sun light? I kept in the shade.

Click to expand...

Oooohh Good question, anyone have any light or insight?

No skunking will happen till the yeast make booze.

None of the beer I've made so far has stunk up the house. The only time you notice it is when the fermenter's purring.