Winter brewing in garage

It seems that with each new batch of beer I brew, I have a need to go to " the next level". Right now "the next level" is full boils. I am fairly set on the 32qt (8gal) pot for the full boils but am also considering where to do this. I am pretty sure I could get away with doing it on our gas stove (we have a couple high output burners), but all the talk of turkey fryers and high output propane rigs has me thinking about moving operations to the garage. My big concern though is with condensation. There are a lot of tools in the garage (woodshop) and I am afraid with the wisconsin winter I am going to rust myself into oblivion. The garage is well insulated, but not constantly heated (I have a couple electric heaters that can make it comfortable in about 1/2 hour) but all the "iron" in there will be pretty cold. Do you get a lot of condensation in the garage when you boil out there in the winter? Between the 1 gal of boil off, and the water from the burner I am afraid I would fog the place up.

If this works out, I would move up to the 10 gal pot and that way I could use if for smaller all grain later.

Thanks.

I'd be more concerned with carbon monoxide poisoning than condensation. how are you going to vent? i'd think the solution would be the same for both the CO and the water vapor.

Agreed with Angus. I brew in the garage, but with the door open and the burner just outside the garage, under the eve. DON'T do a propane burner in an enclosed garage.

I boil on a propane stove in the garage. I keep the door wide open, and the stove just inside the door. I've never had a problem with condensation or CO.

-a.

I have been brewing in my garage for years.

Once the HLT has reached strike temp the garage is nice and toasty. I have seen the garage fogged before but the humidity was rather high that day.

As for venting, I crack the door a few inches and open a side door for some cross ventilation and all is well.

Ya, but you live in Oblivion. We all know it's more humid in WI.

I do all grain so I usually just use a keggle, Im in Alaska so the past 2 weeksends ive brewed it has been about -15 outside and my garage is not heated so it was a steady 25 to 35 in the garage and I left the garage door open about 2". I had no problem with condensation but I did have a problem with alot of steam coming out of the kettle and it made it really hard to see what was going on boiling or my volume, it drove me crazy so i think Im gonna get a heater that goes on top of my propane tank...

ajf said:

I boil on a propane stove in the garage. I keep the door wide open, and the stove just inside the door. I've never had a problem with condensation or CO.

-a.

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I do as well. I brewed last weekend, it was 10º in the garage. I kept the garage about 1/4 the way open when the propane was on and then shut the door while mashing and opened again for the 60 min boil. I didn't notice a lot of condensation on any of my tools on the garage. I have a pretty big 2 car garage. Brewing tomorrow, supposed to be snowing.

You need to keep the door open. And make your life easy and get a keggel or a 15 gal kettle.

Just install a powered attic vent in the garage. If finished just pipe it down. Slap a Carbon monoxide detector on the wall and goto town.

If you use a properly adjusted propane burner and proper venting (I use a gable type exhaust fan), you'll be fine. Plug in your CO monitor in the garage to be sure.

Alot of people do not know a properly burning flame creates very little to no Carbon monoxide. Yellow flame = bad.

Thanks for all the replies. I feel more comfortable now. I may throw a drop cloth over the table saw just to be safer. I am aware of the CO concern, but it never hurts to mention it again (better safe than sorry).

Sounds like I'm moving out once I get my kit.

THANKS!

"It seems that with each new batch of beer I brew, I have a need to go to " the next level". Right now "the next level" is full boils. I am fairly set on the 32qt (8gal) pot for the full boils but am also considering where to do this. "

Knowing this,,,,just get the Keggle! Then you can do double batches and save yourself some money so you don't have to "go to the next step."

Pot size. Go bigger. If there is a chance you might want to brew 10 gal brews think larger pot. Keggle or something else.

As far as the garage, I think you have gotten fairly solid advice.

Think risk management and dial in your venting and monitoring as you see fit.

Its an obsession to go bigger and better. I did a batch in the garage yesterday with the 9' door raised 1' and a window down for the cross draft. It was -10F so the condensation turned to frost. Brrrrrr .... I have converted my keggle to 2-120V elements so I'll be in the (not yet built) brew shed next winter, with out the fumes & frost. I brew at camp on occasion and the generator should handle 2-120V elements, thats why (before any one asks) I chose 120V. I hang a tarp to section off my tools when it snows inside Cheers

i brew in my garage all the time with the door down. i have never have never i have not had any probbblemmm with oVer XpOsure to GAsssses......

I think the garage thing is fine, but I wouldn't buy an 8 gallon now if you plan to get a 10 gallon or 15 soon after unless you want it for a HLT or something. Just get the 10 or 15 now and grow into it.

I know it's a bit off topic, but when you brew in the garage in that kind of weather, what do you do with the runoff? Run it out to the yard or to a drain inside?

I have to just run long hoses to the sink in my kitchen it would freeze in minutes if it hit the ground.

I brew in the garage and during these cold winter days have not considered ventalation. I have a 3 car garage so I would imagine the C02 would need to be rather significant to cause a problem. Between the in and out of cleaning and grabbing all the equipment I for got inside, I am not exposed to the C02 much anyway. Just be careful of the boil overs, I hope these are limited as I have experienced it once and am very careful now about the boil. The one thing I have noticed is that if you do not take your cars out of the garage they will smell like your wort or grains. I do not have a problem but SWMBO is not a fan of beer or anything that may smell like it. Thankfully she is inside and is exposed to it slowly, otherwise I may have to brew outside on the driveway.

So I have everything prepped to brew tonight and of course the rain that was in the forecast yesterday is now today. So if I wanted to brew in my garage, basically garage door up, ventilation, fire extinguisher handy, and I should be good. I'll bring in a grilling mat to put the propane burner on and the flame isn't incredibly large so I don't think I'll have issues. If so, let me know.