Brewing in the Winter

How do you guys brew in the winter and most specifically how do you cool your wort in the winter? Our hose will be shut off in the next two weeks but I don't want to shelve the hobby for 5 months. Is there a way to hook up an IC to a sink, or do you winter brewers just plunk it in the snow and let nature help you out? (No cheeky comments from anyone living in CA or FL please!!!)

Last year I brewed in the garage and it was a bit chilly at times, but the turkey fryer helped out. I boiled up the wort and then brought it into the kitchen to run through the CFC. Except for the very dead of winter (Jan-March) I could easily use the outside faucet if I desired. I just have to make sure to shut the water off in the basement, and drain the outside spigot so that it's not frozen solid when I want to use it. Then remember to do it again when I'm done.

Except I forgot I don't have an inside shutoff valve anymore... I guess I have some plumbing to do.

I brew in the kitchen, winter is the preferred time to brew. No worries about cranking the A/C to battle the heat and humidity from the pots of water.

There is a sink adapter for a garden hose thread, it is what I use for my IC every time I brew. Our basement utility sink has this attached all the time. Most HW stores should carry this item. Just make sure your sink faucet can accept it.

I've got a utility sink in the garage which I connect to year-round. There have been discussions on cooling wort in snow banks and those lake breezes should speed the process. I think the lake breezes in the winter were the worst part of my childhood in Illinois, I still have skin damage from frost-bite 50 years later.

One thing that I am thinking about doing this winter is installing QDs under the sink for my CFC chiller. That way I can just pop the hose on the QD, turn the valve and voila! Cold chilling water! No adapters to unscrew and bugger with, and I can use the sink at the same time! It's under the sink where the pipes are, and where nobody can see it. Just have to install an inline T and a QD and valve.

I recently replaced my central AC. As a value added service I had the plumber sweat a tee off both the incoming and outgoing water lines from the water heater in the garage closet. Now I have both hot and cold water service within feet of brewery space. For the actual lines, we used PEX. Cheap and easy.

I also tee'd off the main line gas service for the heater (prior too any step downs) for a natural gas line to my brewery.

I brew in the garage year-round. To cool wort, I use a 50' IC with a big pail/bucket with a pond pump to recirculate. In the Winter I dump some snow in the bucket every few minutes. If no snow, ground water is still plenty cool enough.

+1. I do the same. Rubbermaid tote and old pond pump connected to immersion chiller. Run water back to the tote. Add snow as it mets. 10 - 15 minutes to under 100 F.

velotech said:

I brew in the garage year-round. To cool wort, I use a 50' IC with a big pail/bucket with a pond pump to recirculate. In the Winter I dump some snow in the bucket every few minutes. If no snow, ground water is still plenty cool enough.

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I used a snow bank outside my back door last year...I suppose I can do that again this year...

There is no such thing as winter here so I brew outside. I may move to the garage if it is windy day though.

I don't know about turning hydrants off. I do know that freeze-free hydrants will keep working all Winter. Of course, when you're finished using the hose, you must ensure that you drain it completely. Some hose gets very stiff when temperatures get down below 20F. There's stuff that stays flexible in colder temps, but of course it's pricier......

velotech said:

I brew in the garage year-round. To cool wort, I use a 50' IC with a big pail/bucket with a pond pump to recirculate. In the Winter I dump some snow in the bucket every few minutes. If no snow, ground water is still plenty cool enough.

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This is the way I'm going to do it. Gotta find a pond pump.

I have a newer house with frost free outside faucets. They basically shut-off at least a foot inside the house using a long valve stem so I never shut them off inside. The only difference is I hook up the hose right before cooling and detach immediately thereafter, but with the decreased cooling time I prefer winter brewing, at least on most days.

I think fire hydrants work the same way. The big nut on the top turns a long rod that connects to a valve below the frost line.