Well, I moved the brewing location from the kitchen, to the garage(detached) for the first time yesterday. I was extremely pleased with the results. I brewed an AHS Blue Moon Clone and did my first full boil due to some new equipment.
I used my new Bayou outdoor cooker running on propane. This works much better than the electric stove. Much faster boil and a more vigorous boil as well. Thanks to the SWMBO for the birthday present.
I also used my DIY immersion chiller as well. I made 50 feet of 3/8 copper tubing into a coil, attached two compression fittings to fit garden hoses, and put it in action. I was able to cool the wort down to 75 in 12 minutes. Of course it was cold here yesterday(28), so that cold ground water helped a lot. I ran the outlet water into a 6 gallon water jug at first and used the warm water in clean up after I pitched yeast.
If you don't have a wort chiller yet, put it near the top of your list. What a nice addition to brewing. Used to take me 45 minutes to cool in an ice bath.
I also used my first harvested washed yeast this time. It was WLP 400. Made a starter for 30 hours, cooled it, decanted and pitched. Had fermentation start in 8 hours.
It was a good day, and am waiting to bottle this with great anticipation.
Just wanted to share. I liked brewing in the garage/outside as well. Less distractions and better concentration.
Cheers,
I used my new Bayou outdoor cooker running on propane. This works much better than the electric stove. Much faster boil and a more vigorous boil as well. Thanks to the SWMBO for the birthday present.
I also used my DIY immersion chiller as well. I made 50 feet of 3/8 copper tubing into a coil, attached two compression fittings to fit garden hoses, and put it in action. I was able to cool the wort down to 75 in 12 minutes. Of course it was cold here yesterday(28), so that cold ground water helped a lot. I ran the outlet water into a 6 gallon water jug at first and used the warm water in clean up after I pitched yeast.
If you don't have a wort chiller yet, put it near the top of your list. What a nice addition to brewing. Used to take me 45 minutes to cool in an ice bath.
I also used my first harvested washed yeast this time. It was WLP 400. Made a starter for 30 hours, cooled it, decanted and pitched. Had fermentation start in 8 hours.
It was a good day, and am waiting to bottle this with great anticipation.
Just wanted to share. I liked brewing in the garage/outside as well. Less distractions and better concentration.
Cheers,
