What time do you brew?

LabRatBrewer said:

I set a prob thermometer with an alarm, and snoozed next to the kettle on a folding beach type cot until it reached the dough in temp.

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This is an idea I could get used to!

Stauffbier said:

I've done an overnight mash once. I think it's about time to do it again!

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I've been doing overnight mashes for about 6 years now and it works great. Saves about 2 hour the next day, minimum.

I mash in right before I put the kids to bed, at 9:00 pm. Having a 2 yr. old and a 6 mo. old mean no daytime brewing for me. Before the kiddies were in the world I was a big fan of the 8am brew, all cleaned up by 2pm. Good stuff.

115F this weekend, have to start kinda early

I've brewed at all different times. Normally, I start around 8 on a saturday. I try to get as much done as possible. 2 batches- usually a 10 and a 5 work well for me. I've done 2 tens, or 2 5's, or a ten and a five. Depends what ive got on hand.

avidhomebrewer said:

I've been doing overnight mashes for about 6 years now and it works great. Saves about 2 hour the next day, minimum.

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Are you sparging or doing no sparge?

Doing 20 gallons today so started at 4 am !

I am pretty all over the place too...I have a 2 year old so its either dough in @6am, right before nap @ 1pm or at 8pm bedtime. Wine is so much easier.

2:00pm 10:00pm or 4:00am depending what shift im on.

It's going to be 90°F+ here tomorrow. So I'm pretty sure I'll start brewing as early in the day as possible so the garage isn't 110°F by the time I'm done. I'm a morning person so it's easy for me. My brewing partner/wife may be up in time to put the air lock on the primary.

I usually try to get going no later than 6 am with the goal of wrapping up by noon or 1 o'clock. Brewing in the morning is cooler and I like having the rest of afternoon to do other things. If I'm really motivated I might do two-10 gallon batches in the same day, in that case I don't wrap up until around 5 pm.

I try to start around noon on Sundays. Usually finish up by dinner.. I don't crack a beer till the boil starts - its much safer that way.

I weigh out and crush my grain and get all my water volumes and brew gear together the night before it saves me about a hour then I like to start brewing 7 or 8 in the morning and I'm usually finished by 11:00am.

At night. After all kids are in bed and wife has found a chick flick to watch. She hates the hobby and thinks its a waste of time & $ . I know I should have interviewed better. I start at 8-9 pm and now that I do all grain I'm up most of the night. Do clean up in the morning. I just got a new Blichmann burner so hopefully it will speed things up so I'm in bed before 2 am.

Early morning 6 am. weekends usually but ocasionally nights usually Fri after work-sometimes just so i dont have an agenda or to have to work around it with other plans.

@ hepkat701 -shes just jealous

I prep my water, fill mash tun with water, prime my pump, grind grain, and hook up all hoses the night before . then turn on the herms and pump when I get up with the kids in the morning around eight. I prefer to brew early but I will occasionally start in the afternoon if my friend is under a time constraint.

PondScum said:

... My brewing partner/wife may be up in time to put the air lock on the primary.

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It's nice to have help isn't it?

hepkat701,
LOL! To late for a second interview, eh?

SWMBO doesn't help much with the beer (outside of helping empty the kegs!) but she keeps the kids out of my hair so I can brew relatively unencumbered. It's a fair trade off.


I used to do of my extract brews at night. Needed more wiggle room for AG so I kick off weekends, morning-ish... Earlier the better. I do a lot of prep the night before... Better for me to spread out all the trips to and from the basement over two days, you know? A brew day with me is like a three ring circus. I need an ergonomics expert to help me cut down on my unnecessary movement! An elevator would be great, as well...

99% of the time I brew on Saturday mornings. Usually started before 7AM.

Everything was cleaned and put away by 11:00 this morning. Of course I turned on the gas at 5:45.

Prep the night before then fire up my strike water about 4am!

Mparsons327 said:

Prep the night before then fire up my strike water about 4am!

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Yep. My dough-in water is just about at temp right now. 2 batches this morning - German Pilsner and a saison. Woot!

I said morning because that's when I've started most of my all-grain batches. I always did my extract batches in the afternoon. The time I start depends on whether or not I've already picked up my ingredients. I order my ingredients from my LHBS via email. If I pick them up before my brewday, I'll usually get started shortly after I roll out of bed around 7 or 7:30. If I pick up ingredients the day I'm brewing, I can't get started until after the shop opens at 10.

I like to brew during the day or morning and get a bunch of other things done at the same time.
If I brew in the evening, I tend to drink too much and then it's a real ***** to carry glass carboys down the basement steps while staggering @ 2 am

I usually start between 7 and 9 am and about half the time i try to get two batches done. Batches vary from 2.5 to 10 gallons.

I'm (sort of) shiftworker so I tend to do my brewing on a day when I've started work early in the morning (means I'm home between 11am and 1pm). I don't want t get involved in starting a brew when I'm starting in the afternoon in case there's problems.

jhoyda said:

I've got a 3 year old and an 8 month old. My free time begins at 8:15 pm when they are both in bed. That's why I brew at night. My last 5 gal all-grain batch was completed (including cleanup) in 3:20. So, I'm in bed before midnight

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I have a 2 yr old so I have to do the same. I look forward to the day when I can do morning brewing and not be up until 3AM clanging around in the garage.

Where's the option for "whenever I get the chance"?

barrooze said:

Where's the option for "whenever I get the chance"?

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Disqualified for not having priorities correct!

(I knocked out 22 gallons of beer this morning, all cleaned up and now I'm off to run with my dog!)

I am living in an apartment and have a 15 month old, so I am limited to indoor brewing (partial mash) and when-he-is-asleep timeframe. I tend to start around 10PM and wrap around 1AM on brew-day. Racking and bottling are also relegated to the time I should be sleeping but am not.

passedpawn said:

Disqualified for not having priorities correct!

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You're probably right. Tending to and cleaning up after my 2+ year old [overly] active son and my wife who's on bed rest because of our twin daughters she's carrying is definitely less important than brewing some beer. Want to send a few gallons of your 22 down this way?

barrooze said:

You're probably right. Tending to and cleaning up after my 2+ year old [overly] active son and my wife who's on bed rest because of our twin daughters she's carrying is definitely less important than brewing some beer. Want to send a few gallons of your 22 down this way?

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Mmmmm, OK, you win. I've got 3, been down that road. Sorry for the ribbing.

passedpawn said:

Mmmmm, OK, you win. I've got 3, been down that road. Sorry for the ribbing.

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no worries! I definitely brew every chance I get, but lately the opportunity arises much less frequently. I've got a Tuesday night brew scheduled this week, though! Hooray for the 4th of July!

If I am brewing at my friends house, we usually start at 10am. We started bottling during the mash/boil which cut over an hour off our process.

If I am brewing solo, I usually start after I send the kids to bed at 9pm.

I usually try to start at 5 so my grains are mashing while I'm eating dinner. But if things don't work out I sometimes start at 8 or 9 and am done by 3am (I'm a night owl)

Usually brew in the afternoon on a weekend. Used to brew after work but I got sick of cleaning up at 1 am!

Afternoons are great, kids play while I brew and I usually BBQ sometime during the brew.

I brew when I have the time to do so. I prefer to brew early morning, but anytime is a good time to brew good beer

My wife and I are both RN's and work at night. I try to brew on the the nights I'm off and she's working since she can't stand the smell. That being said, she leaves around 6p, I'm prepping and adding H2O by 1830. I'm usually done by 2300 for a single batch, 0300 for a double batch. That way I can lay down with my baby when she gets home in the am. She knows the deal cuz I'll have my yeast starters going the day before and the garage smells like malt in the am when she gets home. Of yeah, there are 2 new carboys fermenting in the spare bathroom!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I love brewing!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't usually decide if its a brew day or not until the afternoon and can get a better judge of my day. Usually I'll start around 7pm or 8pm. Never done a morning brew day. (nice thread)

i brew on saturday mornings. my family knows when i'm outside brewing it's me time. i'm in texas, so it's too hot any other time