So I go to brew today...

Get my specialty grains steeping on the stove, go outside to fill up the brewpot, and my propane tanks are frozen. D'OH! Stupid northeast winters...

Anyway, I took the wort from the specialty grains and put it in a sanitized container in the fridge. I'm not gonna be able to brew again until Wednesday, possibly Tuesday. Anybody see any problems with storing it this way?

Also, I brought my propane tanks into the house to warm up. Anybody see a problem with that? I made sure the valves are closed tightly. And yes, I am not out of gas. Once one tank wouldn't flow I took my second, which I knew to be empty, back to Home Depot for a refill and the new tank won't flow either.

They froze? Mine are kept in my garage and I had no problem brewing with them when it was in single digits. I thought propane would still vaporize at some crazy -40 degrees or something. Sounds like you should take the damn tank back to the depot and tell them they sold you a tank (if you swapped and filled if they didn't) with moisture in it. I dunno..maybe I'm way off on this.

Never bring a propane tank inside to warm. The valve might be closed tight but do you know it will stay that way when it warms up? Instead, heat some water to near boiling and take it outside to the tank and slowly pour it over the valve so it runs down the side of the tank. Shouldn't take more than a quart but as long as you are heating it, might as well make it 2 quarts.

Get a big wash tub and fill it with room-temp/hot water and put the tank in there. It takes a lot for a full tank to freeze up and stop working, but anything half empty or less will slow and stop pretty easily. The tank draws from the bottom so as long as you keep that above freezing, you can use it.

Thanks for reminding me I need to bring my tank into the garage tonight for brewday tomorrow morning! I get low flow when it is half full or below and cold outside.

It sounds like your burner is clogged or broken... Did you hook the new one up to the burner to test it as well? Also, remember it won't flow just by turning the valve, it must be connected to something.

kpr121 said:

Thanks for reminding me I need to bring my tank into the garage tonight for brewday tomorrow morning! I get low flow when it is half full or below and cold outside.

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NO!NO!NO! Never bring a propane tank into an enclosed area. A slight leak, a single spark and your garage is in the next 3 counties.

I brewed Saturday, and both my tanks were covered in about an inch of ice/snow.
They were sitting under the gutter and getting a steady drip of ice water.

I kicked off as much of the snow as I could, and lit the burner which sputtered and went out a few times. I finally moved the tanks into the sun and lit the burner again, and finally got a good flame.

At first I thought, like you that it was an "abort mission".

earwig said:

Also, remember it won't flow just by turning the valve, it must be connected to something.

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This sounds like it might be my problem. I was just opening the valve with nothing connected. I'll hook it back up to the regulator tomorrow and see what happens.