BrewOnBoard
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2008
- Messages
- 204
- Reaction score
- 7
G'day fellow brewers! As I just posted in the introductions area, I am BrewOnBoard. I used to brew on premeses at a great place in seattle which sadly went under. I took years off, occasionally helping a friend brew a batch or three in a kitchen. Now I want to get back into the game!
The bit that's interesting is that I live on a sailboat. I want to make it work though, not just because homebrewing is AWESOME but to save money and to always have a supply of the essentials on hand when we sail to the Mediterranean in a few years. The boat's got room to brew, at 41ft we have ample space under the cockpit for gear, and even a small walk-in closet forward that can hold fermenting products. The kitchen's small but we always manage. So I've come here to have the collective wisdom help me design a small batch home brew setup for the boat. Some of the challenges I foresee are:
Temperature control: The boat's temp fluctuates much more than a house. It's cold in winter up north, hot in the tropics. Refrigeration will probably be available on a limited basis and the ocean temp could be used.
Motion: There are days where things are still at anchor or at a dock, but motion is the norm, not the exception. The brew setup must be non-breakable, (PET bottles?) non-spillable, and I need a strain of yeastie-beasties that are immune to sea-sickness.
Space and water usage: my kitchen is REALLY small. Water is often at a premium too so no bottles in the dishwasher for me. I need something that doesn't make a huge mess and require keeping heaps of gear.
Ingredients: Ideally I need a system that uses ingredients I can get around the world and/or I need to take the ingredients with me to brew a "few" batches as I sail over the years. (Dry extract and yeast? Canned malt?)
I've been looking at "The Beer Machine" as a starter. I realize that better gear can be had cheaper from any shop but if this platform isn't complete crap I'm hoping it can be modified to work. I like it because it is small, easy to tie down, and doesn't need multiple fermenters that will each need storage and cleaning. Any and all suggestions for a brew setup that will work on a sailboat are welcome! :rockin:
BrewOnBoard
The bit that's interesting is that I live on a sailboat. I want to make it work though, not just because homebrewing is AWESOME but to save money and to always have a supply of the essentials on hand when we sail to the Mediterranean in a few years. The boat's got room to brew, at 41ft we have ample space under the cockpit for gear, and even a small walk-in closet forward that can hold fermenting products. The kitchen's small but we always manage. So I've come here to have the collective wisdom help me design a small batch home brew setup for the boat. Some of the challenges I foresee are:
Temperature control: The boat's temp fluctuates much more than a house. It's cold in winter up north, hot in the tropics. Refrigeration will probably be available on a limited basis and the ocean temp could be used.
Motion: There are days where things are still at anchor or at a dock, but motion is the norm, not the exception. The brew setup must be non-breakable, (PET bottles?) non-spillable, and I need a strain of yeastie-beasties that are immune to sea-sickness.
Space and water usage: my kitchen is REALLY small. Water is often at a premium too so no bottles in the dishwasher for me. I need something that doesn't make a huge mess and require keeping heaps of gear.
Ingredients: Ideally I need a system that uses ingredients I can get around the world and/or I need to take the ingredients with me to brew a "few" batches as I sail over the years. (Dry extract and yeast? Canned malt?)
I've been looking at "The Beer Machine" as a starter. I realize that better gear can be had cheaper from any shop but if this platform isn't complete crap I'm hoping it can be modified to work. I like it because it is small, easy to tie down, and doesn't need multiple fermenters that will each need storage and cleaning. Any and all suggestions for a brew setup that will work on a sailboat are welcome! :rockin:
BrewOnBoard