Garage Brewing in Cold Weather

CornyKegs 728
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Mischief_Brewing said:
Ahhh, an inside shut-off. I don't believe I have one of those in my crawlspace. I guess I'll need to go look at some point. I've been meaning to install a split in there anyway so I could run a line out to the garage and install a brewsink. I just don't look forward to digging through the roots of the giant tree that's in the way to get down below the frost line...
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If you have a frost free hose bib, the actual valve is inside (up to a foot). The handle you turn is connected via a rod to the valve. When turned off, the water between the valve and the outside should drain and the valve stays cozy warm insde. If you make the mistake of leaving a hose attached, and letting it freeze, then you have a problem.
 
I feel ya, it was 49 here in So Cal this morning. :) And I almost had to put on long pants at my last brew day.

As far as your home insurance unless they have a specific exclusing for a free standing gas appliance they wouldn't deny your claim however they may elect to not renew your coverage.
 
Somebody explain why spending $25-$30 for a CO detector is a bad idea but spending the day freezing is a good idea? Guys spend hundreds to thousands on their equipment and yet they scoff at a detector that may save their life? Wow, must be my values are all out of whack..........
 
sigmund said:
Somebody explain why spending $25-$30 for a CO detector is a bad idea but spending the day freezing is a good idea? Guys spend hundreds to thousands on their equipment and yet they scoff at a detector that may save their life? Wow, must be my values are all out of whack..........
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$25-$30 is a batch of beer.

Where are your priorities?:p
 
Brewvy said:
I've run my car for an hour and a half with everything closed up in my garage before I passed out cold for a high school science project.So I believe a small burner running for an hour with cracked windows and doors should be fine. But remember always be smart and step out once and a while and mabey open everything up halfway through the boil to refresh the air.
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For some strange reason, this really worries me a bit....
 
Gilbey said:
For the record I am in New Jersey where it does get quite cold in the winter.
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New Jersey? That's practically Florida for Pete's sake.

I've seen snow on July 2nd.

My frost line goes down almost 3 feet. The ground just goes all tundra on me until May.



EDIT: I brew in my barn. It's a little roomier than most garages. Either way, I open the doors in my hay loft and breeze way. But, I leave the main barn doors closed because the wind just puts out the old banjo burners.
 
Do you have to add water after you boil? If so it's a partial boil. If you don't have to add water it's a full boil. If you're doing a partial boil you can add ice in order to make up the extra water. It cools down your wort extremely quickly.

I do partial boils and with adding ice I reach pitching temps in 10 minutes.
 
Ah, then I believe it's a partial boil. I'll have to read the instructions over a few times to familiarize myself.
 
Hartski said:
Ah, then I believe it's a partial boil. I'll have to read the instructions over a few times to familiarize myself.
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If you have any free time read through the thread that's linked in my signature. I'm by no means the most experienced brewer on here, but I've done enough extract kits to know a bit about them. I made a pictorial thread about brewing extract to help out new brewers and that's the one in my sig.
 
dfc said:
If you have any free time read through the thread that's linked in my signature. I'm by no means the most experienced brewer on here, but I've done enough extract kits to know a bit about them. I made a pictorial thread about brewing extract to help out new brewers and that's the one in my sig.
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Thanks a bunch. Hope I don't make too many mistakes, though.:mug:
 
Don't worry, if you pay good attention to your sanitation, clean it twice just to be sure, and avoid an infection you should end up with a drinkable finished product even with a few oops moments.
 
Used to work in Mason City, and Cedar Rapids, for the railroad. Never brewed back then but sure worked outside. In the winter. Most often at night. I live in Florida now. Extreme Southwest Florida. Still get cold thinking about those days.
 
Yeah, it can sure get chilly in these parts. I'm glad my new truck has remote start and heated seats!
 
Hartski said:
Yeah, it can sure get chilly in these parts. I'm glad my new truck has remote start and heated seats!
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Alright that's where the line MUST be drawn.

I think it is a BAD idea to brew beer with a propane burner inside the cab of your truck!

Ed
 
Of course. but the bed has a spray in bedliner and it's got an automatic sliding rear window.......
 
When I went outside this morning and was being pelted with sleet and heard the radio talking about snow tonight......I decided that summer was over.

I'm planning on brewing on Sunday, though.......in the garage.....with the propane burner going. Of course, I live in Iowa. Having the garage door all the way open is not that big of a deal.:mug:
 
I really don't get this kinda talk at all! I have vent-free propane fired gas logs in my family room that I run all winter........

Seriously, I brew in the garage with propane and I am not dead yet. Whats with you guys?
 
Hartski said:
Yeah, it can sure get chilly in these parts. I'm glad my new truck has remote start and heated seats!
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Ha! On the way to a party yesterday, SWMBO is complaining about the heat and fanning her face, etc. It's only about 80 with a slight breeze but the AC is on in the car. When she cleaned the windshield, she had hit the on button for her seat heater. Yup, I was laughing AT her. And yup, bought the car when we lived in Iowa. Didn't have it a week and drove to Arizona. The seat heater thing happened to her there too.

Bottling, in my garage, later today. And, brewing next weekend, "in the garage." Pretty tough: shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops. Some days it's tough to keep the beer you're drinking cold. Got to drink 'em fast. Oh, and it'll be in the upper 70s to low 80s on brew day so I'll have the garage door open, so I can hear the stereo when I'm brewing at the top of the driveway.
 
specialkaye said:
Ha! On the way to a party yesterday, SWMBO is complaining about the heat and fanning her face, etc. It's only about 80 with a slight breeze but the AC is on in the car. When she cleaned the windshield, she had hit the on button for her seat heater. Yup, I was laughing AT her. And yup, bought the car when we lived in Iowa. Didn't have it a week and drove to Arizona. The seat heater thing happened to her there too.

Bottling, in my garage, later today. And, brewing next weekend, "in the garage." Pretty tough: shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops. Some days it's tough to keep the beer you're drinking cold. Got to drink 'em fast. Oh, and it'll be in the upper 70s to low 80s on brew day so I'll have the garage door open, so I can hear the stereo when I'm brewing at the top of the driveway.
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It's not tactful to brag about your shorts brewing technique to those who reside in the northern part of the country.

It sure as hell is funny though.
 
specialkaye said:
Ha! On the way to a party yesterday, SWMBO is complaining about the heat and fanning her face, etc. It's only about 80 with a slight breeze but the AC is on in the car. When she cleaned the windshield, she had hit the on button for her seat heater. Yup, I was laughing AT her. And yup, bought the car when we lived in Iowa. Didn't have it a week and drove to Arizona. The seat heater thing happened to her there too.

Bottling, in my garage, later today. And, brewing next weekend, "in the garage." Pretty tough: shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops. Some days it's tough to keep the beer you're drinking cold. Got to drink 'em fast. Oh, and it'll be in the upper 70s to low 80s on brew day so I'll have the garage door open, so I can hear the stereo when I'm brewing at the top of the driveway.
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If you were trying to make me jealous, it didn't work. I HATE hot. I rarely brew in the summer. I am brewing today and it is not going to get out of the thirties. My kind of weather. Not kidding.
 
Waiting for it to warm up a little here. Currently 68. Got to keg a Belgian Wit this morning, so I can re use the yeast cake in the fermenter for another. Should be nice in the mid 70's today.
 
Well, after brewing in the kitchen yesterday, I've decided to brew outside for the next batch. Took forever to get a boil on the stove, even with a 2 gallon partial boil. And it seriously heated up and humidified the whole house.
 
dfc said:
It's not tactful to brag about your shorts brewing technique to those who reside in the northern part of the country.

It sure as hell is funny though.
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Thanks. Not really trying to make anyone jealous. Oh wait, yeah, I am, a little. Anyway, sat in the garage drinking, I mean bottling, a new beer last night. After cracking a couple of the warm un-carbonated bottles we had just capped, came in shivering. Went to turn the heater on. Thermostat said 71f. Damn, but SWMBO needed warming up....
 
Brewed in my garage this weekend, was about 54 with a nice wind. I loved it. Id rather brew in the cold than in the heat and sweat!
 
Another texan chiming in... I brew in the garage year round. Winter it's bearable. Summer, it's cruel and unusual punishment.
 
Brewed 2 batches, an AG IPA and a friend brewed an Extract IPA. He was chilled, but I was in a T and a long sleeve and felt comfortable. After the sun went down, it started getting nippy, but as long as I was moving around I was fine.

Washing up was a bit cold though.
 

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