I have wanted to Brew my own beer for awhile, but before getting a kit and starting down this exciting road, my wife wants me to make sure my hobby wont get us kicked out of the apartment. Primarily, is there any part of the process that is odorous and is the process relatively safe? Thanks for any and all help.
Apartment Brewing
- Thread starter bill_skar
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It's all safe. But sometimes fermentation does smell. I live in a loft, and ferment in a closet, and the only time I have ever noticed a smell was a batch of apfelwein which gives off a smell we refer to as "Rhino Farts." And it dissipated after a couple says. But otherwise there has been little odor.
FYI there a re a ton of apartment brewers on here, and there are several threads on the subject, you canstart by looking below in the similar threads box. Yu'll see pictures of my brew closet, and other folk's setups.
FYI there a re a ton of apartment brewers on here, and there are several threads on the subject, you canstart by looking below in the similar threads box. Yu'll see pictures of my brew closet, and other folk's setups.
I live in an apartment as well and i don't think you'll have anything to worry about saftey wise if you are boiling on your stove and not using a turkey fryer set up indoors. As for odors, i would say no more so than if you were doing any amount of normal cooking in your apartment. Plus, it smells great.
I've just started and have made a pale ale and a cream ale. Just tried the pale ale this weekend, it's great. Good luck and this place is a wonderful resource.
I've just started and have made a pale ale and a cream ale. Just tried the pale ale this weekend, it's great. Good luck and this place is a wonderful resource.
6fiddyv
Well-Known Member
Odorless??? just dont brew up a batch of Apfelwine, hahaha. The odor only lasts for a short while, it is primarily contained to the room and adjoining area for a short time, it is manageable to some, namely you and those who appreciate the final outcome...but my x-wife hated it when I fermented in our walk in closet, she went off each morning during primary ferment smelling like #$%# as she so kindly put it. But, she is an x now so HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. no really, it is not that bad. The dangerous part, well how safe are you, do you live above people or are you on the ground floor. If your above people, then you better be extremely safe when your carrying that full 5 gallon glass carboy across the linolium/tile floor, it will make an ungodly mess and leak to those below and that my friend WILL smell to high heaven for a long time...otherwise, safe yes. its not flamable, but you do need a big burner to cook with, not any more dangerous than a BBQ in my opin.
gtpro
Well-Known Member
I'm an apartment brewer, theres really nothing hazardous or even offensive about the process. If youve ever been in a brewery before, thats what your place will smell like for a few hours on brew day. Fermentation produces a slightly more acrid, boozy smell but it doesnt permeate as much, I just do mine in a closet.
Mista_Sparkle
Well-Known Member
I just got started brewing in my apartment a couple months ago and the only thing that would cause any issues is as everyone else has said, the apfelwein. It stinks, but no worse than if you just had some taco bell and it wasnt agreeing with you...
the fermenting beer actually smells pretty good as does the wort when your cooking
the fermenting beer actually smells pretty good as does the wort when your cooking
My apartment complex had pretty inflexible rules banning barbecue grills, and I doubt they'd have made the distinction between a gas grill, and a burner used to make beer.
That said, though, you can totally brew in an apartment; assuming you have a sufficiently powerful stove to heat 2 or 3 gallons of water to a boil. I did a couple of batches that way before I bought my house. The hardest part for me was finding a place to keep the fermenter. I just kept mine in my bedroom, which was consistently a bit cooler. I never noticed a smell unless I put my nose right next to the lid.
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