Closing for the season

[eadavis80]

I've got 15 gallons in secondary now (AIH's vanilla porter I'll bottle tomorrow), NB's Winter Spiced Ale and NB's Brickwarmer red. Once those are all bottled, I'll be "brew-free" 'till late February (if we get a warm day in Michigan). I brewed last winter and while it's okay, I have MORE than enough beer to get me through 'till St. Patty's. What's the longest you've gone without brewing? Part of me thinks I'll miss it, but after these 3 batches are bottled up, I'll probably have nearly 500 bottled beers. I'll probably give away at least a dozen 6-packs for Christmas, but still - don't need to brew anymore.

On a sidenote, I still have some yeast harvested in jars - would it be worth keeping over the winter or is 6+ months, or will it be bad? Obviously, I'd be making a starter if I did use it.

If you went a long time without brewing, what did you miss most?

 

[b-boy]

I usually brew at least once during the winter in Buffalo. That's enough to remind me why I don't do it very often.

I brew in my garage. The worst is when your hoses freeze. Plus cleanup is absolutely brutal. I usually go March-November and take off Dec-Feb. I'll brew once during the winter - usually in February.

This year I moved and didn't brew April-September. It sucked, but I'm making up for it.

 

[brewcephus]

I live in the south so I have the freedom to brew year round, but I have had instances, these last couple of months for example, where I have gone a couple of months without brewing because of so much going on at the time.

It usually catches up with me though, since I'm now sitting on one keg of beer, and I end up brewing out of necessity and MAKING it fit into my schedule because I can't be OUT of beer.... i'm the neighborhood beer guy afterall.

 

[EtchyLives]

I go months at a time away from home due to work so long periods of not brewing are kind of the norm for me. However I also only brew once a winter when I'm around to remind myself why I don't brew in the winter. At this point I have PLENTY of alcohol either in the keg or waiting to keg so a few months off won't impact "the pipeline" at all. Plus, I'll probably do a couple big batches of apfelwine and JAOM during the hiatus so when I start running low I've got some older/stronger stuff waiting for me in the carboy.

 

[Yooper]

I don't brew from January- mid March, when I am in Texas. I usually manage to visit a friend and "help" them brew, or at least drink their homebrew, but don't haul my brewing stuff to Texas. I try to put a lager in the kegerator right around the 5th of January, before I leave, so it's lagering when we are gone and I'll have it ready when I get home. That's the longest I go without actually brewing on my system, though!

 

[ericbw]

I've got 15 gallons in secondary now (AIH's vanilla porter I'll bottle tomorrow), NB's Winter Spiced Ale and NB's Brickwarmer red. Once those are all bottled, I'll be "brew-free" 'till late February (if we get a warm day in Michigan). I brewed last winter and while it's okay, I have MORE than enough beer to get me through 'till St. Patty's. What's the longest you've gone without brewing? Part of me thinks I'll miss it, but after these 3 batches are bottled up, I'll probably have nearly 500 bottled beers. I'll probably give away at least a dozen 6-packs for Christmas, but still - don't need to brew anymore.

On a sidenote, I still have some yeast harvested in jars - would it be worth keeping over the winter or is 6+ months, or will it be bad? Obviously, I'd be making a starter if I did use it.

If you went a long time without brewing, what did you miss most?

As for your sidenote, it's purely anecdotal and there are plenty of people who would disagree, but...

I've saved yeast for over a year, then made a starter. I had some saison yeast that I brewed with in the summer of 2013, saved the yeast for a year. Then I made a starter in summer 2014, but didn't get around to brewing, so I saved the starter in the refrigerator until summer 2015. I made a starter with the saved starter.

So I have had success saving it for a year and then starting it up.

 

[Bosh]

I didn`t brew at all for over six years because of kids. That`s why I`m still pretty newbish despite the early join date...

 

[jrcrilly]

I think you will like that AIH recipe; I know that I did. I brew in the garage here in Ohio. I keep it at 50 degrees out there unless I have the doors open so it only gets cold when I'm trying to brew!

I'm pretty far ahead right now so I could skip a few months but I'm considering picking up a smallish BIAB rig to brew in the kitchen this winter. I enjoy brewing even if I don't absolutely need to have more on hand.

 

[slym2none]

I just started brewing in March of this year, and I am already hanging up my home-brewing hat - just not for good. Where I stay right now just isn't conducive to HBing (i.e., I am worried about getting kicked out at any moment, honestly) so to keep brewing doesn't make sense right now.

If only my "brew-bro", who was supposed to start with me back in March, would finally start brewing, at least I could help him.

So yeah, there's a post by me, relatively recent, where I was going to brew a couple of batches of Centennial Blonde back-to-back for a yeast-temp experiment, that I have to rescind. IDK when I will be brewing again.

 

[sd_brewbie]

Having lived in San Diego my whole life, I have no idea what you people are talking about

 

[philipCT]

I went without brewing for about 7 months when we moved 2 years ago. I was building out an indoor electric brew studio during that time. I did set up all my stuff outside a few times to keep some semblance of pipeline but even so there was that gap.

Now that I'm inside I brew pretty regularly. Only excuse is when it's a really beautiful day - it's hard to be inside all day.

 

[JonM]

I'm in the same boat. I used to brew all winter long, but last year I got some new toys that shorten my warm-weather brewday to about 4 hours. In the winter when I can't use the garden hose to clean as I go and when I'd be afraid to use my plate chiller (b/c of the risk of freeze damage) it takes 7-8 hours, with cleanup. So I'd rather not brew in the cold.

So I decided to build up a massive pipeline to last me until spring. I brewed a TON late August though last weekend. I now have on hand a little bit of Altbier, an ESB, a robust porter, a dubbel, an IPA, dunkelweizen and an oatmeal stout. That'll hold me until spring with plenty to share and to bring to Christmas get-togethers.

If the itch hits me (and I'm sure it will) winter conditions in the basement are pretty darn good for lagers. So maybe I'll do a lager or two before the snow melts.

ETA: Ive already decided that my first spring brew will be that Cottage House Saison. Damn, that recipe is good.

 

[menotu]

I've got 15 gallons in secondary now (AIH's vanilla porter I'll bottle tomorrow), NB's Winter Spiced Ale and NB's Brickwarmer red. Once those are all bottled, I'll be "brew-free" 'till late February (if we get a warm day in Michigan). I brewed last winter and while it's okay, I have MORE than enough beer to get me through 'till St. Patty's. What's the longest you've gone without brewing? Part of me thinks I'll miss it, but after these 3 batches are bottled up, I'll probably have nearly 500 bottled beers. I'll probably give away at least a dozen 6-packs for Christmas, but still - don't need to brew anymore.

On a sidenote, I still have some yeast harvested in jars - would it be worth keeping over the winter or is 6+ months, or will it be bad? Obviously, I'd be making a starter if I did use it.

If you went a long time without brewing, what did you miss most?

I live in michigan too and the damn weather here is one of the things keeping me from moving to all grain. I can do extract indoors all year, but all grain would have to be outside. Sucks when weather gets in the way of our hobby.

 

[TxBigHops]

My schedule is the opposite of yours. I do most of my brewing in the winter and tend to take the summers off. Just too darn hot in Texas and takes a ton of ice to chill the beer to pitching temps when groundwater is close to 90 degrees. Last year (2014) was my first year brewing. Brewed three batches from Jan - Mar, then none for the rest of the year. This year I decided to step it up. Again made three batches early in the year. My brew club had a group brewing session in June, so I made a batch with them. Then the end of September I started my fall brewing season, and will continue to make about one batch a month until April or early May.

 

[JonM]

I've been dreaming up Saturday morning tasks (or weekend evening tasks when I can have a few pours from my pipeline.) So far, I have:
1) Pressure can a crapton of starter wort - probably from DME but I may mash it just for fun;
2) I PBW the plate chiller after every use, but I may PBW the kettle to clean off the beerstone and then disassemble the ball valve and sight glass for a thorough cleaning; and
3) Rearrange the brewcave, maybe finding some long-lost barleywine or wee heavy back in the corner.
4) Get some hard cider going if my pipeline starts to run low (not bloody likely).
5) Make new slants and move some of the older yeast cultures onto fresh slants;
6) ???

 

[FatDragon]

I usually go about two to three months without brewing in the summer - I travel back to the States for six weeks and I can't trust my ferm chamber to keep a beer under 90 in my apartment over the brutal Wuhan summers, so I typically brew about three weeks before I leave so I can bottle before I go, then when I get back I often wait a couple weeks for the edge to be taken off the summer so I can at least approach a reasonable ale fermentation temperature in my wimpy little wine fridge. Gonna be buying a freezer with room for 2-3 fermenters this month, though, so things will be different this coming summer.

I honestly don't miss a whole lot while I'm not brewing - I spend most of that time with family I see once a year, so I've got other things on my mind. The real downside is that the pipeline gets really fragile - the last brew I did this summer before leaving for the US ended up getting infected. I let it ride over the summer and ended up bottling it as a drinkable, if not particularly good sour after I got back, but I can only drink a bottle or two a week, so the pipeline of beers I can drink daily was down to pretty much nil at that point. I've been trying to get it back up, but about half of everything I brew ends up finding its way to friends and others, so it's a slow process with limited room (and wifely permission) to brew - one 20-25L brewday every three weeks makes for slow progress.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I try not to brew too much in June-July. Absolutely brutal. Winter is game on! I've got 25g in fermenters, 2 nearly empty kegs and I'm brewing tomorrow and probably again in a week or so.

 

[1977Brewer]

I try not to brew too much in June-July. Absolutely brutal. Winter is game on! I've got 25g in fermenters, 2 nearly empty kegs and I'm brewing tomorrow and probably again in a week or so.

Pretty much this. If I never brew in 105 degree heat again, i be fine.

In the winter, I basically have an 800 sq foot ferm chamber, and if the sun is out it's fantastic outside. I'll love winter brewing.

 

[Mexibilly]

East central Indiana winters mean firing up the salamander on brew day, which means an additional propane tank, but when I forget to rehydrate my dry yeast I'm glad for the warmth.
No breaks planned here though. 11 gallons fermenting now, a keg that'll kick in a week or 2 and my wife being gone until 10+ pm 5 days a week leaves me few options but to brew something

 

[Brad2287]

My system is electric and in my basement. I take the summers off because time is at a premium. Between golf, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities I have no extra time. It is easy to make time during crappy winter day. I have 14 corny kegs and can brew 10 or 15 gallon batches so stocking up has never been a problem.

As a bonus ground water temps during the winter in Colorado make chilling amazingly fast.

 

[max384]

Brewing outside in the winter in northeast Pennsylvania is my favorite! I love standing over a boiling kettle when it's 10f out and snow coming down! I brew more in the winter than any other time of year!

 

[Transamguy77]

When I moved last year I went 8 months without brewing. Since I didn't know how long it would take to get settled in I brewed twice before I moved and that gave me 20 gallons and I had 4 kegs full.

I don't really have a brewing schedule but I do prefer to brew during the colder months. Now that I have a garage it's not so bad brewing in the winter, even though my brew stand doesn't fit inside when brewing I can get everything set up and don't have to be outside the whole time.

 

[Natdavis777]

I try and brew consistently, even during the cold months. We dont compare to the UP or NE, but Jan/Feb can easily stay in single digits. With that said, I brew in the garage as well, and am lucky enough to have a spigot to aid in cooling (soooo much faster). AND, since I have a BoilCoil now, I dont have to worry about a weak flame due to cold temps like I did with propane. The downfall to that, my garage doesnt get heated via the flame... But on a plus side, I can keep the door down the entire time.

 

[eadavis80]

I am guessing I'll miss it some. I, myself, have a garage, but now I guess I'll just spend my winter enjoying the end product of all the year's brewing, watching bowl games and playing video games... not all bad.

 

[Peruvian802]

I brew in the winter, but I move to 3 gallon all-grain or 5 gallon extract batches on the stove top. It takes longer but with less set up, it's not too bad.

 

[kombat]

I brew through the winter (Ottawa, Canada). I find I'm usually moving around and doing so much that it keeps me warm, plus I'm not outside the whole time. During the mash, I'm inside making/eating breakfast. During the boil, I'm in the basement cleaning the mash tun. You do have to be mindful about not storing pumps and hoses in the garage (they'll freeze solid) and only bringing them out when they're needed, but the rapid chilling time is a really nice benefit. With my Chugger pump and Duda Diesel plate chiller, I get 5 gallons of wort from boiling down to 60° F in about 3-4 minutes. In the summer, I can only get it down to 70° F, and must put it in my fermentation chamber and wait for it to come down those last few degrees.

 

[Invertalon]

I will be brewing strong all through winter likely, although I may do a munich dunkel soon that will take up my fermentation chamber for a month and a half... I also have a lot of bottled beer currently (Milk Stout, Imperial Stout, Oktoberfest Lager and IPA) with another IPA to be brewed this weekend. I brew in my kitchen, not outside, so I don't have to battle the Cleveland winters. I have a nice wide 10gal kettle that I can cover two of my stove burners with and I get a really nice boil with it, so unless I upsize my batch size from 5-6 gallon to 10 or more I can stay inside!

 

[JonM]

mindful about not storing pumps and hoses in the garage (they'll freeze solid) and only bringing them out when they're needed

I learned that the hard way my first really cold brewday - I was using SWMBO's hair dryer to thaw out the pump head. Thankfully it didn't crack!

I usually put a garbage bag in the mash tun(after draining) so I have a warm insulated container for the hoses and QDs, etc. and my spare gloves.

 

[Homercidal]

I moved out to the garage a while back and more or less took winters off for a couple of years. But since we bought the nicer stove I have no problem brewing in the house on the coldest days.

I simply drop the batch down to 2-3 gallons and do BIAB on the stovetop.

I tend to brew outside right through November and sometimes into December. Pick back up again in March ish. Really depends on the weather at the time. We've had late and early starts and ends to winter the past decade or more. I find the new electric system I'm building doesn't leak heat like the propane burner. Makes less heat in the air.

 

[jwalk4]

Used to have a garage to brew in, but now I don't. So While I used to enjoy brewing outdoors-ish, I don't know if I'll be able to swing it this year.

Festabrew and Brewhouse kits for me, I guess.

 

[JonM]

Nothing wrong with fermenting some 5% ABV, ready-in-a-few-weeks hard cider over the winter too.

 

[ericbw]

Nothing wrong with fermenting some 5% ABV, ready-in-a-few-weeks hard cider over the winter too.

Perfect idea. If you start a batch now, it could be ready for the holidays. For sure by January. And it takes about 5 minutes to get it started.

 

[MaddBaggins]

It's 54˚f right now and 80% humidity. I'm brewing on the patio in the shade. Short, tshirt and flip flops. I feel kinda cold.

 

[oujens]

My schedule is the opposite of yours. I do most of my brewing in the winter and tend to take the summers off. Just too darn hot in Texas and takes a ton of ice to chill the beer to pitching temps when groundwater is close to 90 degrees. Last year (2014) was my first year brewing. Brewed three batches from Jan - Mar, then none for the rest of the year. This year I decided to step it up. Again made three batches early in the year. My brew club had a group brewing session in June, so I made a batch with them. Then the end of September I started my fall brewing season, and will continue to make about one batch a month until April or early May.

I hear you on the Texas heat. I've started to do early morning brews to keep my day schedule open for family. It's also helped me to combat the heat during summer, but it can still simmer once the sun rises. I find it nice to enjoy coffee and be mashing/boiling during sunrise. I've quit chilling down to pitching temps because the cost of ice adds up. I get it down to 80F and then transfer and let it cool in my fridge. Usually pitch within 12-18 hrs. I know its not recommended, but I've done it successfully for numerous batches and have not experienced an infection.

 

[MaxStout]

I move it indoors in the winter and do 2.5-3 gallon BIAB on the stove. I always look forward to that first "warm" weekend in March, anything above 32F will get me back in the garage.

I did take a break of about 4 months this past summer. I injured my back so no heavy lifting. But my pipeline has been good, and I can lift a pint without damaging my back.

 

[JonM]

Perfect idea. If you start a batch now, it could be ready for the holidays. For sure by January. And it takes about 5 minutes to get it started.

What I like to do is ferment some Tree Top or whatever's on sale, and let it go super dry. Then I backsweeten with a couple pounds of honey dissolved in a quart or so of juice, keg and throw in the fridge. If it stays cold, it won't referment (or at least it won't ferment very quickly.) Ready in three weeks or so.

 

[specharka]

I am pretty fortunate to have the luxury of brewing year round. I usually take off June through August since my apartment gets pretty miserable in 85 degree weather, and I'd rather be doing things outside anyway. Stove top brewing definitely has its limitations.

I am somewhat envious of you garage homebrewers -- extra space and cold tap water are foreign concepts to me.

 

[iteq]

If it's under 50 degrees I will mash in the kitchen and only do the boil outside, with a garden hose attachment on the kitchen faucet I run a hose out through the window for my immersion chiller I love sitting by the burner when it's really cold

 

[Bobbybob]

That is one of the reasons I am going all electric. I can't not brew or I get the shakes. It isn't that cold here it is all the damn rain.

 

[gometz]

Even in the Texas summer heat I will still brew outside (though in that case likely in the shade of the garage).

I did have to take about 2-3 months off lately because of work. I have barely had days off since the end of August, and before that I visited family in NOLA and Austin. Work is ramping down in the next few weeks (still snuck in a Schwarzbier and a Tripel in the last month), and I am planning on brewing at least 3 beers before the end of November (Dubbel, Rye Sour, and Stout).