Cold Weather Brewing Question?

[jekeane]

Its a frigid 55° here in Florida and it's pretty windy as well. Im finding it near impossible to see the surface of the wort in my BK to adjust my boil / take volume measurements... Any suggestions from you people in the frozen north?

 

[JimRausch]

They're predicting frickin snow up here today. Want to trade?
Too much steam obscuring your view? Try turning off the burner for a second or two. Or maybe give the surface a squirt with a spray bottle(probably better suggestion).

 

[jekeane]

No thanks to the trade! 60 something tomorrow then back to the 70's.

I wound up just winging it and trusting that I got my volume numbers right. Lo and Behold I did. It's taken 5 batches but I finally got my boil off rate right heh...

 

[Natdavis777]

We got some snow yesterday, no accumulation though. Typically I do 10 gal batches, so its almost to the tippy top of my keggle, but when I do 5 gal batches, I typically just trust that I hit my volumes. After 50+ batches on my current setup, I feel pretty confident in my consistency.

 

[fivepointslow]

I'm in ma and I just made a brew while it was snowing with no issue. Maybe a more powerful burner? My issue is it's too cold in the basement for fermentation but I got a cheap cure for that with a aquarium heater.

 

[jbsilent]

Where in Florida are you? I'm brewing tuesday Andes mint chocolate stout... First attempt


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[DanMyers]

Haha frigid 55. Just get to know your set up!

That said, boil off is higher in drier air that is typically associated with colder air. I brew in a snowbank up here in Newfoundland and have to top up.

 

[Hello]

LOL at frigid 55º.
Obviously that is steam and really, the spray bottle works wonders.

 

[Homercidal]

You may wish to edit the title of your thread. I was drawn in by the part that claimed your question s was about COLD weather brewing...

 

[frozennorth]

We have had snow on the ground and sub freezing temps for a month now. I brew down to -20, after that the propane liquefies. I have found that a quick stir will allow me a quick glimpse, but usually I do not worry about it. Whether you can see it or not, the wort is still boiling. Good luck with those "cold" Florida temps.

 

[max384]

LOL! Misleading title!

I LOVE brewing in the snow. There's just some sort of visceral satisfaction that comes with brewing outside when there are snow banks as high as I am tall and the snow is coming down so hard I can barely see across the street. I feel like I should be drinking from a stone goblet and wearing leather armor. lol

 

[MNBrewDad]

Not quite Fairbanks here but I've brewed in subzero temps several times (-5 & -10) and with all of the steam I can't see the surface of the wort but it's definitely boiling in there. My biggest problem is keeping my toes warm!

 

[chato]

I froze my ass brewing in the garage yesterday! It wasn't all that cold (about 35), but the wind was gusting up to about 40....blew my buckets all over the yard when I was cleaning them in the driveway. I managed to hit all my targets and get 5.5 gallons of breakfast stout into the fermenter.

 

[Homercidal]

I generally don't care to brew out in the garage when it's about 20F or lower. But I probably would if I didn't have a kitchen that I can brew in.

Now that I have a pump and a stove that can boil a 5 gallon batch's worth of wort it's too easy to brew inside.

 

[jekeane]

Im from Mass but after 15 years I have become soft...

Where in Florida are you? I'm brewing tuesday Andes mint chocolate stout... First attempt


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Im in Jacksonville

 

[ubnserved]

I've never brewed outside the only thing that I use outside for in brewing is the snow for cooling my wort. Just have to be careful that the snow under the kettle melts even or the kettle will tip and spill hours of work on the ground.
55° lmao..... not cold. Not even cold for Florida. Lived near ft Walton Beach for 5 years. Miss having only 3 or so weeks of winter. We have 5 +- months here in Nebraska. I don't think I could survive Alaska winters.

 

[turkeygecko]

Get a 3/4 inch wooden dowel. Dump a gallon of water in kettle, stick the dowel in, make a mark where water stops. Dump another gallon in, make another mark. Repeat until you reach capacity. Now you can just dip the dowel into the wort, pull it out, and see where the liquid reached and measure your volume.


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[ubnserved]

Get a 3/4 inch wooden dowel. Dump a gallon of water in kettle, stick the dowel in, make a mark where water stops. Dump another gallon in, make another mark. Repeat until you reach capacity. Now you can just dip the dowel into the wort, pull it out, and see where the liquid reached and measure your volume.


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Except make sure you are not boiling or measurement will not be accurate.

 

[frozennorth]

As for Fairbanks winters, they are manageable, but long. When it is really cold, -30 and colder, you just stay inside. (I have seen -63, once, but I have also seen -30 or colder for 3 straight weeks.) It sure does help to have a cellar of home brew and a close brewery. You just keep on keeping on, because the summers are amazing!