It's 0800 on the US east coast...

[BamaPhil]

...and my boil is already underway. There's only one reasonable explanation for this. I must now officially be a Brewing Dad! My 6 week old woke up hungry around 5:30, so once mama had things under control, I was heating my strike water.

The mission: Have the chiller going in my "No. 33 Belgian Tripel" before anyone gets up. Bonus points if it's already in the fermentor.

I used to think you guys that got up before the ass-crack of dawn to brew were insane. Now I totally get it and it'll probably be my new procedure. Plus I get to have everything done before it's impossibly hot in the garage!

Cheers to the dedicated brewer-parents out there. My LHBS owner predicts I'll disappear for 2 years. I'm out to prove him wrong!

 

[friarsmith]

I love a good early morning brew sesh, especially in the summer & fall. Coffee & mash-in by 6am, done & dusted by 11am, then on to the next thing...

 

[unionrdr]

I like to start a brew day early myself. Nice to be done by mid-day or early afternoon.

 

[Erik_Mog]

I try to get started early as well. My only day off is usually Sunday, so I get an early start before it gets too hot. I can only get the wort chilled to about 80F with my chiller and well water, so I pop it in the fermentation chamber to finish cooling down, and I can finish cleaning everything up, and cut the grass while I wait to pitch the yeast. I can normally be done with the grass and have the yeast pitched by early afternoon. My first two brews I didn't start until after 11:00AM, and by the time I was done, I felt like I had been at work for 12 hours, only it is hotter outside than it is in the kitchen I work in. I love the early morning brew sessions with a good hot cup of coffee.

 

[pshankstar]

Congrats @BamaPhil! I keep telling myself I need to do an early morning brew one of these days. Except for my last brew, most of them have been the exact opposite of yours, brewing at night. Start around 10 or 11pm and have everything cleaned up and in bed around 3:30am. Even though I am more of a night person, I really need to do the opposite and brew first thing in the morning.

 

[Xernex]

I try to get started early as well. My only day off is usually Sunday, so I get an early start before it gets too hot.

So around 3 AM? freaking North Carolina summers...

 

[Biscuits]

I try to avoid brewing too early...I always feel guilty cracking a beer before noon, haha, who am I kidding? No I don't!

 

[kh54s10]

I have often wanted to get started early so that I had the afternoon for something else. So far I have failed miserably. The earliest I have started was 10am. Most often I get delayed because I get on HBT before checking Beersmith and getting everything ready.

 

[Erik_Mog]

So around 3 AM? freaking North Carolina summers...

I get up around 5AM, fix my coffee, weigh out my water additions, etc. I try to mash in by 7AM or as close as possible, I start cleaning my mash tun as soon as I have the boil going, so all that is left to clean will be the kettle once I transfer to my bucket.

Depending on how long I am mashing, and whether or not I plan to do a 45 min hop stand, I can be done with everything other than pitching the yeast by noon if I time it right.

 

[Xernex]

I get up around 5AM, fix my coffee, weigh out my water additions, etc. I try to mash in by 7AM or as close as possible, I start cleaning my mash tun as soon as I have the boil going, so all that is left to clean will be the kettle once I transfer to my bucket.

Depending on how long I am mashing, and whether or not I plan to do a 45 min hop stand, I can be done with everything other than pitching the yeast by noon if I time it right.

I need to start doing it this way - the wife is a nurse and leaves at 5:30 in the morning on her weekend shifts, which is when I brew -it'd be nice to have all that done by noon then get the rest of my chores done. I have started mowing the lawn during my mash since they take roughly the same time.

 

[seatazzz]

I think I'll try that this Sunday. Usually I've got the water going by 6am and everything cleaned and put away by 11:30. The front yard looks like a hayfield so I'll weedwhack it while I'm mashing in. Will encourage me to get it done fast!

 

[friarsmith]

Yeah, Mash Time is a great window for chores/errands/beer-work for sure, unless you're decocting. My last two batches have been single infusions-- after a long string of beers with double decoctions. I can't believe how much faster and easier the infusion brew days are! 5 hours done & dusted...

 

[Xernex]

I think I'll try that this Sunday. Usually I've got the water going by 6am and everything cleaned and put away by 11:30. The front yard looks like a hayfield so I'll weedwhack it while I'm mashing in. Will encourage me to get it done fast!

Last brew day I managed to get the weedwhacking, mowing, and spraying for weeds during a mash. granted I ran my mash a little long because i was so filthy after that I was terrified to touch anything until i showered...probably should have mixed a little star-san into my water.

 

[jonnyv]

I have a 3 year old and a 2 month old. At the non mobile stage, it's easy. With a toddler, things get interesting but I try to involve him in some of the process. He helps mash in and stuff like that. Once the boil starts, so does his cartoons though.

 

[tracyk]

For me it depends. I have done the early morning brews and have them done by noon. I have also done the brews in the wee hours of the mornin starting around 2:30 am, then have it rapped up by 7:30 am, then off to bed for a little shut eye. During the hot a$$ summers I do the wee hours of the mornin. I usually set up my telescope (18" scope) and do some observing while I am brewing. Makes the time go by faster.

 

[unionrdr]

That sounds cool! I always wanted a 10" reflector to connect my Canon FTb to. Too bad I can't get VR1000 anymore...

 

[spacething]

To speed things up on brew day I often mash over night. The wrapped kettle easily holds temperature for 8 or 9 hours.

okay maybe not "holds" but it never drops below 140.

I usually start the boil when I get up and am easily done by midday. that way i can spend most of the day with my kid.

 

[friarsmith]

Last brew day I managed to get the weedwhacking, mowing, and spraying for weeds during a mash. granted I ran my mash a little long because i was so filthy after that I was terrified to touch anything until i showered...probably should have mixed a little star-san into my water.

That's pretty much every brew day for me between May and September!:rockin: