Prep garage for brew day

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chewse

chewse

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Just curious what others do to prep their garages on brew day (for those who brew in their garages!). Aside from the obvious tasks of cleaning the brew equipment, moving the cars and sweeping the floor when as needed, is there anything else you do; i.e., sanitize the floor, get brew music going, hook up hoses, etc.
 
I hated garage brewing....spider webs, bugs, dust....but then, my garage was detached and in rural Louisiana....critter heaven:eek: I had to sweep the ceiling as well as the floor.
 
chewse said:
Just curious what others do to prep their garages on brew day (for those who brew in their garages!). Aside from the obvious tasks of cleaning the brew equipment, moving the cars and sweeping the floor when as needed, is there anything else you do; i.e., sanitize the floor, get brew music going, hook up hoses, etc.
Click to expand...

make sure there is lots of beer cold!!! :fro:
 
I brewed in the garage at my old place. It was a sauna in the summer and an ice locker in the winter. I would normally get the tunes going, sweep, and lay a tarp down. Then get to brewing.
 
Why would you sanitize the garage floor.....

I've been brewing out of my garage for the last five years. It's great and convenient. I usually have to sweep up before starting because the cat box is in there, but other than that I don't have to anything special.
 
Depending on what I have been up to out there,I just roll my table saw or welding machine out of the way. Then sweep and or vacuum before dragging in a couple of stainless tables and moving my brewing stuff out of it's dedicated steel cabinet. It only takes a few minutes the day before brew day. The car and truck stay in the car port, the garage is for working wood, metal, leather, and now making the beer which I sometimes drink out there.
 
Darwin18 said:
Why would you sanitize the garage floor.....
Click to expand...

Floor malt.


My garage has a 8" stem wall and everything was set up to be off the floor by at least 6". I also have a line tapped off the hot tank. So, I'd mill all my grain, wash the floor down, set up the brew rig, treat the strike water, and turn on the fermenter cabinets to start the cooling (if not already running). Everything ready and laid out for the start of the next brewday.
 
Back Jeeps out, check
Music, check
Cold beer, check
Sweep sometimes, check
Cold beer, check
Set everything up, check
Cold beer, check
Brew beer
 
For those who brew in the garage and have tools/woodworking equip in the garage, what about the moisture? Rust? CO fumes ?
 
attyindaburgh said:
For those who brew in the garage and have tools/woodworking equip in the garage, what about the moisture? Rust? CO fumes ?
Click to expand...

I have a problem with my garage door opener every time I brew. The steam gets into it and it stops working.

I just unplug it to reset it and it works again.

Weird! :drunk:

I have a CO detector in the garage. It's gone off a few times.
 
My garage is my brewing mecca, it's always ready to go! Pour a beer(maybe coffee depending upon the time), turn on the tv or blast some music, and get it goin!
 
I'll give it the once over, clean it up so that it's not a total wreck. I make sure the fridge has enough libations for the Brewer and any brewing assistance that ventures into that space. I move all the kid stuff off to the side in case of any spills. That's pretty much it.

I had "evidence" of a mouse, which freaked me out about cleanliness and my brew equipment. I was worried he got into my brew cabinet with all my towels, bags, and otherwise chewable equipment. Thankfully he only left "evidence" in an old bucket, outside of the cabinet. I went through and boiled anything and everything that was near it. Mickey has since been found, killed, and am happy to report no more rodent "evidence." I found him dead in an old bottle with dregs in it. Death by Belle Saison.
 
My garage is a pit and I always make great beer. I only clean and sanitize what I use.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew
 
attyindaburgh said:
For those who brew in the garage and have tools/woodworking equip in the garage, what about the moisture? Rust? CO fumes ?
Click to expand...

I just use my tools enough to keep the rust worn down to a manageable level. My two co detectors remain silent as a fence post.
 
I have my garage brewing routine pretty much down to a science. Two days before, I make my starter. With regards to garage prep, I never sweep on brew day. I don't want to stir up the dust, and even though it's a few hours from heating the liquor to draining the BK, I like to be safe. A day ahead I print off my recipe and brew notes, sweep (if needed), measure and mill my grains, roll my brewstand from in front of the garage door to the middle of the garage, and draw my water (through a food-grade hose, since I don't have water in my garage), treat it with whatever salts I'll be using, and transfer the mash liquor into my MLT . I also double check my thermometer calibration on my HLT and my BK against my lab spirit thermometer. I can't check the MLT thermometer a day ahead because its lowest temp is 90F.
On brew day I open my garage door, light the burner under the MLT, start an episode of The Session, and pull all my tools to my workbench while the strike liquor heats. I put my starter into the fermentation chamber, set to the temp I'll be pitching at. Once the temp is over 90, I kill the burner, double check the thermometer calibration, relight it and get it up to strike temp. After I dough in, I measure out my hops, set out the yeast nutrient and whirlflock. After that, it's all just watching the process and making the wort. I don't crack open a beer until the wort is coming to a boil.

I love brew day!
 
This is my list of night before stuff, starter not included:

-Finalize recipe
-fill HLT and MT with water through filter, takes me 20 mins or so, I run it a little less than 1g a minute to use the filter effectively
-crush up and add campden tablet
-hook up all hoses for initial heating to strike. I have a herms rig with keggles, I fill the MT and HLT and then heat the HLT while running through the herms coil
-weigh and crush grains
-hook up 240v extension cord
-set control panel

I brew saturday mornings mostly, so I wake up around 6, turn the panel on, go back to bed for a bit, dough in around 8 then go make coffee, walk the dog and then get ready sparge around 9:30-10:00
 
I'm loving the mental images this thread is provoking. A small army of dutiful garage brewers waking early to prepare their garages for the arrival of a new beer.

I am an early morning brewer too. Never been much of a gym rat or jogger but I guess it's the same type of satisfaction to polishing off a brew before alot of folks are even thinking about the day's events.

I prep my kitchen the night before. Smaller scale, fewer trucks to move and no Louisianna critters lurking.
 
Night before:
-Drink a beer
-Sweep the floor
-Feed the NG hose to the quick disconnect
-Move brew stand a few feet to the NNW
-Pour in the Strike water
-Clear off the work bench
-Drink a beer
-Bring all the stuff I use for making my starter and bring it back to the garage
-Drink 2 beers
-Stare at the wall
-Drink one more beer
-Think about how awesome.brewday will be...

Brew day:
-Snooze the alarm
-Repeat
-Think about brewday
-Get up and make coffee
-Meander to the garage, making sure to be quiet so everyone else stays sleeping for an hour or two
-Stare at the wall
-Plug in the NG
-Start the burner for the strike water
-Stare at the wall...
-Get coffee
-Start grinding grain (if not already done from last night)
-Smile big
-Brew beer
 
Black Island Brewer said:
I have my garage brewing routine pretty much down to a science. Two days before, I make my starter. With regards to garage prep, I never sweep on brew day. I don't want to stir up the dust, and even though it's a few hours from heating the liquor to draining the BK, I like to be safe. A day ahead I print off my recipe and brew notes, sweep (if needed), measure and mill my grains, roll my brewstand from in front of the garage door to the middle of the garage, and draw my water (through a food-grade hose, since I don't have water in my garage), treat it with whatever salts I'll be using, and transfer the mash liquor into my MLT . I also double check my thermometer calibration on my HLT and my BK against my lab spirit thermometer. I can't check the MLT thermometer a day ahead because its lowest temp is 90F.
On brew day I open my garage door, light the burner under the MLT, start an episode of The Session, and pull all my tools to my workbench while the strike liquor heats. I put my starter into the fermentation chamber, set to the temp I'll be pitching at. Once the temp is over 90, I kill the burner, double check the thermometer calibration, relight it and get it up to strike temp. After I dough in, I measure out my hops, set out the yeast nutrient and whirlflock. After that, it's all just watching the process and making the wort. I don't crack open a beer until the wort is coming to a boil.

I love brew day!
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the timing for cracking a beer. I usually wait until I'm at the boil, or after cleaning-depending on what time of the day it is... I like to brew sober
 
Komocabo said:
Night before:
-Drink a beer
-Sweep the floor
-Feed the NG hose to the quick disconnect
-Move brew stand a few feet to the NNW
-Pour in the Strike water
-Clear off the work bench
-Drink a beer
-Bring all the stuff I use for making my starter and bring it back to the garage
-Drink 2 beers
-Stare at the wall
-Drink one more beer
-Think about how awesome.brewday will be...

Brew day:
-Snooze the alarm
-Repeat
-Think about brewday
-Get up and make coffee
-Meander to the garage, making sure to be quiet so everyone else stays sleeping for an hour or two
-Stare at the wall
-Plug in the NG
-Start the burner for the strike water
-Stare at the wall...
-Get coffee
-Start grinding grain (if not already done from last night)
-Smile big
-Brew beer
Click to expand...

Is the move to the NNW of the rig to optimize your garages' feng shui.If so does the mash efficiency tic up a couple of points?
 
Abso-friggin-lately!

It is all about precision, right?

I will be following said schedule tomorrow evening, after me and the boy put up the Xmas lights...
 
Komocabo said:
Copy... Just put up the Xmas lights. Time for a beer, and brewday preparation.

Cheers,
Click to expand...

I'm all prepared too (kitchen not garage) hope I'm not out of line. Evict me from the thread if needs be.

Feel like a kid on Christmas eve. All excited. Up early tomorrow, don't want to disturb anyone's slumber, quietly opening the door to the kitchen to find preheated strike water with salts added. Ah, the anticipation, the excitement. Poetry has been written of less.
 
No eviction! I just realized I'm out of order. I've been staring at the wall too long. I still need to sweep and drink a few more beers. Currently rockin out to Rage Against the Machines... gave my brewing partner a treat (he's a lab). Damn, why am I on HBT right now? I should be sweeping. Alrighty then-back to work. Then the move a few feet NNW...
 
My feng shui is all off so I hang some pyramids and a bunch of crystals up to ward of any odious or nefarious misalignment of my kitchen's aura. I can't recall the link to the controlled study espousing my rationale. It works for me and the neighbor's brother in law likes my beer so that should be good enough proof.
 
Pull the plastic off the walls. Take the chain off the chainsaw and clean EVERYTHING off of it. Lube the chain reinstall and put the chainsaw away. Wash the blood off the floor. Mop the floor with bleach, rinse floor off. Go to attic get grandmas wedding dress. Put the dress on. Turn on the tv and tune to my pre- dvr'ed My Little Pony marathon. Gather equipment for brewing. Brew.
 
watermelon83 said:
Pull the plastic off the walls. Take the chain off the chainsaw and clean EVERYTHING off of it. Lube the chain reinstall and put the chainsaw away. Wash the blood off the floor. Mop the floor with bleach, rinse floor off. Go to attic get grandmas wedding dress. Put the dress on. Turn on the tv and tune to my pre- dvr'ed My Little Pony marathon. Gather equipment for brewing. Brew.
Click to expand...
And just when I thought you couldn't be creepier than your picture...:drunk:
 
I did have to clean the blood off the floor from the deer. Just did not seem right to brew with blood on the floor right in front of the brew stand.
 

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