Brewing equipment and cold weather

[Probably_Confused]

So I've been keeping all my gear in an unheated garage recently. I live in Minnesota, so the winters are pretty harsh. Any advice on what stuff should come inside for the winter and what will be okay out in the cold?

I have a pretty standard set of equipment for extract brewing, kegging equipment, plus an all-grain setup that I never got around to using this year.


Thanks for the help

 

[shortyjacobs]

Make sure you drain/blow the water out of everything, (be very careful with a chilling apparatus, be it an IC, CFC, or plate chiller....water can easily freeze in these, rupture them, and you won't know until your chilling water starts filling up your BK!!).

For me, I'd open all my valves, blast water out of pipes and pumps with my air compressor, and call it a day.

For kegging, if you have a kegerator, and it's in the garage, you'll need a heat source inside (40W light bulb works well) to stop it from freezing in the winter.

 

[dutchoven]

I think the whole brewery should move inside ... I mean, seriously, who wants to stand in freezing weather to brew beer? ... J/K ... I agree with the above ... you should probably take any liquid in as well ... Starsan, PBW solution, etc.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Agreed dutchoven....I use a garage heater (NG) to warm the garage, and once the propane burners kick off it can get downright toasty in there, (I hit 90F on a -5F day), but it's still a PITA, (especially dealing with frozen pipes if you forgot to blow them out).

Over the next month, I'm moving inside and going all electric. Should be fun!

 

[rcrabb22]

So I've been keeping all my gear in an unheated garage recently. I live in Minnesota, so the winters are pretty harsh. Any advice on what stuff should come inside for the winter and what will be okay out in the cold?

I have a pretty standard set of equipment for extract brewing, kegging equipment, plus an all-grain setup that I never got around to using this year.


Thanks for the help

DISCLAIMER: I do not advocate anyone use a propane burner in an enclosed space such as garage. See the sticky Carbon monoxide hazards are real


I am in Illinois in the same situation, unheated garage.

I learned the hard way with frozen ball valves on kettles and pumps, frozen quick disconnects on hoses, brittle garden hoses, etc. I store all my brewing equipment in the basement during the very cold months. It is a PIA to haul it up and store in our dining room the day before I brew and then haul it all back to the basement after brewing but I gotta do it. Any pieces that comes in contact with liquid comes inside to stay warm.

I don't have a filter for my air compressor and don't want oil contaminated air forced into my brewery plumbing.

As for brewing in the cold itself. I never find that to be all that uncomfortable. I keep busy enough to stay warm, usually with just a sweatshirt over a flannel shirt.

I also learned not to spill too much liquid and wipe up what I do spill immediately. It can freeze and create black ice patches which you could slip and fall on.

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

I live in CA and the winters are miserable. It can drop down to the low 50s brrrr.
It got so windy the other day I had to lower my patio umbrella. You guys have no idea how tough it is here.

 

[dutchoven]

I live in CA and the winters are miserable. It can drop down to the low 50s brrrr.
It got so windy the other day I had to lower my patio umbrella. You guys have no idea how tough it is here.

Hahahahaha ... And let's not forget those horrid weeks where it rains one day then is bright and sunny for the remaining six ...

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

Hey Dutch, I see you're local. I'm standing up waiving, can you see me?