Brewing outside... and bugs

[Brewtallica]

Well, I think I'm going to have to move brewing from inside in the kitchen to outside in the car port. My wife fully supports any hobbies I get into and doesn't mind me brewing, but she says the smell lingers in the house too long after I brew and asked if I can move it outside. No problem, an outdoor burner is on order and on its way.

My question is, how do you keep all the bugs and such from blowing into your brew kettle while it's boiling? I was thinking of leaving the lid on while it boils, but I read that it will increase DMS. I was thinking of buying a sheet of stainless mesh and make a sort of cover similar to a splatter guard screen but with an opening for the immersion chiller. Hoping that the DMS laden steam won't condensate and drip back into the kettle. Would this work?

 

[Grod1]

No need for anything over the boil. Thats half the reason we do it.IMO the only time to get paranoid is during cooling/transfer. but hey, everyone does it all the time out side with no problems.Just follow your normal "sterile" procedure and i would bet you will find no difference. A fine mist of water around the carport can hold down any dust.

 

[Dixon9717]

I prefer to brew outside. So much more relaxing and a pretty goid view. Anything landing in your pot breboil isnt an issue. Ive never had much issue post boil either.

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[November]

I'm currently experiencing a plague like fly problem, but they don't seem to go near the boil kettle. Not sure if its the heat or the updraft but they seem the swarm around but not over. I have a pre-chiller filter and I have never seen a fly in it, so there must be something to it.

 

[Jwin]

As others said, you only have to worry about cold side. I consider cold side to start as soon as the wort us under 165°.
I notched my kettle lid with a Dremel to add clearance for my IC. I toss a piece of dollar store foil around the IC/lid after I lid it. Keeps everything pretty sealed. I recirculate, so I never have a need to open until transfer is complete, unless it's to add whirlpool hops after temp drops a but, put that's still over 164, so...
The only things I would advise is, consider your current process and what won't work as is outside. Water supply would be my first concern.
Also, depending on your location, afternoon/night brewing could be challenging this time of year with mosquito populations. It's rough here in TN.

 

[Brewtallica]

I prefer to brew outside. So much more relaxing and a pretty goid view. Anything landing in your pot breboil isnt an issue. Ive never had much issue post boil either.

Now that's a view!

 

[Brewtallica]

As others said, you only have to worry about cold side. I consider cold side to start as soon as the wort us under 165°.
I notched my kettle lid with a Dremel to add clearance for my IC. I toss a piece of dollar store foil around the IC/lid after I lid it. Keeps everything pretty sealed. I recirculate, so I never have a need to open until transfer is complete, unless it's to add whirlpool hops after temp drops a but, put that's still over 164, so...
The only things I would advise is, consider your current process and what won't work as is outside. Water supply would be my first concern.
Also, depending on your location, afternoon/night brewing could be challenging this time of year with mosquito populations. It's rough here in TN.

I'll be battling all kinds of bugs outside. Mosquitos, gnats, flys, and a possible suicidal gecko. Where I live it's a consistent 85-90 during the day and high humidity so I may get some sweat in the beer lol. I think my process will be the similar to indoors. After the boil, I'll be sure to cover it with foil while it chills. I may be able to talk the wife into chilling inside. I usually cart my kettle into the laundry room where I have a large wash basin filled with ice water. Then use a fountain pump to run the ice water through the chiller. I can do this outside if I fill a large Rubbermaid storage box with the ice water.

 

[Dixon9717]

Sounds like you have you cooling process down so in my opinion your ok brewing outside. I'm in the Pac NW so don't have the humidity you do or the bugs. I just have mosquitoes, flys and moths after dark.

 

[kev211]

I spend all week in an office (albeit I'm 200 yards from the beach but...) So when I get the opportunity to pull up a chair and brew outside I'm all over it. I could brew inside (my wife likes the smell) but I've got sun and hops growing outside so I prefer that. We have flies cruising around but tbh they never really seem to want to get in there, especially if youre around the kettle. If your flies are more ambitious and you happen to use a chest freezer to ferment in, then toss the beer into the fermenter when it cools down enough to not melt/crack your fermenter (assuming you don't use ss) and let the freezer do the work

 

[MaryB]

I have fished flies, gnats, mosquitoes, moths etc out of the boil. And even a fruit fly or two from the fermenter as I was filling it. Never had a problem! With summer canning started in the house I think I have more fruit flies inside than outside! I have vinegar traps set out in a dozen spots, cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap in it, fruit flies love the stuff and the soap reduces the surface tension so they fall in and drown. They are driving me nuts tonight and I have to cover my beer or I am fishing them out...

 

[Gravity]

I exclusivly brew out side now and never once had an issue.

There's a couple times flies show up, like when you've mashed and there are flies around the mash tun, they love the sugar

All critters avoid the boil, and some flies start to comeback around cool down, however, it's never been a problem

I wouldn't worry about it to much

 

[Brewtallica]

Yeah, I figured bugs would be all part of the experience. I was just thinking of something to reduce the chance of one landing in the wort. Maybe a colander or some sort of mesh net. It would be interesting to find a bug screen but, looks like the consensus is to RDWHAHB.

 

[brewbama]

I brew outside in N AL. We get all kinds of aviators cruising around but I rarely have one land in the brew kettle. When I do I simply fish it out and continue the boil.

 

[Jwin]

Again, don't stress the bugs, unless you are chilled or it's some big beatle.
Now, carrying a pot inside of boiling wort, or anywhere else for that matter, isn't a great idea.
Explain the 2nd degree burns that would could incure, and the possibility of spilling super sticky wort everywhere to SWMBO. It's time to invest in a chilling apparatus.
If I had it to do all over, I'd go with a SS immersion chiller, but copper will do. Just make sure you buy one that will work on bigger batches, if you think you will ever go bigger.
All this assumes that you are doing 5+g batches.

 

[Gonefishing]

How about running a fan? If I were brewing outside in 85-degree weather, I'd have a fan going to cool myself. I think it would have the added benefit of helping to keep the bugs away.

 

[jlinz]

Protein! Just run your cooled wort through a funnel with a little screen before going into the fermenter if you're worried about it. I just let it ride.

 

[seatazzz]

How about running a fan? If I were brewing outside in 85-degree weather, I'd have a fan going to cool myself. I think it would have the added benefit of helping to keep the bugs away.

+1 to this. I brew in the garage with the door open about 2 feet (propped open with a Rubbermaid tub) so we do get flies, both house & fruit. When I'm brewing I've got a high-power floor fan, and an oscillating stand fan, about 4 feet from the burner pointing outside; this helps keep the carbon monoxide threat negligible as well as blowing any ambitious flies or bugs away from the brewing area. I've never gotten bugs in my preboil or postboil, they only seem to like the beer I'm currently enjoying. Although now we've finally gotten some rain (55 days! Geez!) it's cooled off and the bug population should start dropping off.

 

[Scott MacKenzie]

Interesting thread, I live in an area where rats and mice are common. I wonder if there is a single barrel system that would be better for keeping out rodents?

 

[Snark_Wolf_Brewing]

Bugs near the brew kettle?.... KILL IT WITH FIRE!

 

[kevin58]

If a bug flies into your mash tun or kettle... keep on brewing. I can't tell you how many batches of yellow jacket ale I've made.