Closing for the season

[JonM]

I packed up all my stuff for the winter. It was 57° yesterday and in the mid-50s all week. Mid 40s predicted for next week. Sigh. I could have gotten another batch or two in.

 

[1977Brewer]

Gonna be 80 here today, 72 tomorrow, 60 on Sunday.

I should brew something.

 

[specharka]

Just had shoulder surgery on Wednesday. I'd like to continue brewing but it looks like the season is over for me. Fortunately I got around to bottling my gose and kegging my DIPA so I will have something to look forward to once I'm able to drink again.

Got an altbier recipe on deck for the next time I can brew!

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I packed up all my stuff for the winter. It was 57° yesterday and in the mid-50s all week. Mid 40s predicted for next week. Sigh. I could have gotten another batch or two in.

WHat! I brewed in the upper 20s last year. get out there son.

 

[JonM]

I brewed all the time over the last couple winters even in sub zero temps. This year, however, I built up a massive pipeline to last until spring. I'll probably do a lager or two between now and March, but that's it.

 

[secondbase]

I've got 2, maybe 3 brew days left this year. We typically see highs in the 30's and 40's throughout winter so brewing usually isn't miserable.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I brewed all the time over the last couple winters even in sub zero temps. This year, however, I built up a massive pipeline to last until spring. I'll probably do a lager or two between now and March, but that's it.

I would have but it's just how the days lined up when I was ready to brew.

 

[Paul_Aris]

I'm usually to busy in the winter enjoying my other hobby snowmobiling so don't brew then. No time between that, my full time job and part time business.

I buy craft beer year around even when I have 4 full kegs of home brew at home. I just never get to the point where there isn't good craft beer around I want to buy or try. Plus we visit a lot of breweries and usually hit a least 1 up a week.

 

[aprichman]

We had some nice weather up here last week while I was super busy. This week I have a ton of free time but the forecast is predicting rain every day.

 

[Stillraining]

We had some nice weather up here last week while I was super busy. This week I have a ton of free time but the forecast is predicting rain every day.

Rain? Really? come on there now fellow PN Westerner..

Read my screen name again..

 

[Brewernaut51]

I just started brewing in March of this year, and I am already hanging up my home-brewing hat - just not for good. Where I stay right now just isn't conducive to HBing (i.e., I am worried about getting kicked out at any moment, honestly) so to keep brewing doesn't make sense right now.

If only my "brew-bro", who was supposed to start with me back in March, would finally start brewing, at least I could help him.

So yeah, there's a post by me, relatively recent, where I was going to brew a couple of batches of Centennial Blonde back-to-back for a yeast-temp experiment, that I have to rescind. IDK when I will be brewing again.

Could always try finding a local club and make a few friends there. Homebrew clubs are a lot less intimidating than people expect. Maybe you might find some guys who like to brew socially.

 

[aprichman]

Rain? Really? come on there now fellow PN Westerner..

Read my screen name again..

I'm brewing on my apartment's balcony which is off my bedroom. It's the only outdoor spot I have and it's pretty tiny. Not sure I could find an overhang small enough but it might be worth looking into!

 

[jrcrilly]

I'm getting ready to move my brew activities indoors for the winter. It has been unseasonably warm so far - but I don't count on that lasting much longer. The 5/10 gallon batches will give way to 2.5/3 gallon batches as soon as the Zymatic arrives. Both kegerators are loaded (5 taps total) and there are a couple of fermenters working away so the pipeline is in good shape for a period of reduced production.

 

[tgolanos]

Sydney weather generally means I'm brewing year-round. There's no such thing as 'time-off' for me.

I will say one thing I miss about Pennsylvania winters is being able to use snowbanks to cool wort. Hated shoveling the stuff as a kid, but damn would it be an easy way to lager.

 

[Brewernaut51]

In that what's your brew space/hangout look like thread I kind of got jealous of the bigger garages but my tiny garage makes winter brewing easy. I put a little space heater out there in the morning and it's pretty tolerable even on the coldest Michigan winter days. Of course I like the cold to begin with so "tolerable" might be different for me.

 

[MaddBaggins]

I just started brewing in March of this year, and I am already hanging up my home-brewing hat - just not for good. Where I stay right now just isn't conducive to HBing (i.e., I am worried about getting kicked out at any moment, honestly) so to keep brewing doesn't make sense right now.

If only my "brew-bro", who was supposed to start with me back in March, would finally start brewing, at least I could help him.

So yeah, there's a post by me, relatively recent, where I was going to brew a couple of batches of Centennial Blonde back-to-back for a yeast-temp experiment, that I have to rescind. IDK when I will be brewing again.

Don't like this post but I understand. There's been a few times over the last 18yrs where I have taken a short break from brewing. Life. If you weren't sofa king far away, I'd say come brew with me.

 

[slym2none]

Don't feel too bad. I'm gearing up to do my first AG batch soon. It might be before Christmas, it might be after, but I should start up again before 2016. I do appreciate the offer!

 

[eadavis80]

With the unseasonably warm fall we've had in Michigan (I ran in a tank top and shorts on Sunday) I kind of wish I hadn't put away all my equipment, but oh well. I still have PLENTY to get me through the winter. That being said, come the first spring thaw, I think I'll do an Oktobefest (my basement will still be around 60 so I can use 1007 for that one) as well as my SMASH and Nut Brown Ale kits from NB. I'll let the Oktoberfest sit in secondary for months. I think I'll also do the Ace of Spades and Waldo Amber Ale kits. I like those as I transition from colder weather to warmer.

 

[slym2none]

OK, update - I am sneaking in an partial-mash w/extract batch tonight (2.4 gallons), BM's Centennial Blonde. IDK when I will brew again, but dammit, I am doing this!

My second mini-mash, last time was just over 2 pounds of grain, tonight is 3 pounds. I love this stuff!

 

[JonM]

F#&* it. I'm brewing this weekend. Bohemian Pilsner.

 

[eadavis80]

Decided to brew Friday after all, but I think after that one, I honestly will be done 'till a spring thaw. After bottling up all my holiday six-packs, I put a pretty big dent in my inventory, which is a good thing.

 

[soccerdad]

I laugh a little when reading posts that say winter brewing is too difficult. Just the opposite here - summer is when we struggle Groundwater over 80°, heat index over 100°. Just too hot. Although I do sneak in a few farmhouse ales in July/Aug

 

[brewcat]

I laugh a little when reading posts that say winter brewing is too difficult. Just the opposite here - summer is when we struggle Groundwater over 80°, heat index over 100°. Just too hot. Although I do sneak in a few farmhouse ales in July/Aug

Don't forget about the bugs when it is hotter. I am starting to really like cold brew days. I think temps in the 20s are probably my limit for cooling the wort though.

 

[wyccad915]

I just started brewing, so I haven't had any breaks like you mention. I do plan to brew an Erdinger weissbier dunkel clone and think I can go at least a couple of months after that without brewing. I will have half my hefe left, a full batch of choc stout, and then that. I barely drink alone and it varies how often I have people over. So that beer will oast me a while. Not to mention I also have somewhere around 7-6packs of commercial beer laying around the house.

 

[Billy-Klubb]

I brew year round since it's stoutseason365. ambient temp in my basement this time of year is about 60F, and temp in my bottle room is about 50F. in late spring, all summer, and early fall I mash/sparge outside. this time of year I only boil outside.

 

[KartRacer54]

Year round here also!

 

[eadavis80]

Brewed up my last batch of 2016 last weekend. Last year I said I'd shut it down around Thankgiving and then went back on my word and did at least one winter brew. Having done it, I can honestly say I'm kind of looking forward to taking the winter off. Even last weekend, cleaning the equipment with the garden hose was cold n' nasty. I'm glad I finished strong with a chocolate stout, honey nut brown ale and Irish Red. Gotta' bottle those still, but other than that, I'm done. Those paired with some Oktoberfests, Pumpkin Ales and some IPA's I still have lingering from early fall, I'll be good for bowl season trough St. Patty's Day. Take care all - see you around March Madness. It's been a good year.

 

[bonecitybrewco]

We, thankfully, haven't had any snow in Southern Saskatchewan this year yet. I am bottling 10 gallons of Amber lager tonight in hopes that I can brew the Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout Friday and that will likely be the last of the season until March or so (barring a few Chinooks that may allow for an all pale 2 row IPA.) Brewing here in -50 would certainly be possible, but not likely with the propane tank likely freezing up in minutes and boiling water turning to ice in the air, so the evaporating water would be interesting to see as well.

 

[tracyk]

Brew year around here in Texas. By winter if you want to call it that it is very comfortable to brew. Summers are brutal with the heat in the 90's and the humidity somewhere in the 70 - 90% range, but I still brew. I will be brewing in a couple of weeks. Doing two brews, one a winter warmer, which will be ready at the beginning of Ferbruary, when we are thinking about spring and a Bourbon Vanilla Imperial Porter. Who knows, winters down here are so flakey, I could be in shorts and a t-shirt or long pants and a t-shirt. Never really gets very cold here.

 

[brewshki]

This is a fun thread. I am of the warmer climate group as well. "Summer" lasts from about April through October or November around here. We can get a few cooler days in October and November but it was 85 very recently. This makes Winter the nicest time to brew as I am finally not sweating and I can pitch within a few hours of putting my carboy into the fermentation chamber.

If I ever take time off, it is in the dead of Summer when 100+ is very common. I used to not care as much, but a few severely dehydrated brew days later forced me to either start very early or take a long break.