Cold weather brewing is...

[Zacharomyces]

for the fricking birds!!!

OK, so I'm a southern guy who's not used to working in sub freezing temps. Boy does it suck! When I went to heat my HLT this morning it was only 24F. My HLT and BK are un insulated kegs and man did it sure take FOREVER for both of them to heat up, especially with the wind! I can only imagine what cleaning up is going to be like...cold and wet maybe? My hat goes off to everyone here that has to put up with way worse! Hey, at least I may get some record wort chilling times!

 

[pompeiisneaks]

I love it, yes its a bit trickier to heat up, but I start the heatup w/ my HERMS the nite before, and the cooldown is FAST pitching in 15 mins isn't a bad thing hehehe

 

[nealf]

I brewed on Sunday and it did take quite a while to get the 12 gallons of wort up to a boil. At least it is easy to control fermentation temps now!

 

[Zacharomyces]

Frank went to go get beer!

 

[zman]

I am lucky enough to be able to mash in the mud room. The upside to cold weather brewing is a good cold break and the wort is down to pitching temps in 20 min tops with my IC.

 

[jlpred55]

I heat my mash/sparge water and mash indoors in winter and boil and cool outside. Saturday was -16 below when I began! I cooled my wort using recirculated snowwater in my IC in 18 minutes to pitchable temps. It has advantages if you know how to manipulate your environment to benefit your needs. We here in Iowa think you are a sissy!

 

[Zacharomyces]

Ouch that hurts!

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

Saturday, I used a space heater in the garage to keep my MLT warm, thaw out garden hoses and warm up my propane tank.

Until I get my electric HLT finished, I still heat water on the kitchen stove, so that isn't an issue.

Cleaning is a major pain. With the temp in the teens each night, I can't exactly let my Better Bottles sit outside full of oxy.

 

[Conodor]

I'm not a fan of winter brewing outside. It was 12 degrees my last brew(not my coldest...). It just gets old.

I think I'm gonna build an electric rig for my basement.


*side note I has a small pot of wort boiling on the stove the other day. My wife liked the smell. First 2 (and only 2...) I boiled inside the wife wasn't home until close to end. She hated it. maybe it grew on her rather than all at once. So an indoor electric rig might work...

 

[Zacharomyces]

OoOoo, yeahhhhh....I should probably go check the hose.....DAMN this cold weather! Oh well, at least its not flooding!

 

[dpittard]

I'm going to be brewing on Saturday. Definitely not looking forward to standing out in the cold (cold for Georgia at least).