Brewing outdoors is an enjoyable experience, and brewers living in warm climates are fortunate in that they can do what they love year round, but for those of us who live in cold climates winter puts a damper on outdoor brewing. When temperatures plunge below freezing, and sometimes below zero, it's not so fun standing around a kettle.
In Minnesota, where I live, winter tends to come early and stay late. I do BIAB over a propane burner in my attached (but unheated) garage, with the door open for ventilation. I don't have a warm place I can brew with a gas burner. Running water for chillers can be problematic in extremely cold environments.
Image Courtesy of runkelia
Every winter I go through this same conflict: I want to brew, but I don't enjoy it when it is freezing cold and the wind is blowing. Some hardier types don't seem to mind and there are many who think nothing of brewing in bitter cold conditions. I'm not one of them, which also explains why I never took an interest in ice fishing. I don't brew very often--about once a month on average--but winter usually "cheats" me out of 2 or 3 brew sessions. If I am lucky, and can turn on a dime, I can capitalize on a "warm" weather weekend, when it gets above freezing. But with starters and such, it's hard to plan out a brew day in advance when the weather is unpredictable.
Before I continue a word of caution, I often see discussions on HomeBrewTalk and other sites, where someone will inquire about operating a propane burner indoors. Usually, members will jump in and warn against this practice. I will too. Unless you have some kind of vent hood, or very reliable flow-through ventilation, operating a propane burner in your home is extremely dangerous. Unlike gas stoves, which are finely tuned to burn cleanly, propane burners of the type we use will generate unsafe amounts of carbon monoxide. Be safe; don't operate your gas burner indoors.
Doing A Winter Work-Around
Why should a few months of bad weather keep me from enjoying my pastime?
This winter will be different, and I have decided to look at this in a different light. I have given thought to a number of possibilities, and plan to try out some of them this winter. There are lots of alternatives and I will highlight a few ideas.
Back To The Stove - Small Batches
Who says we have to brew full-sized batches? I still have my trusty 5 gallon brew kettle, the one I bought with my first brewing kit. With brew in a bag, I can mash and brew a 2.5 gallon batch on top of my stove. I can take advantage of the oven to place my kettle and maintain mash temps. I have a couple 3 gallon glass carboys, so why not brew a half batch? All-grain recipes are easy to scale down to any size. Sure, the time commitment is about the same, but brewing one case of beer is better than brewing none at all.
This would also be a good opportunity to delve into 1-gallon brewing. I haven't done this yet, but it has a great amount of appeal and I have given it a lot of thought. I could still brew 2 or 3 gallons on the stove, and then experiment by splitting the batch between 2 or 3 one-gallon jug fermenters. Try different yeasts, maybe dry hop one, add fruit, spices or oak chips to another. Winter could be the perfect time to discover what works well and what doesn't, then make the successful brews as full batches come spring.
Of course, extract and partial mash brewing is always feasible indoors on a stovetop. Extract brewing is where I got my start, as did many other brewers. No mashing, less concern over water chemistry, and shorter brew days. Extract brewing simplifies things, which can be a refreshing change, especially when the days are shorter.
Cooperative Brewing
Maybe there is a brew club in the area where someone has heated, ventilated facilities to use. Or perhaps a brewer friend has a venue? Team up with someone who has a place where a full brew over gas is feasible and safe.
Wines, Meads and Ciders
Winter can be an ideal time to broaden one's brewing experiences by allowing you to make something that requires no mashing or boiling at all. I have made a few simple wines from store-bought fruit juices, and I have made 3 batches of EdWort's Apfelwein. I need to refill my pipeline of these beverages and so I plan some more wine and cider making this winter. Maybe try a batch of Skeeter Pee.
I have never made mead, but this winter will give me the chance to do that first batch. The aging times for mead are long, so starting one this winter may get some nice mead in my glass next fall or winter.
Other Means to Work around the Cold
You can always set up some kind of heater in a garage. Garage heaters like Modine and Mr. Heater units that run on natural gas are an option if you have the money to do it. Once again, there are ventilation issues to be addressed, not just from the heater, but also from the burner.
Of course, there is electric brewing, which brings your operation indoors with no worry about combustion byproducts. I am not familiar with this, as I have never built such a system. But it may be a viable alternative to consider if you're up for the challenge and there is extensive technical discussion of this aspect of brewing on HBT.
Wood Stove Courtesy of Instructables.com
Keep An Eye On The Weather
I mentioned earlier about pouncing on those rare days when a warm spell hits. If you have all the ingredients on hand, and a packet or two of dry yeast, you can be prepared to pull off a last-minute outdoor brew when a warm front comes through your area.
Be Adaptable
Everyone has their own level of tolerance to cold weather, and there are always those who will be happy brewing in almost any conditions. But if you are like me and want to bring your brewing "in from the cold," there are many ways to improvise.
Happy brewing, and stay warm!
In Minnesota, where I live, winter tends to come early and stay late. I do BIAB over a propane burner in my attached (but unheated) garage, with the door open for ventilation. I don't have a warm place I can brew with a gas burner. Running water for chillers can be problematic in extremely cold environments.
Image Courtesy of runkelia
Every winter I go through this same conflict: I want to brew, but I don't enjoy it when it is freezing cold and the wind is blowing. Some hardier types don't seem to mind and there are many who think nothing of brewing in bitter cold conditions. I'm not one of them, which also explains why I never took an interest in ice fishing. I don't brew very often--about once a month on average--but winter usually "cheats" me out of 2 or 3 brew sessions. If I am lucky, and can turn on a dime, I can capitalize on a "warm" weather weekend, when it gets above freezing. But with starters and such, it's hard to plan out a brew day in advance when the weather is unpredictable.
Before I continue a word of caution, I often see discussions on HomeBrewTalk and other sites, where someone will inquire about operating a propane burner indoors. Usually, members will jump in and warn against this practice. I will too. Unless you have some kind of vent hood, or very reliable flow-through ventilation, operating a propane burner in your home is extremely dangerous. Unlike gas stoves, which are finely tuned to burn cleanly, propane burners of the type we use will generate unsafe amounts of carbon monoxide. Be safe; don't operate your gas burner indoors.
Doing A Winter Work-Around
Why should a few months of bad weather keep me from enjoying my pastime?
This winter will be different, and I have decided to look at this in a different light. I have given thought to a number of possibilities, and plan to try out some of them this winter. There are lots of alternatives and I will highlight a few ideas.
Back To The Stove - Small Batches
Who says we have to brew full-sized batches? I still have my trusty 5 gallon brew kettle, the one I bought with my first brewing kit. With brew in a bag, I can mash and brew a 2.5 gallon batch on top of my stove. I can take advantage of the oven to place my kettle and maintain mash temps. I have a couple 3 gallon glass carboys, so why not brew a half batch? All-grain recipes are easy to scale down to any size. Sure, the time commitment is about the same, but brewing one case of beer is better than brewing none at all.
This would also be a good opportunity to delve into 1-gallon brewing. I haven't done this yet, but it has a great amount of appeal and I have given it a lot of thought. I could still brew 2 or 3 gallons on the stove, and then experiment by splitting the batch between 2 or 3 one-gallon jug fermenters. Try different yeasts, maybe dry hop one, add fruit, spices or oak chips to another. Winter could be the perfect time to discover what works well and what doesn't, then make the successful brews as full batches come spring.
Of course, extract and partial mash brewing is always feasible indoors on a stovetop. Extract brewing is where I got my start, as did many other brewers. No mashing, less concern over water chemistry, and shorter brew days. Extract brewing simplifies things, which can be a refreshing change, especially when the days are shorter.
Cooperative Brewing
Maybe there is a brew club in the area where someone has heated, ventilated facilities to use. Or perhaps a brewer friend has a venue? Team up with someone who has a place where a full brew over gas is feasible and safe.
Wines, Meads and Ciders
Winter can be an ideal time to broaden one's brewing experiences by allowing you to make something that requires no mashing or boiling at all. I have made a few simple wines from store-bought fruit juices, and I have made 3 batches of EdWort's Apfelwein. I need to refill my pipeline of these beverages and so I plan some more wine and cider making this winter. Maybe try a batch of Skeeter Pee.
I have never made mead, but this winter will give me the chance to do that first batch. The aging times for mead are long, so starting one this winter may get some nice mead in my glass next fall or winter.
Other Means to Work around the Cold
You can always set up some kind of heater in a garage. Garage heaters like Modine and Mr. Heater units that run on natural gas are an option if you have the money to do it. Once again, there are ventilation issues to be addressed, not just from the heater, but also from the burner.
Of course, there is electric brewing, which brings your operation indoors with no worry about combustion byproducts. I am not familiar with this, as I have never built such a system. But it may be a viable alternative to consider if you're up for the challenge and there is extensive technical discussion of this aspect of brewing on HBT.
Wood Stove Courtesy of Instructables.com
Keep An Eye On The Weather
I mentioned earlier about pouncing on those rare days when a warm spell hits. If you have all the ingredients on hand, and a packet or two of dry yeast, you can be prepared to pull off a last-minute outdoor brew when a warm front comes through your area.
Be Adaptable
Everyone has their own level of tolerance to cold weather, and there are always those who will be happy brewing in almost any conditions. But if you are like me and want to bring your brewing "in from the cold," there are many ways to improvise.
Happy brewing, and stay warm!
