Do you use a heater in your garage while brewing during the winter?

[mongoose33]

Aren't you garage brewers worried about all the steam getting into everything in your garage. I keep picturing water damage on a slow scale

I have a new brew-in-the-winter system which was first successfully deployed on December 3rd. The moisture thing has always been a concern for me, as my walls and ceiling in the garage are insulated, and I don't want steam rising to the ceiling and condensing in the insulation.

So until Dec 3rd, i always brewed w/ the doors open. Cold, I know, but if the temp approached 40, I'd do it. I'd position a fan to blow across the steam column rising from the boil kettle, directing it outside and preventing its rise to the ceiling.

But in the search for something better, a friend and I developed this:



A box fan in the garage window, sealed on the side w/ scraps, and a "hood" over it to direct the rising steam out the window.

It only works well if the service door is cracked to provide makeup air, and that just makes the garage cold. So we used a propane heater to warm it up inside, and it actually was comfortable with just a long-sleeved shirt.

Before anyone asks, the wooden bench behind the burner was cold to the touch.

This setup worked so well I was just shocked. There's makeup air so the exhaust from the burner under the kettle, and the propane heater were never an issue. I'm hoping to get a Blichman Hellfire burner in the relatively near future; might have to move it away from the bench. If so, I'll extend the "hood" a bit if necessary, but I have little doubt it'll all work.

BTW, my friend supplied the propane heater; I just bought this from Menards to use for future brews: portable convection heater. Got the 11 percent rebate so the price was reasonable.

 

[BudBernerBrewer]

Yea.... almost funny that I would be concerned about moisture. But OUR rain moisture is best kept outside !!

Nice Phil Lynott avatar btw

I love me some OR. Dad raised in Springfield, Grams in Cottage Grove, lived in Bend for a bit. You must not be near Bend, dry dry. Where abouts are you?
Love me some Thin Lizzy too. Thanks

 

[Roland_deschain]

Suggestion for Mongoose33.
Remove the scraps that are closing off the window and move your side shields in to block the fan(imagine a fan in a square duct). The openings on the side will allow makeup air in and should be drawn back out with the steam, thus keeping your garage warmer. It's an idea based on Commercial kitchen exhaust hoods with build in makeup air.

 

[Senormac]

I love me some OR. Dad raised in Springfield, Grams in Cottage Grove, lived in Bend for a bit. You must not be near Bend, dry dry. Where abouts are you?
Love me some Thin Lizzy too. Thanks

I'm in Springfield and love it !!

Our brewery count is currently two, with Hop Valley and Planktown, and we also have a Claim 52 taproom even though they brew in Eugene.

I just went through Colorado in Nov. Stayed the night in Boulder and hit up Avery Brewing and had a beergasm at Hazels Berverage World

 

[BudBernerBrewer]

You chase the steehead and salmon? What I miss most about west coast

 

[Senormac]

You chase the steehead and salmon? What I miss most about west coast

No. I am SOOO not a fisherman

 

[indymedic]

I'm pretty lucky to have a heated garage. I have an insulated door so if the door stays shut it I can maintain about 50 degrees or so. On brewday with the burner going it's usually in the 70s. I crack my service door and have a CO detector which has never gone off.

 

[DurtyChemist]

I brewed Saturday with a propane heated and had the brew burner going at the same time. Occasionally I'd open the garage because it was a little too warm or I didn't like the humid smell from the boil. No headaches, pains or problems.