Electric brewing with generator, no running water

[summerofgeorge]

I'd like to take my brewing panel on a road trip to a remote location. I'll be staying in a cabin with electricity but there's no chance I can tap into it for brewing (at least not the heating elements). I've seen a few threads discussing using a generator but haven't found anyone that has actually done it. Does anyone have any advice for doing this?

The other issue is that there's no running water. There's a spring that runs into the cabin but it's nowhere the pressure I'd need. Besides cleaning, I think the only other thing I need water pressure for is my chiller. I might be able to set something up with my pump to push water through my immersion or couterflow chiller.

The last big issue I can think of is temperature control for fermentation. It will be very cold outside at night and very toasty inside (from wood stoves). I would also have to transport the wort 6 hours home. Should I brew the day before coming home and do my first no chill brew?

 

[TallDan]

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself."

-George Bernard Shaw
(Yes, I left out the next sentence as it doesn't fit my point.)

I'd take this opportunity to brew with propane or even an open fire and try no-chill if I were you. Besides, who wants to listen to a generator run in a remote location?

 

[milldoggy]

A friend uses a Kal clone 30 amp build on a generator. Works great. Think he uses a 7500 watt. Have to get the correct plug as the generator did not have a locking plug.

 

[ccbadd]

I've done it while waiting for my sub panel to get installed. Get a long cord as the generator noise is annoying and be sure to ground the generator chassis. I carry a short ground rod with my generator just to be safe. I had running water though.

 

[dmcman73]

When you say a spring is running to the cabin, are you talking about a pipe that is coming into the cabin that is ran to a natural running srping or an actual running spring that is running off the side of the cabin?

If I were you, go basic. Use a pot and an open fire or propane..go light. Then after your done, if you do have an actual running spring running by (and you have some help) carry the pot over to it, sit in on a rock in the water and let the spring cool it down as you stir.

 

[augiedoggy]

seems like an awful lot of energy conversions going on just to make heat to brew beer... Would have to agree, If it were me Id go propane here..

 

[poptarts]

another vote for turkey fryer biab. I use a sump pump for running water out in my garage when I brew, if you have a generator you could toss that guy in the creek with a hose and it would take care of that issue.

 

[golfindia]

I set up my converted BBQ grill brew stand (a.k.a. the CharBoil) to use my existing generator transfer switch jumper cable specifically for this purpose. I figured it could come in handy during hurricane season. And/or a zombie apocalypse. I use a fountain pump and a big cooler full of frozen milk jugs for the CFC. No running water needed. Haven't generator-brewed yet, but may try it during hurricane season prep this year.

 

[summerofgeorge]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I could go the propane route but I was hoping to show off my e-panel to some friends that I don't see very often. I was planning on either brewing all electric or not brewing at all. I guess making beer in the middle of the woods with limited resources is still pretty cool, even if I don't have the bling factor.

I have access to a pretty quiet generator plus 50' of cord so the noise isn't really a concern.

When you say a spring is running to the cabin, are you talking about a pipe that is coming into the cabin that is ran to a natural running srping or an actual running spring that is running off the side of the cabin?

If I were you, go basic. Use a pot and an open fire or propane..go light. Then after your done, if you do have an actual running spring running by (and you have some help) carry the pot over to it, sit in on a rock in the water and let the spring cool it down as you stir.

Both. There's a pipe running into the cabin from the mountain but there's more water that runs by the cabin. I wouldn't want to sit my BK in spring since I have the element enclosure attached. I could transfer back to my MLT. Or I could go with poptarts sump pump suggestion to run through my CFC. With an unlimited supply of cold water, maybe that's the least of my concerns.

 

[dmcman73]

Just a quick question, how long are you staying in the cabin? I mean, once you're finished brewing and you pitch, are you going to drive around with a full carboy full of fermenting wort and all of that equipment?

I love brewing...and I love camping/hiking but me personally, I wouldn't do them together. Last time I went out into the woods with a bunch of college buddies I just brought a cooler full of homebrew and we just cooked, drank and had a blast. Although in hindsight, when we went climbing, we probably shouldn't have carried up 4 bottles of homebrew each in our day packs.........it was not light packing.

 

[summerofgeorge]

You're probably right. It's probably not worth the effort to haul everything up there, figure out how to make it work, and then get everything home. I feel like I've had one thing or another come up every time I've been brewing lately too. It's enough of a pain dealing with it in my normal brewing environment. It could be a disaster out of my element. Maybe I'll just take a few kegs and enjoy a relaxing weekend.

 

[max384]

I agree. I'd just skip it altogether. Either that or bring a kettle and boil over a wood fire. That would be pretty cool.

 

[dmcman73]

You're probably right. It's probably not worth the effort to haul everything up there, figure out how to make it work, and then get everything home. I feel like I've had one thing or another come up every time I've been brewing lately too. It's enough of a pain dealing with it in my normal brewing environment. It could be a disaster out of my element. Maybe I'll just take a few kegs and enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Good idea. You would've been spending more time brewing then hanging with the people you're going up there with.

If they really want to see it in action, invite them over to your place for drinks, pizza and brewing.