How low can you go? (outside temps)

[balto charlie]

Hey folks, I was hoping to brew tomorrow but temps will be very low (10F/-12C) with some wind. I have brewed in freezing temps but never this low. I mostly worry about maintaining mash temps as the idea of reheating the mashtun and constantly stirring to reheat send a shiver through my body. I also have to worry about freezing spigot, hose and chiller. I am brewing a Czech pils and often step mash, another stirring the mash tun.

Who's brewed at these temps? Is it worth it? Currently leaning to putting it off. I hate to do this as I am leaving on Tuesday for a week. Thoughts and thanks for replies?

 

[bornandraisedlv]

I have and it was not ideal. I use a herms so wasn’t hard to hold mash temps. But it was not an enjoyable day. Was 10° out and about 22° in my garage.

Since then I now mash and sparge in my kitchen and boil in the garage. Just too damn cold to spend a few hours out in it with wet hands for me.

 

[kh54s10]

For me, about the lowest I have ever done was in the 38 or 39F. Now living in FL. I would probably put off any brew day that below 55F. Personally I wouldn't even give a thought to brewing at that temperature......

Do you have a garage you can brew in? You could put the rig near the door, brew from behind it. You might raise the temperature inside to an almost acceptable level. You should use a co detector if you close up the door at all.

 

[mongoose33]

I'd say the odds--or maybe the elements!--are stacked against you.

It's going to be hard to dial in a mash temp as you have no baseline for comparison. If it's windy, it's going to be doubly-difficult.

On top of that, it's not going to be pleasant out there.

I understand the urge to brew, believe me, I do, but this will be epic if you do it and can make it work. And a wasted brew day if not.

My 2 cents. Good luck either way!

 

[RM-MN]

I understand the urge to brew, believe me, I do, but this will be epic if you do it and can make it work. And a wasted brew day if not.

Most of us have a store just a short drive away that sells beer already made in ideal conditions. When the weather and timing for your brewing are too extreme, these can work to fill in for a bit. I wouldn't fight that weather just to have a brew day.

 

[bracconiere]

Most of us have a store just a short drive away that sells beer already made in ideal conditions. .

Fight, Fight, Fight! lol

i do think i remember before i moved to AZ, having a propane tank that wouldn't flow though.....i think that's why most people keep 4-12 kegs in the fridge!

 

[MaxStout]

Can you brew a smaller batch indoors? For me, winter is a time to set aside full-batch brewing on propane, and I do 2.5 gallon batches on the stovetop instead.

 

[mongoose33]

Most of us have a store just a short drive away that sells beer already made in ideal conditions. When the weather and timing for your brewing are too extreme, these can work to fill in for a bit. I wouldn't fight that weather just to have a brew day.

I agree, it *could* be a stopgap, if you let your pipeline run dry. And if you did that, well, shame. Shame.

There's something spiritual about brewing, at least for me. Brewing, not drinking. Drinking is a different kind of religion altogether.

 

[VTX1300]

12°F was the coldest I have brewed in. Had to wrap the MT in towels heated it the clothes dryer to help keep temp. Hardest part was keeping the garden hose from freezing so I could use the immersion chiller. Was the fastest I ever cooled wort down to pitch temp.
BREW ON! Adversity has no effect on a brew day!

 

[Kirkwooder]

I brewed a double batch outside yesterday here in western New York. It was in the mid teens and snowing hard. The only issue I had was a problem with my burner being plugged by mud wasps and spider egg sacks. The burner wouldn't burn right and smudged the hell out of my brew pot.

The garden hose did freeze and I had to carry water by hand, but I only lost 2* in my 1 hour mash, in my cooler mash tun.

 

[AkTom]

I occasionally brew in those temps. Not fun , but doable. I use 2 old sleeping bags on my mash tun.
Cheers

 

[balrog]

-2. That's my personal record, but inside garage. If you are outside, that's killer. Had to bring water from inside as the usual spigot was frozen. If out in the elements, it's just to hard. And I Corona mill to dust and BIAB so I only worry about 15-20m of the 60m mash.

 

[balto charlie]

Thanks for all the input. Seems doable but miserable. I was worried about my water freezing for filling and chilling, plus the spigot might freeze. I forgot how the propane can freeze up as well. Happened once to me years ago, I had the shake the crap out of the tank while attached and boiling the wort. Not fun! Since my mash is slightly longer and a step mash might cause other issues. So I decided to wait until I return from trip to brew.

To those that thought I was out of beer...............never. I have 5 on tap. I always brew a Pils, Bock and Oktoberfest in January and February to take advantage of a basement room that gets down to 45-50F, perfect for lagering. This year it has taken longer for the room to get to ideal temps.

thanks again!

 

[applescrap]

Haha, I brew in temps that cold. Last time I no chilled and picked a recipe that seemed to work with lower hops. No problem holding temperature with a jacket over kettle. I have done funner things . I would golf in that weather too. Would rather golf then brew. Have a hammer to get tees in. I actually just break the tip leaving a very sharp point, ok lost, sry, yes I would brew.

 

[mongoose33]

Haha, I brew in temps that cold. Last time I no chilled and picked a recipe that seemed to work with lower hops. No problem holding temperature with a jacket over kettle. I have done funner things . I would golf in that weather too. Would rather golf then brew. Have a hammer to get tees in. I actually just break the tip leaving a very sharp point, ok lost, sry, yes I would brew.

About the coldest I've ever golfed was 25 degrees. Once golfed in Dubuque, IA on New Year's Day. The ground was frozen which made for incredibly long drives...boing, boing, boing. Greens didn't hold worth a damn though.

My back issues have sort of abated, so I'm going to try golf again this year. Got a line on a used cart, which I need to get around without too many problems. Hope we can get it.

Then I can get a cart cover and golf when it's cold. Drinking my homebrew. And relaxing.

 

[applescrap]

^^Yep, cart cover and coleman golf cat, next to homebrew The biggest problem is the back. Hitting off frozen tundra is so hard on the back. If you're not warmed up it can hurt things in there. What my friend and I came to find, is that because it's so warm in the cart you can wear less layers and with warm muscles, both make the swing way easier. It changes winter golf and we can really get after it.

 

[balto charlie]

Do they let you play on frozen greens, I always thought they closed due to green damage in frozen conditions, then again I haven't played golf in 30 years

 

[mongoose33]

Do they let you play on frozen greens, I always thought they closed due to green damage in frozen conditions, then again I haven't played golf in 30 years

I think it's more when the greens are growing and there's frost.

 

[SCfb75]

I've had a few brew days in that weather. Not the most enjoyable, best investment was a cheap pond pump and a large tub to hold water that had sat outside to use for the immersion chiller and plenty of snow to keep it cold.

 

[balto charlie]

Woke up this morning to 9F and 25mph winds, glad I decided not to brew. Low temps are 1 thing but the wind would have been difficult to handle. Wind is a PIA even in good weather

Might do a 3 gallon batch to appease the beer gods.

 

[balto charlie]

I think it's more when the greens are growing and there's frost.

that makes sense

 

[applescrap]

I've had a few brew days in that weather. Not the most enjoyable, best investment was a cheap pond pump and a large tub to hold water that had sat outside to use for the immersion chiller and plenty of snow to keep it cold.

Haha, cool. I love stuff like this.

This thread has me thinking, is hot worse. I also golf in Vegas most summers in 110 degree weather. Which is worse? Brewing or golf.

 

[SCfb75]

Haha, cool. I love stuff like this.

This thread has me thinking, is hot worse. I also golf in Vegas most summers in 110 degree weather. Which is worse? Brewing or golf.

110 sounds horrible for both activities, I would much rather try and stay warm then sitting by a propane burning and sweating.

 

[Home_alone1]

I prefer to brew in the cold . I hate brewing in the summer . My last brew day it was about 30 outside . Perfect for brewing . I’m not brewing this summer so I’m getting mine in until it warms up and then quitting till fall.

 

[lschiavo]

I forget what temperature flame freezes at. I've had to snap a few off my cigarette lighter. Don't go below that.

 

[brewcat]

I've probably started at least that low. But chill down was probably in the 20s. I do most things inside besides for bringing strike & sparge water to temp and the boil. So it isn't like I'm outside much. Also have a frost proof faucet.

 

[Jako]

i love to brew in extreme weather. so far this year i have brewed in 20F ish weather and snow 4 times. the only issue so far was wind making it hard to start a boil. but i just built something that has fixed that.

 

[bstacy1974]

Hey folks, I was hoping to brew tomorrow but temps will be very low (10F/-12C) with some wind. I have brewed in freezing temps but never this low. I mostly worry about maintaining mash temps as the idea of reheating the mashtun and constantly stirring to reheat send a shiver through my body. I also have to worry about freezing spigot, hose and chiller. I am brewing a Czech pils and often step mash, another stirring the mash tun.

Who's brewed at these temps? Is it worth it? Currently leaning to putting it off. I hate to do this as I am leaving on Tuesday for a week. Thoughts and thanks for replies?

A big reason to go electric. I regularly brew when its -40 outside, but I'm in my cozy 50F garage.

 

[balto charlie]

Haha, cool. I love stuff like this.

This thread has me thinking, is hot worse. I also golf in Vegas most summers in 110 degree weather. Which is worse? Brewing or golf.

110 sounds horrible for both activities, I would much rather try and stay warm then sitting by a propane burning and sweating.

I never brew in summer, no escaping the heat and basement temps to high to ferment properly

 

[balto charlie]

I forget what temperature flame freezes at. I've had to snap a few off my cigarette lighter. Don't go below that.

I have to think this is the week for frozen flames

 

[balto charlie]

Anyone brewing this week!! I am but inside @ 70F, only 3 gallons though.

I did brew my beer last wknd. I'm glad I waited, temps got up to 40F...perfect. All went as planned

 

[cloudybrewer]

I brewed Saturday night in the garage with the door open. It was exactly 0 degrees when I got done with the boil. Normally I run a garden hose to the garage for my immersion chiller, but chickened out. Instead, I waited about 10 minutes until the kettle was cool enough to touch. Then carried the full kettle down to the basement and used the chiller inside. Could have let the kettle cool naturally, but I just wanted to be done outside. My propane tank was frosting up enough that I could maintain boil, but definitely couldn't have started a boil!

 

[str1p3s]

I installed a shutoff valve in the basement for just my hose so that I could shut if off until just before I need it so I can brew when it's cold. Having said that.... it is 0 out right now (southern Ohio) and I kegged a beer this morning. I had to run in and out of the garage for a few seconds at a time and there's no effing way I would brew today!

 

[kevin58]

I used to look for the coldest day of the year to brew outside in. The lowest I got was single digits. The older I get though the less fun that is so it's been a decade or more since I dabbled in such foolishness.

 

[NewkyBrown]

I brewed a batch on the front porch at -13f last year. There was so much steam it looked like the house was on fire!

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I brew in my garage, but use propane so the door is open far enough that the temps pretty much match outdoors. I mash in a cooler. If I only brewed when it was warm out, I'd only brew 6 months of the year. I've brewed when it was a near blizzard with temps around 5 degrees F. I have a pond pump that I submerse in a cooler of cold water to feed my immersion chiller. Drain to another cooler. That works pretty well.

When it's like that, I'm dressed in winter coat, boots and a hat and I sit pretty close to the boil kettle. I do not usually have an issue hitting or holding mash temps.

 

[Jeremydc]

I brew in my garage, but use propane so the door is open far enough that the temps pretty much match outdoors. I mash in a cooler. If I only brewed when it was warm out, I'd only brew 6 months of the year. I've brewed when it was a near blizzard with temps around 5 degrees F. I have a pond pump that I submerse in a cooler of cold water to feed my immersion chiller. Drain to another cooler. That works pretty well.

When it's like that, I'm dressed in winter coat, boots and a hat and I sit pretty close to the boil kettle. I do not usually have an issue hitting or holding mash temps.

What volume Pond pump do you use for recirculating your cooler water?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

What volume Pond pump do you use for recirculating your cooler water?

It's an Oak Leaf 800 GPH from amazon. About $25.

 

[SnowcreekWI]

I kinda half-brewed outside 2 weeks ago , strike/sparge inside, boiled outside but watched from inside...

 

[Home_alone1]

Cold season is almost over ! 2 more months to brew then it’s fishing to do over the summer !