How low can you go? (outside temps)

[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 !

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I'm brewing this weekend. Looks like Saturday is the best option with a high of 36. I'll be using my pond pump to chill.

 

[Clonefan94]

The lowest I ever brewed was 18 degrees. I brewed in my garage with the door open and the pot right at the edge. With the burner going, temps weren't all that bad for me personally, but any spillage at all pretty quickly turned to ice. So from then on, I gave up brewing if it was under 32 F. I would just watch the 10 day forecast and if I saw any day that was going to be right around 32, I planned a brew.

 

[Hayden123982]

I don't mind brewing in the cold as long as I stay in the garage (out of the wind). Brewed in the low 20s/high teens about 2 weeks ago and had a great time. Garage warmed up to about 35-40 but felt nice sitting by the propane. I just made sure to wrap my cooler w/ a sleeping bag to help hold temp.

One time I made an attempt at brewing outside with similar weather and the wind made it pretty rough. I had to makeshift a wind block to keep off my flame. Took forever to reach a boil that day

 

[SCfb75]

Here is what I’m currently brewing in. At least the steam is keeping my hands from freezing.

 

[Hayden123982]

Should be a quick chill down post boil

 

[WBB]

And this is one of the reasons I bought a Grainfather.

 

[SCfb75]

Should be a quick chill down post boil

Yes it was, the only thing snow is good for