I got shut down - no more outdoor brewing

[jacksonbrown]

I got a call from my homeowners association this weekend. In the message the woman says somethign to the afftect of "some people have noticed you brewing... something in the garage. Whatever it is, I think it's probably against fire safety laws and we'd like you to stop."
I called up my local fire dept this morning to get some info, and, indeed, an open flame within 10 feet of a structure is not allowed in a townhome setting like ours. He didn't say it was illegal, but if an inspector saw it they would make me stop.
I do not have a private yard large enough that would keep me 10 ft from a wall or fence, which means I'm moving operations indoors. Which means 2.5-3 gal batches since our stove sucks. Which means my banjo cooker and 20 gallon Blichmann are essencially useless to me until we move. This f'n BLOWS!

 

[caver95]

Land of the Free. Forget them and keep brewing. Do it in the parking lot. Is it in your HOA by Laws?

 

[Jim Karr]

Is there a parking lot, or a common area? I'll make a bet that if you were to share some of your brew with others involved at the townhouse, they'd give their blessing to brewing somewhere else on the property.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

I know this would limit you to days when it's pretty nice outside, but what about your driveway?

 

[IrregularPulse]

Two options,
1) Tell your HO rep that you spoke with the fire department and he mentioned nothing about it be illegal, Then continue brewing until an inspector tells you to stop unless of course that would be associated with a fine.
2) Electric brewing. Sell the blichman bling and buy the ugliest equipment you can make work into electric and brew outside with it playing Bluegrass with your shirt off.

 

[XXguy]

Do they allow people in the community to use Propane grills?

Someone would have to explain to me why a propane buner was more safe attached to an outdoor grill - than to a brewing kettle...... although I can understand they don't want anyone using propane indoors.

 

[RonRock]

May look at going all electric.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I know this would limit you to days when it's pretty nice outside, but what about your driveway?

Most townhouses (That I've seen) have parking lots, not driveways.

 

[jacksonbrown]

Driveway/parking lot is a pretty narrow area that would piss a lot of people off if I were to set up there. They got pissy when we had a garage sale that spilled into that area. Our direct neighbors, the ones we share walls with, don't care. They find it pretty cool, and know another homebrewer in MN. I think the association just doesn't like us very much. They've been giving us a hard time over our dog lately because he has separation anxiety and has a bad day once in a while. At least he doesn't run off leash like some other people's dogs. Grr.

 

[AnOldUR]

I called up my local fire dept this morning to get some info, and, indeed, an open flame within 10 feet of a structure is not allowed in a townhome setting like ours.

I'm confused. Does this mean that you can't use the gas stove top in your kitchen? It's not like you're welding or burning your garbage. I'd look into the exact wording of the ordinance.

 

[SumnerH]

Did you explain to the fire department that you're using a propane burner (explain that it's like a turkey frier so they have a basis for comparison)? The rules are often different for that vs. a campfire.

Should that fail, think about getting an electric burner. That should be fine by fire codes and will let you keep using the Blichmann for big batches.

If you get an okay from the fire dept, I would go talk to the HOA and explain that you're brewing beer (not cooking up crystal meth or something) and that home-brewing is legal in your state. Try to work with them rather than get too confrontational, but be firm in your rights. Bring a printed copy of the state law, but only show it if they ask or if they question your statement that it's legal (you don't want to seem like you came in raring for a bit battle). The WI law is at:
Barleypopmaker - Homebrewing Law in Wisconsin

 

[Schlenkerla]

Per Jim Karr's Comment; I think that is true, try sharing. I'd be wary of open container laws though. See if there is a clubhouse you can use.

If not, make yourself a heat stick or something electric. NO FLAME!!!

Its it any consolation, I do PM's or mini-mashes in a 2 gallon thermos to stay out of Iowa's bitter cold. My mashes are always 4lbs grain then the balance is made up with extract. I get a perfect amount of boil wort. 3 gallons.

• 1 gal dough-in
• .8 gal mash-out (for grain absorbtion)
• 2 gal sparge.

It make a good beer like that of an all grain. I add my extract at the last 10 min of the boil.

Pretty soon I'll be back to lugging out my burner & keggle to set-up my AG brewing system for the coming outdoor season.

 

[SOB]

Close the garage door but leave it open just enough for any fumes to exhaust. If they cant see you then they'll think you have stopped...

 

[DOGBOY]

hi , i dont know the defination of open flame in your by=laws or fire codes
but i think that it means fire as in fire pit or wood fired bbq grill,if you have one of those stoves by kooker or something like that it should be ok, do people around you have bbq grills on their patos? if so keep on keepen on..brew , let them call the fire dept, neighbors dont have any real authority implied or otherwise.to stop you on your property, also you cant store propane inside.....

 

[Boar Beer]

Open Flame ??? mmmmm
Are Barbecue grills allowed?
Then close your burner in with a heavy wire mesh.
Or sheet metal with half inch holes punched in it and rolled to go around your burner
Some thing like that should work
Show the Neighbor that you did something to comply

 

[babalu87]

When are you moving?

You could go electric.

Closing the garage door enough is an option too

 

[Schlenkerla]

You could also surround it (the burner) with cinder block or curved landscaping stone.

 

[TXCrash]

Googlefoo yeilds madison fire code RE: open flame In short, no open flame - including propane or charcoal bbq's within 10 ft of combustible materials, excepting single family dwelings.

I'd still probably tell them to shove it... but that's just me...

Good luck!

 

[rocketman768]

Just do it indoors. I know lots of people who run a tank-fed propane burner indoors for making stews or whatnot (just DON'T fry a turkey or anything indoors). It's not dangerous provided you have a little ventilation and an assurance that nothing will tip the stand over. You can buy a cheap carbon monoxide detector for some assurance.

 

[steelerguy]

Are your outside walls combustible?

 

[Shinglejohn]

I know the feeling, ive have been cited by the association on numerous occasions for working on motorcycles in my driveway, or having my dog out w/o a leash, and parking improperly in my driveway, and having a grill in the front of my house, and having taken up more than my share of parking(3 spots out of 50, there are 15 condos and it was 3 damn hours), and parking my bike in the main lot.

But i am a believer in civil disobedience. And until they speak to me face to face and stop sending letters, i just go about my business.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Buy one of these to stick in your kettle. NORTHERN BREWER: Burners

 

[Brewer_Steve]

I feel your pain.
I used to live in a townhouse and the condo corporation had all sorts of silly rules.
To make matters worse, I had some old crazy neighbors who would call in to make complaints about any violation of the silly rules.

This might be impractical for you, but you could brew at night so that your neighbors are already asleep and can't complain. That's how I had to deal with my hobbies that caused complaints.

 

[Spunkmeyer]

Completely non-helpful to the original poster, but this thread just makes me want to say how ****ty I think homeowner associations are. Usually attracts a bunch of power-hungry losers who have nothing better to do than annoy their neighbors about the color of their landscaping stone.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Completely non-helpful to the original poster, but this thread just makes me want to say how ****ty I think homeowner associations are. Usually attracts a bunch of power-hungry losers who have nothing better to do than annoy their neighbors about the color of their landscaping stone.

Ditto to that. I will never buy into a neighbor hood with one. I understand the idea of them and it is good to help protect property values. But when it get to the point of, "your pavers don't match everyone else.", "you're grass is 1/8" taller than we allow on Thursdays in March", It's some spoiled house wife needing to feel important as head of some worthless committee.

I would look into the exact wording of the laws since they're being a nuisance to you, take it to the word to whether or not it's illegal. Or just go electric. More control anyway.

 

[LandofOZ]

that sucks no grills gas or charcoal, chimineas, smokers, cigerette lighters, ect ect allowed if its got a flame thats a shame

 

[llazy_llama]

that sucks no grills gas or charcoal, chimineas, smokers, cigerette lighters, ect ect allowed if its got a flame thats a shame

You forgot candles.

Seriously, this seems like some serious BS. Sounds like someone saw you cooking something up, and just assumed the worst (meth).

 

[jgln]

I used to live in an apartment here in NJ and I remember being told the law was no flame cooking under an outdoor roof such as a covered deck (obviously indoors too). I am pretty sure that is township law not the apartments.
Sounds like they are picking but probably backed by a law in doing so. I am in an association and man it sucks. I was told I brought the wrong type of trashcans once and many other things like that. Lucky for me I don't live there, just rent it out.

 

[bull8042]

Buy one of these to stick in your kettle. NORTHERN BREWER: Burners

Buy this and stick it IN THEIR WHAT?!?!?!

 

[remilard]

Land of the Free. Forget them and keep brewing. Do it in the parking lot. Is it in your HOA by Laws?

Land of the free indeed. And as such, I assume the OP chose to reside in this residence, subject as it is to restrictions imposed by the HOA and Fire Marshall, as a free man.