Mashed in 15 minutes ago--Dang, it's cold

[cweston]

I've never brewed outdoors in conditions like this: it's about 15 (but sunny & no breeze, at least)

Chilling is going to be a huge PITA, since I obviously don't want to just let the outflow run down the driveway like usual. I figure I'll fill the wheelbarrow and dump it in the garden beds.

 

[zoebisch01]

*shiver*

Although I love to brew, I don't envy your situation. Yipes. Maybe you could use some pvc pipe to divert the output elsewhere?

 

[Evan!]

I've never brewed outdoors in conditions like this: it's about 15 (but sunny & no breeze, at least)

Chilling is going to be a huge PITA, since I obviously don't want to just let the outflow run down the driveway like usual. I figure I'll fill the wheelbarrow and dump it in the garden beds.

That's what I'm talkin' about. True bloody devotion to your craft. I'm tired of hearing about supposed "brewers" putting off brewing cuz it's "too cold". Put on another layer, *******, and fire up yer burners.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Was planning on brewing today but we're getting the freezing rain you guys just got rid of. Looks like I'll be putting it off till next weekend.

 

[zoebisch01]

That's what I'm talkin' about. True bloody devotion to your craft. I'm tired of hearing about supposed "brewers" putting off brewing cuz it's "too cold". Put on another layer, *******, and fire up yer burners.

lol. I brew inside haha , so I never worry about it. I love making the house smell like malt and hops.

 

[Evan!]

Was planning on brewing today but we're getting the freezing rain you guys just got rid of. Looks like I'll be putting it off till next weekend.

hehe...luckily, the overhang on my roof is like 3 feet. If I sit my burner up close to the exterior wall, I don't get a drop on me. That's actually how I did my first outside brew---in the cold-assed rain.

 

[the_bird]

Was planning on brewing today but we're getting the freezing rain you guys just got rid of. Looks like I'll be putting it off till next weekend.

Feels like late November up here, doesn't it?

I've been doing a hybrid indoors / outdoors brewing. All the mashing is done in the kitchen. It's kind of a PITA because it takes forever for the stove to heat the sparge water, but it'll be fine if I think to put it on as soon as I start mashing. But, I stay warm and dry. Then, lug the keggle right outside to the driveway and do the boil out there. Works great for me.

 

[Orfy]

Let the run of go into buckets and use it for cleaning, works great.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Well I took Evans comments as a chalenge. Just getting ready to mash in. Been beating the ice off of the bushes around the house so I don't lose any. Ah hell, wasn't doing anything else today.

 

[david_42]

Cold is when the (^&&^$%^%#$#@ engine control computer in your van won't boot up! I've had engine heaters before, but the last couple days I've had to put a space heater under the dashboard in the morning.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

Damn, finally warming up, Just in time to cool the wort. Not a bad day after all.

 

[the_bird]

I am so glad I brewed yesterday instead of waiting until today...

Hey 2nd Street, shoot me a PM if you want some company next time you brew - you're more than welcome to set up shop at my place if you want some comraderie.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Eh it's not cold till you get below zero-without the wind chill.

 

[boo boo]

Eh it's not cold till you get below zero-without the wind chill.

And that you can have.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

And that you can have.

You live in Newfoundland and don't like the cold??? Something's not right here.....

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

74F here today, but supposed to get more wintry tomorrow. I usually brew in my garage when it's uncomfortably cold...just run my construction heater as needed with the door about halfway up. Once boiling commences that usually keeps things pretty warm, if not humid.

 

[cweston]

I brewed in the garage, with the service door opened and the window cracked for ventilation.

The upsides: chilling went fast! I didn't even use the pre-chiller coil that I usually use with my immersion chiller.

Downsides: There was so much steam coming from the brewpot at all times that it was very hard to take a thermometer reading (for strike water, etc), and hard even to tell when the wort was coming to a boil and how vigorously it was boiling. (Because of this, I boiled conservatively and ended up with a little more wort than plannned after the boil.)

I couldn't use any outdoor faucet, so all the water had to come from the house. Not too bad, but bad for chilling: I had to run the hose from the laundry room sink.

I brought the mashtun inside (a cooler) so the mash temp would be able to hold better. I even heated the first batch of sparge water inside on the stove. But it was very hard carrying a very full mashtun back outside without spilling.

Anything that got left sitting for very long with liquid in it froze, and I had to bring everything inside for cleanup. (I usually do the big items outside w/ the hose.

As consolation, I hit my collected wort volume and gravity spot on. That's always nice.

 

[boo boo]

You live in Newfoundland and don't like the cold??? Something's not right here.....

Gotta love the global warming/climate change. Kinda got me spoiled, lol.
Wearing enough clothes to look like the Michelin Man sucks.
Then again, I don't like it too hot either. Anything over 75f and it's sweating time. Won't have to worry about that tomorrow as it is supposed to get down to -15c around noon without any windchill factored in.