Snowed in - First Brew questions

[GT_Jon]

I'm snowed in here in Atlanta, so I thought I would kill the time with my first batch of beer. It's a Autumn Amber Ale kit from Midwest. A few questions:

1) The directions call for 1.5-2 gallons. I was able to get 3.5 in so I'm sticking with it and watching the boil carefully. Any harm in extra?

2) Does the boil need to be a rolling boil or will a heavy simmer work? I'm having trouble getting a rolling boil on my old stove.

3) It's currently boiling, is there any hurt in tossing a handful of snow in at the end to start the cooldown?

First beer name: Snowpocalypse Ale

 

[BendBrewer]

1) No, the more the better actually.

2) looks like you got it boiling. Good

3) I wouldn't use snow. Just use cold tap water after you boil as you will need to get it up to over 5 gallons anyway right?

 

[bonzombiekitty]

1) The directions call for 1.5-2 gallons. I was able to get 3.5 in so I'm sticking with it and watching the boil carefully. Any harm in extra?

No, provided you ultimately end with the required volume. It MIGHT turn out a little more bitter though, since more water generally means you'll pull more AA out of the hops, but I doubt you'll notice a difference.

2) Does the boil need to be a rolling boil or will a heavy simmer work? I'm having trouble getting a rolling boil on my old stove.

It really should be a rolling boil.

3) It's currently boiling, is there any hurt in tossing a handful of snow in at the end to start the cooldown?

I wouldn't do that. Lord knows what's in that snow. Use cold tap water instead. If it's still really hot after adding the water, I'd fill your sink with ice water and let the pot sit in that.

 

[Timboosh]

Short answers, but:
1) No.
2) I've always done a rolling boil, but I've got a big arse burner...
3) Yes. Don't do it. Snow looks clean and all, but it picks up a bunch of crap from the atmosphere that you probably don't want in your beer. General rule is anything that touches the wort post boil needs to be sanitized. That said, use all the snow you want on the OUTSIDE of the boil kettle to cool it down.

 

[maxamuus]

1) The directions call for 1.5-2 gallons. I was able to get 3.5 in so I'm sticking with it and watching the boil carefully. Any harm in extra?

Nope but this might be the cause of question number two.

2) Does the boil need to be a rolling boil or will a heavy simmer work? I'm having trouble getting a rolling boil on my old stove.

Rolling boil is best. If you have a BIG pot try to use a full burner and position it so you can use part of another. Next time do less water and it will boil harder. If you enjoy brewing propane burner is the next upgrade. They rock!

3) It's currently boiling, is there any hurt in tossing a handful of snow in at the end to start the cooldown?

I wouldn't, only cause snow picks up a lot of pollution and junk on its way down. Plus no way of knowing what could be in the snow. I treat my wort like its a surgical patient and don't allow contact of any sort with it. I probably go overboard but i have never had a infection yet (knock on wood)

 

[Warped04]

And welcome to the forums!

 

[Delorean1981]

I too just started my Autumn Amber Ale from Midwest last friday. Fermenting lasted 48 hrs nearly, just waiting in the primary now.

Keep in touch, I'd like to see how the same kit ended up half a country away. Brew now, pelt neighbor kids with snowballs later!

 

[glenn514]

Midwest's Autumn Amber Ale was my very first brew, as well. And I do want to brew it again...but there are just so many other brews I want to do!

Ya, stay away from putting snow INTO the wort. OK to use it in an ice bath, but don't actually put it INTO the wort.

Enjoy the addiction, and welcome to this little corner of fun and happiness!

glenn514

 

[brentt03]

I'm snowed in here in Atlanta, so I thought I would kill the time with my first batch of beer. It's a Autumn Amber Ale kit from Midwest. A few questions:

1) The directions call for 1.5-2 gallons. I was able to get 3.5 in so I'm sticking with it and watching the boil carefully. Any harm in extra?

2) Does the boil need to be a rolling boil or will a heavy simmer work? I'm having trouble getting a rolling boil on my old stove.

3) It's currently boiling, is there any hurt in tossing a handful of snow in at the end to start the cooldown?

First beer name: Snowpocalypse Ale

I can comment on the boil, on my halogen stove it took years (or so it seemed) to get a rolling boil, the only way I was really able to do so was to put the lid on, so you may be able to partially cover and start the rolling.....

We are snowed in over in Alabama as well; like the name!! :cross:

 

[jgln]

What is snowed in?

 

[BendBrewer]

What is snowed in?

In Atlanta? Snowed in means there is snow on the windshield with no idea on how to get it off.

 

[Bradinator]

Short answers, but:
1) No.
2) I've always done a rolling boil, but I've got a big arse burner...
3) Yes. Don't do it. Snow looks clean and all, but it picks up a bunch of crap from the atmosphere that you probably don't want in your beer. General rule is anything that touches the wort post boil needs to be sanitized. That said, use all the snow you want on the OUTSIDE of the boil kettle to cool it down.

You know I figured that would work really well too, but I found that burying the brew kettle in snow did not cool it as quickly as an ice bath. I waited for the one of the coldest days (i think it was around -25c, with a wind chill taking it to nearly -40c), whipped up a quicky ale and placed the kettle in the snow to cool it. Nearly one hour later, it was still above sitting way above 45c.

The beer still turned out fine, even though it took almost 2 hours to get it down to temp.

 

[glenn514]

I tried that method [^^^] to cool wort last winter. From what I was told, the space between the kettle and the snow ends up acting like insulation! An ice/water bath would be more efficient than a snowbank, apparently!

glenn514

 

[maxamuus]

What is snowed in?

Ask this question again tomorrow. Looks like 12-14 inches headed your way.

 

[vitrael]

I'm snowed in here in Atlanta

I laughed.

Also, putting snow in beer. Uck! I guess you southern types don't have ubiquitous access to a favorite grade-school experiment here in the midwest: Fill a cup with clean white snow and let it melt. See what it looks like when its done.

 

[ChandlerBang]

I tried that method [^^^] to cool wort last winter. From what I was told, the space between the kettle and the snow ends up acting like insulation! An ice/water bath would be more efficient than a snowbank, apparently!

glenn514

It will only really work if you keep packing the snow in around the pot all while stirring the wort.

 

[mrk305]

They don't have much snow removal equipment in Atlanta. Out here in the 'burbs we don't have any! There are lots of hills, also. Today on the news I heard about a salt truck that spun out in the ice and slammed into the center wall on I285. People were stranded for several hours because of jackknifed trucks. I am not snowed in, but I didn't have to to work today or yesterday. I brewed Monday.

 

[jgln]

They don't have much snow removal equipment in Atlanta. Out here in the 'burbs we don't have any! There are lots of hills, also. Today on the news I heard about a salt truck that spun out in the ice and slammed into the center wall on I285. People were stranded for several hours because of jackknifed trucks. I am not snowed in, but I didn't have to to work today or yesterday. I brewed Monday.

I have family that live in the Pocono mountains region of PA and my cousins grew up there. After college they went to GA to work together in hopes of starting their own business. Anyway, one day shortly after starting there was a snow storm. They got up, got dressed and drove to work. When they got to work no one was there so they called their boss to ask why. He was shocked they were at work, they weren’t. That was actually about 30 years ago but I never forgot the story

 

[bonzombiekitty]

You know I figured that would work really well too, but I found that burying the brew kettle in snow did not cool it as quickly as an ice bath. I waited for the one of the coldest days (i think it was around -25c, with a wind chill taking it to nearly -40c), whipped up a quicky ale and placed the kettle in the snow to cool it. Nearly one hour later, it was still above sitting way above 45c.

The beer still turned out fine, even though it took almost 2 hours to get it down to temp.

That's because the snow ends up acting as insulation. You can use snow, but you need to mix it with water to make it nice and slushy. Essentially you're creating an ice bath, but using snow instead of ice.