Suggestions for cold weather brewing

[Lurpinator]

So, I have a nice new propane burner, but the problem is it get's cold quick here in Utah, but I still have to brew in the winter, so what do I do. I have attempted to brew on my glass-top range and it can't even bring 3 gallons to a boil. . So, do I risk CO poisoning in the open garage, or figure out something else? Any suggestions?

 

[BigKahuna]

if your garage is open....you're not going to die.

Hell...BierMuncher brews in his basement! :rockin:
and I brew in the kitchen with a burner....Not recommended, but I know the risks.

 

[user 22118]

Kinda ghetto here, but I was in upstate New York for Turkey day a few years back and there happened to be a snow storm. Temps down to about 19 and big ol' flakes just coming down. Like 6 inches in a day.

Anyways, we decided to do a deep fried turkey, so pulled out the burner and put the pot on top, lit it up and then grabbed a piece of fiberglass insulation that went from the ground up to the handles on the pot. Wrapped it around the pot with the fiberglass part facing the flame (as it is a fire retardent) and then just used some bailing wire to hold it in place.

That was the greatest tasting deep fried turkey I have ever had!

 

[bringitonhome]

how do you guys run your chillers in the winter? Don't you turn your spigots off from inside so the pipes won't freeze?

 

[Short Drive]

EdWorts Recirculation Chiller

 

[FSR402]

how do you guys run your chillers in the winter? Don't you turn your spigots off from inside so the pipes won't freeze?

I brew in my front garage and I have both hot and cold water taps.
I did a brew this last winter when it was -12*F. That was damn cold and my water lines on the brew rig kept freezing up so I would use my map gas torch to melt them.
As for the chiller I uses a CFC and I can't run the worth thru fast enough so I have to turn the water way down.

 

[faber]

Just brew outside. I do. I only hang out there with it when the hot break is coming up and every hops addition.

Then I bring it inside and just run my immersion chiller off the sink.

On the other hand, it's fun to hang out there in my Carhartt onesie and drink some beer on a nice winter night.

 

[Wables]

In the winter I bring buckets of water out, and run my IC with my March pump fed with cold water from the HLT. I add snow to the HLT to get the temp down as much as possible. After I hit about 120 degrees, I start to recirculate the cooling water back to the HLT which I keep topping off with snow.

One other thing to consider is that a horizontally mounted March pump with the inlet at the bottom will freeze up in the winter. The pump cavity stays about 1/3 full.

 

[BrianP]

I brew in my garage with the door open. I hook my IC to my normal outside hose, and just 'winterize' it again after I'm done.

 

[EvilTOJ]

I just brew outside like normal. What, it doesn't stay at 50º and drizzly all winter long for you?

 

[bradsul]

Just make some ugly junk to keep your kettle out of the wind and snow and you're good to go. Here's some brewing the Canadian way.

 

[sparkyaber]

I am thinking of doing my first AG beer very soon, everything is ready, except the daily high temp here in Minnesota are struggling to make it into double digits. It is about 10 below everynight.

Question is this, what is the effect on the mash tun an HLT water temps with the ambient temp so low. I am using the two cooler method. I have a 10 gallon Mash tun and a 9.5 gallon HLT. Will I be in trouble trying to keep the temp up in mash? Should I wait for spring? I do have a torpedo heater for the garage, but it stinks and is very loud.

Thanks

 

[Parker36]

heatstick?

 

[alpo]

CO2 is significantly heavier than air. If you have the garage door open, you aren't going to die. Imagine if you had the garden hose in your kettle and it was overflowing with water. The CO2 is basically going to do what the water does. Run down the kettle, onto the floor, spread out across the floor and pour down the driveway. If there is a path for it to spill out, it isn't going to rise up. Though I wouldn't recommend taking any naps on the floor.

 

[SSRider]

CO2 isnt a concern, Its CO thats the worry, but Im sure thats what you meant. I brew in my garage also, just leave a bit of the door open and keep an eye on the flame. There are propane heaters for shops that are nothing more than a turkey fryer with a shield around it. You just need to make sure your not choking the flame and its nice and blue.


Here is one

 

[sparkyaber]

What is a heat stick? I am thinking keeping the garage about 40-50 degrees, will I have a problem holding the temp in my mash?

 

[pen25]

I just use my nat gas ventless heater in the garage and brew there. keeps it a nice toasty 65 if i need it or warmer.

 

[The Pol]

I just brew in my garage...

It is always a balmy 50F in the winter, regardless of the temp outside. When I boil I crack open a window, and the grage door to get some cross ventilation.

Soon I will be able to run my HERMS on electric alone, and I can close up the garage completely!