Would you brew in the bathroom?

[ILMSTMF]

A replacement faucet is pretty cheap

OK...

especially if you can replace it yourself

Nope!

Recirculation is great for chilling, that's what I do. I first recirculate from a 5gal bucket of water, and save the resulting hot water as my wash water for cleanup.

Similar. Except my supply has always been from the pipes. Now we're talking.

Then I switch to recirculating from a cooler with water and a 20lb bag of ice, which I get for $2 at a local discount grocery.

Incredible price. We got whacked with a hammer for those summer cookouts that call for ice in the cooler.
My plan would be to utilize ice packs and tap water frozen in previously used water bottles. Good idea?

There's nothing special about the bathroom in that regard.

Thank you.

Go for it, as long as your ventilation fan can keep up with the steam of boiling. If not, you could get a steam condenser.

Are any others concerned about the wort steam creating a potential sticky situation in that fan?
The plan would be to create a port in my BK which would allow for a condenser to be used. I have no experience with that device so I've got some homework to do.

Used this for years before I got a upright freezer and temp controller.

That's the plan. Trying to find that upright freezer affordably has been the obstacle.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

OK...



Nope!



Similar. Except my supply has always been from the pipes. Now we're talking.



Incredible price. We got whacked with a hammer for those summer cookouts that call for ice in the cooler.
My plan would be to utilize ice packs and tap water frozen in previously used water bottles. Good idea?



Thank you.



Are any others concerned about the wort steam creating a potential sticky situation in that fan?
The plan would be to create a port in my BK which would allow for a condenser to be used. I have no experience with that device so I've got some homework to do.



That's the plan. Trying to find that upright freezer affordably has been the obstacle.

Check into the Steam Slayer from Brewhardware. But you would need a faucet that would accept an adapter. Back to square one...

 

[ILMSTMF]

Check into the Steam Slayer from Brewhardware. But you would need a faucet that would accept an adapter. Back to square one...

Precisely the device I had in mind. From the product page:

"Install your water source fitting. If you selected the Garden Hose fitting, attach it to your garden hose bib, a garden hose, a slop sink faucet, or a washing machine supply port. If you selected the inline faucet supply fitting, shut off the cold water valve under your sink, remove the hose feeding your faucet and install the inline fitting. Replace the faucet hose on top and turn the water back on to check for leaks."

The closest option would be either the sink supply line or the toilet supply line (that one is actually pretty easy to get to). Unless I'm not understanding something correctly, I might have a solution for that part of the equation.

There are other factors at play for bringing the operation inside, notably, using electric as a heat source. I don't want to get too off-topic though...

Side note - at this moment, I am tickled at the even split for voters in the poll lol

 

[LittleRiver]

...My plan would be to utilize ice packs and tap water frozen in previously used water bottles. Good idea?...

The ability of the ice to cool the water is dependent on surface area, so the much larger surface area of a bag of small pieces of ice is going to be better than large chunks of ice frozen in bottles.

I've tried it both ways. Using bagged ice I never have a problem getting quickly to pitching temp. Using frozen bottles it takes longer, and I can never quite get to pitching temp, requiring use of the fermentation chamber to finish off the chill.

 

[ncbrewer]

Please forgive me for not making this request in the original post - for those saying they would not, is bacteria / contamination the reason? If it is, is there any solid evidence available?

Thank you!

There is an OSHA regulation against having food in a "toilet room". OSHA generally has good reasons for their regulations. Another item: When a toilet is flushed, there is a plume of droplets that rise up from it. For these reasons, and my own feeling that it just doesn't seem right, I wouldn't brew or bottle in a bathroom. And my reason is bacteria/contamination.

 

[LittleRiver]

https://www.today.com/food/5-germiest-places-your-kitchen-how-clean-them-t106971

 

[Brewbuzzard]

There is an OSHA regulation against having food in a "toilet room". OSHA generally has good reasons for their regulations. Another item: When a toilet is flushed, there is a plume of droplets that rise up from it. For these reasons, and my own feeling that it just doesn't seem right, I wouldn't brew or bottle in a bathroom. And my reason is bacteria/contamination.

Where do you keep your toothbrush? And if you close the lid there won't be a plume.
I never brewed in the bathroom but i did keep my fermenters in the tub.

 

[ncbrewer]

Where do you keep your toothbrush?

I'm much fussier about my brewing. I'm a brewer after all.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Precisely the device I had in mind. From the product page:

"Install your water source fitting. If you selected the Garden Hose fitting, attach it to your garden hose bib, a garden hose, a slop sink faucet, or a washing machine supply port. If you selected the inline faucet supply fitting, shut off the cold water valve under your sink, remove the hose feeding your faucet and install the inline fitting. Replace the faucet hose on top and turn the water back on to check for leaks."

The closest option would be either the sink supply line or the toilet supply line (that one is actually pretty easy to get to). Unless I'm not understanding something correctly, I might have a solution for that part of the equation.

There are other factors at play for bringing the operation inside, notably, using electric as a heat source. I don't want to get too off-topic though...

Side note - at this moment, I am tickled at the even split for voters in the poll lol

If you added a 1/2" valve with a 1/4" compression for the supply you could shut it off and coil it up under the sink when not in use. Then run the discharge line in the tub.
I don't know why people get hung up on Brewing in a bathroom. As long as you sanitize before brewing I don't see a problem. It's not like you'll be taking a crap at the same time. Lol

 

[Craiginthecorn]

I fail to see the logic behind a sanitation concern. The wort is being sanitized by boiling and transferred into a sanitized fermenter through sanitized tubing. You can always give all of the bathroom's hard surfaces a spray with a sanitizer like OdoBan in advance. Throw an old towel over the can, if that scares you. Those of you brewing in the garage aren't worried about sanitation?

I have brewed in my basement bathroom a number of times with absolutely no problems. I do this in winter because it's the best place in the house for it, since it has water and a fan. I also use that shower for a wash station for larger items, like my fermenter and kettle. I use camlock fittings on the showerhead so that I can easily swap it for a hose.

 

[ILMSTMF]

I do this in winter because it's the best place in the house for it, since it has water and a fan.

I don't think anyone has commented on my point about bathroom exhaust fan. A veteran here who I have the utmost respect for suggested not to use that exhaust fan during the brew. The caution being that the wort steam contains more than just water. Thus, sticky wort remaining in the ductwork. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I don't think anyone has commented on my point about bathroom exhaust fan. A veteran here who I have the utmost respect for suggested not to use that exhaust fan during the brew. The caution being that the wort steam contains more than just water. Thus, sticky wort remaining in the ductwork. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

I'm not sure there are any sugars in the steam I haven't noticed any in my brewery. As for the ducts it depends on the year your house was built and the codes at that time. My house was built in 1999 and the codes here at that time didn't require ductwork for vent fans they just exhaust into the attic. Not the best idea which is why i don't use them very often.

I use a steam Slayer and I don't feel any stickiness in the exhaust tube nor the head.

 

[jma99]

I brew in my laundry room.
Great deep tub, plenty of hot water from the tap, 220V dryer outlet for my kettle heating element.
I can brew during the LONG Minnesota winter with no fear of dreaded CO!

 

[3 Dawg Night]

• It's spacious and allows isolation from distractions.

This right here was why I was thinking "it depends" before casting my vote.