As the days get shorter and temperatures fall, those of us who take a summer brewing hiatus are dusting off the equipment and gearing up for a great brewing season. And for many, that means getting ready to spend some time outside.
Why do so many of us brew outdoors? Reasons vary from not smelling up the house to enjoying the sunshine. But for most of us, it’s all about not suffocating when you take up all-grain brewing. Huh? Here’s the logic.
- Whereas extract brewing often relies on boiling a concentrated, small volume of wort, all-grain brewing requires boiling the full batch size. That batch volume varies from brewer to brewer, but 5 gallons (19 liters) is probably the most common. Accounting for evaporation, that means starting with at least 6 or 7 gallons (22.7 to 26.5 liters).
- Most kitchen stoves simply don’t put out enough heat to bring 5+ gallons of wort to a rolling boil in a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, going all-grain typically means finding a larger heat source.
- An economical and readily available heat source is a propane burner of the type normally associated with parties that involve turkeys, crabs, or crawfish.
- Propane combustion releases carbon monoxide, which is dangerous to human health. Using propane indoors means having an adequate ventilation system.
- Most of us don’t have such a ventilation system, so outside we go.
Q.E.D.
Brewing outdoors on a crisp, calm autumn morning is a joy. Brewing outside during a blizzard, however, is not. Here are a few tips for your outdoor brew day.