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.
Watch the weather.
Modern weather forecasting is reasonably reliable for a period of up to five days. Take advantage of it and choose your brew day accordingly.
Start early.
Brewing is just more difficult after the sun goes down: It’s harder to locate equipment, it’s easier to trip over hoses and cords, and in the winter, it gets cold fast. So get an early start to stack the odds of a great brew day in your favor.
Have a wind screen ready.
Some outdoor burners have wind screens built in, but wind screens don’t always come standard. Some homebrew retailers sell special-made screens, but a short section of round metal duct pipe or folded sheet metal can work well, too.
In case of spiders, have a spider.
Brewing outside means there’s plenty of potential for various “additives” to work their way into your boiling wort. From leaves and dog hair to bees and, yes, spiders, you’re almost guaranteed to gain a little bit of local terroir that just can’t be replicated indoors. To facilitate removal of uninvited guests, keep a spider or large slotted spoon around. These are available at many kitchen supply stores and Asian groceries.
Take advantage of the garden hose.
The garden hose is good for far more than running the wort chiller. A good nozzle with a power wash feature makes quick work of dirty brewing equipment. If you live in a cold climate, this may not be an option between about November and March, when your faucet is likely turned off.
Spending time outside is one of my favorite parts of brewing. And with a little planning and the right tools, I hope it will become one of yours, too.