Shoulda, woulda, coulda

[joechianti]

I have no problems brewing outside in the winter assuming it isnt crazy snowing or overly windy. It is actually nice to sit outside in front of a boiling cauldron and how well you can smell the boiling wort in the crisp, clean air. Summers can be a pain sometimes but that is when I will switch over to either a saison if it isnt too hot, or simply do a stovetop MrB or other HME batch to keep the pipeline filled. In fact, bottling an old MrB batch a friend gave me today or tomorrow since I just didnt have a whole lot of time to devote out in the cold a few weeks ago. The beauty of choices!

Someday I would like to get the equipment for outdoor brewing. Even if the majority of my brewing was still done indoors, it would be nice to have the occasional outdoor brew with the fresh air, like you describe. We have a long period of hellishly hot months here. Then we have a short period when it's either too cold or too rainy, or both, and definitely too windy. That leaves a few times when you can honestly say it's pleasant to be outdoors. I'd like to have the ability to take advantage of those days, but just not ready to invest in the equipment to be used so infrequently. That day will come, though, and I look forward to it.

[Chuck N]

Not beer related but the home project has been at a stand-still for the last month and a half. I have a second house and garage that sits empty at the time (the house not the garage). I have my wood shop from my divorced days in the garage and I was using the space and equipment to strip and re-use the old trim in the house. (Close to 100 year-old wood. You don't throw that stuff away if you can avoid it. But then the heater went out on the garage and up until this week-end I couldn't afford to replace it. Finally got a new one and the BIL and I put it in.

Now I'll squeeze some brewing time in when I can but I have to work my butt off to try to get caught up on the project. LOML and I - ESPECIALLY LOML - are more than sick and tired of living in a construction zone.

[FedoraDave]

As far as brewing venues, I'll stick with my kitchen. Even though I have to carry a just-boiled five-gallon pot down the stairs to the basement to cool the wort, it would be worse if I had to bring it in from the backyard. Just tougher logistics.

Ideally, I'd like a set-up in my basement for my brewing, or, better yet, a garage or shed set-up like some guys have. But neither one of those scenarios is gonna happen, so I've made the best of my particular situation. At least I get beer out of it, and the 2.5 gallon batches I can chill in the kitchen sink, so it's only every third batch that's a ball-buster.

[joechianti]

My back hurts just picturing myself carrying a 5 gallon pot of hot water down the stairs. You're doing pretty good for an old man.

[BlackDuck]

I'm with you Dave....I carry the pot from the garage to the basement also. And yes Joe, it does suck!!! I put it on the top step, then drop it down one, then I take a step down and repeat until I hit the bottom.

[Beer-lord]

What's a basement? Dig 6" here and you're flooded!
As I get older, I realize just how heavy 5 gallons of wort can weigh plus the added weight of the pot or the carboy.

[mashani]

Carrying 5 gallon thing is why I like to split my 5 gallon batches between a pair of 3 gallon volume fermenters. I fill them in the kitchen, and then I just carry 2.5 gallons down the stairs to the basement at a time.