How's This Cold Weather Treating Ya?

[Batz]

Just having a little colder than usual bit of weather here,so much so that my Ale (in the temp controlled fridge)was too cold to kick off.It was Nottingham that I use at 14C,my fridge sat at 10c without running.
Not a problem of course,as I then used the controller on the heat setting with a 80w light bulb,working away nicely now.
I think it's time to brew a few Pilsners ready for spring.
Just wondering how you guys doing,I am sure it warm here compared to many of you.

Batz

 

[AndrewQLD]

Hey Jeff, I had to do the same this week for my Heffe, 60 watt globe in the fridge and a controller, sitting at 18 as we speak. Winter brewing is great for lagers but a pain for ales.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[dicko]

Hi Batz,
I have the same problem here all winter, in fact I dont run the fridge side of my fermenter fridge, just the light on the heat cycle is enough.
I note that you use an 80w light.
I started off with a 60w bulb and now I am down to 25w and it does the job just fine.
I also dont seem to blow as many 25w jobbies as the 60w ones.
I am not brewing at the moment as we are in the process of moving house and the brewery is in "mothballs"
Cheers

 

[user 1153]

Just wondering how you guys doing,I am sure it warm here compared to many of you.

In Canberra, it was minus 5 last night. We had dinner at some friend's house and when we went out to the car at 9.30pm the windscreen had already started to get ice on it and the roof had a solid layer of ice...

... so yes a little bit cooler than where you are

Having said that, it is an awesome time of year here. Really makes you feel alive. It can be zero degrees in the morning yet the sun is out and you feel warm standing in it.

Also there is very little wind this time of year and it is very very dry (humidity is really really low!!). Awesome.

Makes no chill method work a treat.

 

[mika]

Steam beer !

 

[Franko]

Ive moved all my Ales into my office now, they like it there pitty the missus doesnt
Bad luck I say

 

[NickB]

It's great here in Noosa. The spare bedroom in our apartment is sitting around 16C at the moment, so almost perfect for ales....Will have to get a few more on the go!

Cheers

Nick

 

[Batz]

It's great here in Noosa. The spare bedroom in our apartment is sitting around 16C at the moment, so almost perfect for ales....Will have to get a few more on the go!

Cheers

Nick

Nick I could chuck a wet hop flower from the hill and land it on your roof,well a good throw
It's colder in the mountains mate

Batz

 

[Screwtop]

Been sticking to Lagers for the last 4 weeks, have a new mash tun design to try on wed, direct heated water jacketed base for step mashing without the risk of burning the mash. But can't decide on style due to the weather, jumped to min 13 here for the last couple of days due to cloud cover. Have heaps in the planning but just can't decide, would like to ferment something in ambient on the bench for a change, temp spread 13 - 21 waddaya reckon brewers?

Screwy

 

[devo]

my kolsch,alt and lagers have been loving it.

 

[Darren]

Drinking ale from the fermenter is great in winter. Lagers lagering too is great. Much better than summer for brewing.

cheers

Darren

 

[Tyred]

I put an ale down under the house. I think the maximum temperature it reached was 18C. It seemed to be quite happy fermenting at about 16. I thought windsor yeast wouldn't start so low, but it appears to have finished.

 

[Hargie]

Been sticking to Lagers for the last 4 weeks, have a new mash tun design to try on wed, direct heated water jacketed base for step mashing without the risk of burning the mash. But can't decide on style due to the weather, jumped to min 13 here for the last couple of days due to cloud cover. Have heaps in the planning but just can't decide, would like to ferment something in ambient on the bench for a change, temp spread 13 - 21 waddaya reckon brewers?

Screwy

....i recently brewed an APA , pitched US-05 at 16c and over 3 or 4 days made it's way down to 11c( I'm in Canberra) and stayed there for a week.....super clean, malty, hoppy,stone fruit heaven and the yeast did it easy at those temps ...side by side comparisons with about half a dozen pale ales and it came up very close to a LC Bright Ale....

 

[Kai]

Have an American brown ale sitting in the laundry sink, S-04 is just starting to tingle at 18C.

 

[Rother]

Im lovin the cold weather. Out in my garage its cold enough to get lagers happening... so i got two brewing away right now. And in the spare room, with a heat belt, its the right temp for doing ales... so i got an ale happening there too.

 

[Thunderlips]

I've just been using a heat belt for my ales. I use one belt wrapped around two 25L bucket fermenters.
If I have the belt up near the top of the buckets they sit at around 23C.

 

[blackbock]

My ales have been put on hold until things warm up a couple of degrees at least. It makes sense to brew lagers now, rather than making the brewfridge work overtime in February. Since I have sworn off heating pads/belts I'm just going to be patient - I know in another couple of months we'll have some nice warm days again.

 

[Ross]

Ales or lagers, makes no difference here - fridgemate attached to a heatbelt/mat with the probe in the beer & all is sweet.

cheers Ross

 

[Steve]

Have my kegerator outside under the carport....no need to turn the fridge on at this time of year. Flick it on a couple of times a week for a few hours. The temp of the beer in the kegs keeps the inside of the fridge about 5 degrees.
Cheers
Steve

Edit.....mind you brewing out there is bloody cold this time of year. Wish I had taken a picture last week. Ugh Boots, Beanie, big army jacket, camping chair as close to the kettle as possible.

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Geez Batz,

Didn't take you long to turn into a bannana bender .

I love winter as the malty lagers are getting a fair run in my brewery.

C&B
TDA