[hghume]

I'm a newish brewer, about a year now. Moved to all-grain recently and have a set-up out in the garage. I currently or have used a copper wort chiller attached to the outdoor hose and let water free flow into the yard.  Now it's super cold, snow on the ground and can no longer use outdoor hose. I have a laundry tub that I used when doing extract brewing that I attached the copper wort chiller to and let water free flow around the pot into the drain. 

Here is my dilemma? My all-grain brew pot is too heavy (doing BIAB) with full volume to bring into the house, carry (slosh) down a flight of stairs and put in the laundry tub. It fits, but barely. I realize I might just have to deal with it, aside from installing a sink/tub into the garage (which is a future option, but a little spendy).  I could use natures cooling and plunk in a bank of snow outside but snow isn't that deep yet and that still takes too long, could put in a large tub of ice water outside or in the garage but that still will take longer than I would like to cool.

Suggestions? 
Thanks!

[reverseapachemaster]

What's stopping you from thawing out the hose?

[hghume]

What's stopping you from thawing out the hose?

Good question - I guess it's not about the frozen hose so much as it is using the outdoor water spout through the winter. Could buy a new hose as well. I am no looking forward to shoveling a path each brew day to get to the outdoor faucet through the winter and it get really cold here. Right now, not a big deal - thinking ahead.

But you have a good point - simple is generally the answer. We usually completely shut off the outdoor water supply in the winter but it's not necessary.

[archstanton]

It is not a problem at all to let nature drop the temp for you over a few hours or even overnight.

[quattlebaum]

Same issue in my part of the world, Idaho Falls Idaho. I will occasionally run a hose out from my kitchen sink to the garage:) I bring the hose in a day or 2 before and put it in the tub. Kinda messy but hey all in the name of brewing.  The winter is the only time i slow down on brewing mainly because its just to damn cold. Woke up to -4 in my garage last week. 
Funny thing is i attempted to brew on that day with running the hose from the outside and when i straightened it out it blew up in my garage ! crazzzzzzy froze instantly

[JT]

A 10 gallon vessel to hold water and a submersible pump like this one will solve the problem.  Fill the vessel with water, run a hose from the pump to your immersion chiller.  Run the "out" hose back to the vessel or even out to your yard.  Adding a big bag of ice and fresh cold water to the vessel after knocking the temp down to 120 or so helps speed the process up. 
You'll probably end up ditching the garden hose method for the water savings from recirculating.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Superior-Pump-1-4-HP-Submersible-Thermoplastic-Utility-Pump-91250/204589831?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CPnyj8ivj8ICFQwPaQod9ysAOA&gclsrc=aw.ds

[hghume]

A 10 gallon vessel to hold water and a submersible pump like this one will solve the problem.  Fill the vessel with water, run a hose from the pump to your immersion chiller.  Run the "out" hose back to the vessel or even out to your yard.  Adding a big bag of ice and fresh cold water to the vessel after knocking the temp down to 120 or so helps speed the process up. 
You'll probably end up ditching the garden hose method for the water savings from recirculating.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Superior-Pump-1-4-HP-Submersible-Thermoplastic-Utility-Pump-91250/204589831?cm_mmc=Shopping%7cBase&gclid=CPnyj8ivj8ICFQwPaQod9ysAOA&gclsrc=aw.ds

Great ideas everyone. Appreciate it.  JT - I actually already have a submersible pump nearly identical already - as a pump to dump the water in the hot tub.
I'll give this a try!

[hghume]

Same issue in my part of the world, Idaho Falls Idaho. I will occasionally run a hose out from my kitchen sink to the garage:) I bring the hose in a day or 2 before and put it in the tub. Kinda messy but hey all in the name of brewing.  The winter is the only time i slow down on brewing mainly because its just to damn cold. Woke up to -4 in my garage last week. 
Funny thing is i attempted to brew on that day with running the hose from the outside and when i straightened it out it blew up in my garage ! crazzzzzzy froze instantly

I'm in Minnesota - I insulated the garage this fall and installed a small garage heater. I works great, except we park the cars in the garage so every time we open the garage to leave and come home - all the warm air goes flying out.  All that I ask is the garage stays above about 30 degrees or more, so far so good. It's been cold for this time of year already, but not -4 in the garage! That happens a little later, but hopefully with all the insulation added this year it won't be as bad.

Stay warm!

[JT]

Hghume - I may be reading your post wrong but I'm concerned.  Are you opening the garage door while running your burner?

[BrewBama]

It is not a problem at all to let nature drop the temp for you over a few hours or even overnight.

I brewed Tues and had a frozen hose. I simply left the fermenter bucket outside until it was at pitching temp.

[klickitat jim]

I place hose in spare bathroom tub approximately 24 hrs prior to the commencement of brewing. But only when temps are below freezing, so about November though February

[JT]

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, which can cause sudden illness and death.  It is produced any time a fossil fuel is burned.   You need to open the garage door if using a gas burner out there. 

[hghume]

Hghume - I may be reading your post wrong but I'm concerned.  Are you opening the garage door while running your burner?

JT - I have the garage open about 1 foot while running the burner. I also have a CO2 detector in the garage. No worries!

[JT]

Hghume - I may be reading your post wrong but I'm concerned.  Are you opening the garage door while running your burner?

JT - I have the garage open about 1 foot while running the burner. I also have a CO2 detector in the garage. No worries!

Great!  I know it sucks having it open even 1 inch when it is super cold out, but better safe than dead! 

[jimmykx250]

It is not a problem at all to let nature drop the temp for you over a few hours or even overnight.

I brewed Tues and had a frozen hose. I simply left the fermenter bucket outside until it was at pitching temp.

How long did it take to get to pitching temp doing this?