[dmtaylor]

I resemble the Friar; however, I am not the Friar.   

[Jeffinn]

I set out to make enough beer this summer to hold me over for the winter months. That didnt work out (i think alot of my beer evaporated, i couldnt have drank it all!).
Luckily, its been extremely mild here in Michigan this winter. I was able to brew four batches of beer over the Thanksgiving holiday and could use the outside hose for chilling because nothing is frozen yet.
Its not that I'm against brewing in the winter, its just that my old bones prefer the milder weather. And its nice to be able to use my chiller without a bucket and a pump. Looks like I may be able to squeeze in a few more brewing sessions before it gets cold!

[jimmykx250]

I brewed every weekend in October and two were 8 gal batches so i have a nice stash, but it wont last so im getting another in this weekend. Seems like i brew more in the cool months starting in october. I do have a heated garage so that helps. summer brewing is nice but I cant keep it cool enough.

[beersk]

I resemble the Friar; however, I am not the Friar.   

I've always been wondering, too, if that was you or not. Now we know!

I love winter brewing. No bugs, cold tap water for chilling, boiling warms up the house...it's great. Plus I can ferment at ambient temps for ales and leave my fridge for lagers. Since I don't do much for ales anymore, that isn't as much of a concern, but it's still nice to have the option. I keep my house pretty cool in the winter months.  It's 64F inside right now and about 30F outside.

[jeffy]

Seem like a cold front is here now.  It's 61F.

[factory]

I always forget the extra little pains of brewing in the winter. Its been hitting 15° every night for a while. Hoses frozen, pump frozen, had to use rv tanks because my little 5s frost up too quick. Can't hold mash temp with my yoga mat coozie, so relearning how much flame to hold temp on recirculation. Fun times

Yoga mat coozie?  Do you use it on a cooler or do you use it on a metal heated kettle?  My mash tun is a Blichmann BoilerMaker that is directly fired.  I'm wondering if I were to use a yoga mat, if it would melt?

[klickitat jim]

I always forget the extra little pains of brewing in the winter. Its been hitting 15° every night for a while. Hoses frozen, pump frozen, had to use rv tanks because my little 5s frost up too quick. Can't hold mash temp with my yoga mat coozie, so relearning how much flame to hold temp on recirculation. Fun times

Yoga mat coozie?  Do you use it on a cooler or do you use it on a metal heated kettle?  My mash tun is a Blichmann BoilerMaker that is directly fired.  I'm wondering if I were to use a yoga mat, if it would melt?

It was in the Zymurgy gadget issue a couple years back. Unfortunately I dont have a photo in my tablet right now. Its like an upside down foam pot that I built which after ive shut of the flame, I slide that down over the stainless mash tun. In summer I dont need it, fall and spring it holds temp, in winter I dont use it and simply run a low flame with my recirculation going.

[brewinhard]

My kitchen, February 7.  Five gallons.  Three kettles.  It works.  Plus, the snow makes for a very cheap and easy chiller method.

Funny, I had always thought that Dave's picture was of the Prince of Thieves version of Friar Tuck, but its really you?
EDIT: I thought that because of your quote. I'm still 50/50 on this, not sure.

TOTALLY!! Me too.  Had me fooled as well. 

[narvin]

It's funny, I couldn't wait to get out of the kitchen in my early brewing years.  Now that I go outside with propane, pump, 20 gallon kettle, etc, I really just want to brew in the kitchen anytime the weather is below 50.

[Stevie]

Hate to rub it in, but this is the weather I have to look forward to starting next month.

[beersk]

That's perfect, Steve. I love brewing in those temps. That would be autumn here in eastern Iowa. But brewing in the kitch is totally awesome too. Perfect weather year round.

[brewsumore]

I guess we all get used to working within the annual range of temps and other seasonal factors that impact our brew sessions.  I've always loved winter brewing.  Brewing in winter in Spokane, WA outside, in my situation I keep an eye on weather reports and brew on days above freezing so no frozen hoses or creating a skating rink. 

Luckily I have a very good LHBS so no worries about frozen yeast in the mail, etc. and an advance call to him ensures he will add any liquid yeast order needed if he doesn't have it in inventory.

The best part here is very little in the way of airborne particulate and no bugs, and the very cold ground water temp that makes chilling 11 gallons a breeze with my immersion chiller.  Also it's a source of activity and getting out of the house.  I don't mind dressing more warmly to adapt to a little chilly weather.  Still, I must admit that the couple winters I lived and brewed outside in more temperate Maryland made winter brewing a milder, more relaxed, obstacle-free and sometimes spontaneous experience in comparison.

[toby]

I brewed yesterday in my garage.  It was about 26 degrees...Celsius.  Muggy too.

[BrodyR]

For some reason this winter has felt like a wet, muggy spring in Philly so far. Think we only had one brutally cold day.

[erockrph]

For some reason this winter has felt like a wet, muggy spring in Philly so far. Think we only had one brutally cold day.

Same here in southern New England. We went for a walk around the neighborhood on Christmas day after dinner, one of us in shorts, and all remarked how it was colder on Halloween when we took the kids trick-or-treating.

Pretty cold today, though, and the first snow is expected tonight.