Natural gas and other questions

[Freshness]

I need some advice. I've been brewing for about a year now in the kitchen. I do full-wort boils in a 9 gallon kettle using two gas burners on our vintage 1953 Wedgewood stove. I can get 7 gallons to a full boil in about 30-40 minutes. It works great, but brewing in the kitchen is only a temporary situation: I need to build up a system in our basement/garage.

Note: I say "basement/garage" because it is the same space. The garage is under our house. The garage floor is about 5 feet lower than the sidewalk at the front of the house - you have to drive down a short-but-steep incline to park in the garage. Because of this incline I can't use the driveway to brew outside. The best I can achieve is to set something up at the garage's entrance and open the garage door for ventilation.

I do extract only (plus steeping grains) for now, but plan to move to all grain once I move to the basement/garage.

I was hoping to setup at the back of the garage near my utility sink. However I'm a bit concerned about ventilation for CO and for water vapor. So, I think need to build a brew sculpture that can be wheeled around to near the garage door.

Evidently natural gas will be the way to go here. I'll have to plumb a gas line to the front of the garage, and attach it using flexible gas hose and quick-disconnect system. Is this possible?

Any comments or suggestions?

-Ray

[Mylo]

They say not to do all grain inside, unless you have one of those mongo "Dr. Scott" hoods.

I think that you'd be fine if you wheeled your sculpture next to the door and you kept your batches to 10 gallons or less and your burners below 100k BTUs. That's just an estimate. Use your best judgement.

What about the back yard? I'd feel much safer out there. Although I keep my sculpture in the garage - I haul it out to the back porch when I brew. I have a 3 tier gravity system that breaks down into a 2ft X 2ft X 8ft space. I does have wheels, and I can wheel it out to my driveway - but the backyard is much more chill (tunes, sink, kegerator full of homebrew )


Mylo

[Freshness]

They say not to do all grain inside, unless you have one of those mongo "Dr. Scott" hoods.

Yeah, a fume hood may be an option. Where can I get info on fume hoods?

What about the back yard?
Mylo

I've thought of that but there's no easy way to wheel the structure into the back yard. Another possibility was to build a brew shed in the back yard, but then I'd have to run plumbing and electricity out there. Possibly gas too.



-Ray

[macgruffus]

Evidently natural gas will be the way to go here. I'll have to plumb a gas line to the front of the garage, and attach it using flexible gas hose and quick-disconnect system. Is this possible?

I'm building a new house right now and am planning something similar. The wife gave me the whole basement (now known as the "Man Cave") for brewing, etc. I'll have a separate brew room with a double stainless steel sink and lots of storage, a cold cellar for storing beer and fermenting (the back half of the basement is all underground), a back deck for brewing and a large pubroom with TV, darts, bar and taps. I'm planning on having a natural gas line plumbed in right outside the brew room so I can haul the system out on the dec, hook it up and start brewing. No more worrying about running out of gas mid-boil. I'm meeting with my builder tomorrow to talk about some of the details.

David

[Mylo]

With plans on moving in the next year, I have also been thinking/dreaming of a well designed homebrewery. Sometimes when I find myself fantasizing of huge conicals, serving tanks, and a gycol cooling system - I find my pants off, around my ankles, etc.

Here are my requirements:
High capacity >= 20 Gal.
Minimal lifting - 2 pump system - CIP
Temperature control for fermentation and cold storage.
Year round cold water...
Floor drain

and since I am a tinkerer - some level of automation.


Mylo

[mfischer2]

I think a propane burner right next to the edge of the garage door with a box fan to circulate air is just fine. My driveway is sloped (up towards the garage) and so my garage is the only flat place to use for me. My deck is on the Northside of the house and the winter glacier has begun (those in Colorado will know what I mean).

[Freshness]

I think a propane burner right next to the edge of the garage door with a box fan to circulate air is just fine. My driveway is sloped (up towards the garage) and so my garage is the only flat place to use for me. My deck is on the Northside of the house and the winter glacier has begun (those in Colorado will know what I mean).

Propane is heavier than air, so your setup is fine since any propane leaks would presumably get pushed out by the fan down your driveway.

In my case, natural gas is the better choice since it is lighter than air and my driveway would act to trap any leaked propane in the garage.

-Ray