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Do you brew in your garage?

Northern Brewer General
#1

So, a straight-up question—especially for Minneapolis-area homebrewers—do you brew inside your garage?

Background:
I live in a single-family house in a suburb of Minneapolis, and no joke, I was approached by a fire official (fireman?) in an official fire vehicle and told that what I was doing was essentially illegal, and that I’d have to shut it off or move it (perhaps up to 25 feet away from any structure).* I do have an intimidating-looking brew stand, but it was at the cusp of my garage, right where the garage door would be, but inside just enough to keep the weather from affecting my setup.

I took a look at the official fire code, which appears to be a wholesale adoption of the Minneapolis fire code, and IMO it isn’t clear at all. I figure the individual was (a) probably ignorant of what was actually going on there, perhaps thinking I had a giant pot of cooking oil and was making turkeys, which of course would be super dangerous; or (b) unfortunately aggressive in his interpretation of the fire code.

*the good news (?) is that I reached the 60-minute mark on the boil while the fire official was standing right there. :?

#2

In my garage, with the door wide open, on a turkey fryer every time. Granted, I do keep a fire extinguisher in the garage anyway, so I could sit with that in my lap if I were paranoid. There’s very little traffic on my street, so nobody’s ever stopped and asked. I’m guessing they thought you were deep frying or something.

#3

I brew in the garage too and I’ve had the po-po drive by a few times real slow but never stop. I never thought about burning down the house. I do have all the safety essentials though. Fire extinguisher, water hose, CO detector, common sense, etc.

#4

Yep, I brew in mine all winter with the door open a foot or so. In the summer I have it wide open if I’m forced to brew in there. Since when is it illegal to use your garage how you see fit as long as you take care. I would have told him to prove it to me :slight_smile:

#5

Wife said to just leave the garage door down and open the window & doorway on the opposite side of the garage. lol.

#6

Winter and summer, overhead all the way open - but I’m in sunny Chicago

#7

[quote=“harpdog”]Winter and summer, overhead all the way open - but I’m in sunny Chicago
[/quote]

I saw your extract stout post/picture on the other thread; your placement at the edge of your garage is exactly where my setup is/was placed.

#8

I brew in mine as well. I’ve never had anyone stop, but many drive by slowly with very curious looks on their faces. This seems to increase when I chill using my 50 ft copper IC haha.

#9

If I had a garage that is where I would brew. I do have one of those garage in a box shelters that serves as my brewhouse in the winter. This last brew I did right on my deck.

Burner was elevated on cinder blocks and I checked the temp of the plywood everything was on top of very frequently…never got about barely warm.

#10

I brew in the garage in Hammond IN with my son, he’s a Chicago firefighter and he has never given us a citation. Maybe just lucky?

tom

#11

Always in the garage, close to the outside but far enough in to keep out of the rain. I have closed the door to about one foot open then open the walk through and smaller bay door to block the wind or cold. No one has ever said a word about it. I also have a fire extinguisher on hand. The garage is perpendicular to the street though so it may not be as obvious. In winter brewing is off because we escape to somewhere warm and I can’t drag enough stuff along.

Our town seems to have a lot of rules so it wouldn’t surprise me if it is not legal.

#12


http://s794.photobucket.com/user/dennyconn/media/DSCF0015.jpg.html

This at the back of the garage. Large sliding door opens at the front. I also have a CO detector and a fire extinguisher handy. I’d recommend both of those for anyone brewing in the garage.

#13

I brewed in the garage today. Here is a shot as I was running through the twin CFCs and into the fermenters. I brewed 22 gallons of Denny’s Rye IPA.

#14

Some day, I’ll have a garage, and I’m going to brew in it. Until then, I’ll just enjoy the weather when I brew.

#15

Just getting started, my ex-wife used to brew and did it inside on the stove, I was planning to do the same. Is the allure to using the garage or outside vs inside the house, for accidental boil overs and the smell?

#16

[quote=“wmwadeii”]Just getting started, my ex-wife used to brew and did it inside on the stove, I was planning to do the same. Is the allure to using the garage or outside vs inside the house, for accidental boil overs and the smell?[/quote]Yes many things actually for all grain. The heat from the burners, the mess, smell etc. extract brewing is ok in the house.

#17

Gotcha :cheers:

#18

Curious as to what suburb? Always brew at edge of garage with door mostly open and have had some cops creep by. Have a Brewtus 10 style setup, so people take a second look. As others have said I have a fire extinguisher nearby.

#19

Don’t forget with those big burners the carbon monoxide. You really need the ventilation. It still doesn’t hurt to have a detector out there.

#20

My CO detector always showed 0.00 until one day when I was trying out a larger burner. I was down in the basement getting some hops from the freezer when I heard the loud alarm. Came upstairs and it was reading 348. It scared the crap out of me. It was the middle of the winter and I had all the doors closed. oops! Lesson learned.

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