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It's snowing where I live. Are there any risks involved with boiling my wort outside, when snow can enter the boiling pot?

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You'll be fine, as long as there isn't some obvious source contaminating the snow - like if it's actually falling off of a tree or roof and not coming directly from the clouds. Snow is basically freeze distilled so it's pretty clean.

I suppose if it's coming down very hard and several inches of snow fall in there it could it could dilute it a little bit, but I don't think you would taste the difference; it would be like adding some distilled water to the boil, I'm guessing it would be like a cup or two.

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  • Perfect, just what I needed to know! It may have just been me going crazy in the cold, but I found that I could prevent my wort from boiling over by adding in small amounts of snow periodically. I missed my target gravity by a certain degree, but as long as it turns out fine, I'm happy. Thanks!
    – Bucket
    Commented Feb 13, 2014 at 3:52
  • I have done this and the only real problem I've had is getting a good rolling boil - but that is really a function of temperature, not snow so much.
    – Wyrmwood
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 20:39
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The only thing I could see happening is the ability to give it a really cool name like

Snow Balls Ale,

or Blizzard Stout,

or Black Ice Lager or something

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  • 4
    I went with "It's Snowing, My Power Went Out, And I'm Freezing My *** Off Out Here; Why The **** Am I Doing This Porter."
    – Bucket
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 21:11
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    Short and Sweet
    – Ugly Dude
    Commented Feb 18, 2014 at 21:39

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