I have a question. I may not be able to brew anything at the apartment complex that I live in, but my parents live 10 minutes away. I’m thinking about brewing there and bringing the wort home to ferment. Will traveling with the wort ruin it? Can I pitch the yeast before bringing it home or should I wait the 10 minute drive… If even advisable.
Thanks
I don’t think it will make a significant difference whether you pitch before or after you travel. You can do whichever works best for you.
Do you have a way to control your fermentation temps in your apartment? If not, you may be better off just leaving the whole thing in your parents’ basement.
I agree with this. Pitch the yeast wherever you have the stuff to do it, but make sure it is at the right temperature and will ferment at the right temperature. That’s much more important than a 10 minute shift either way in pitching yeast.
I’d pitch when you get home. And as long as you have a way to keep it from spilling, hit some bumpy roads on the way home. It will be a nice little 10 minute aeration.
I’ve brewed at friends houses a few times and brought the wort home. It is just a little extra aeration. Make sure the container is secured well in your car or you’ll have wort all over the place. And if it is glass - DON’T have someone hold it between their legs.
I wait to pitch yeast when I get home whenever I’m not brewing at home. I can’t control the fermentation temperature until I get home; often it’s a 30-40 min drive and sometimes it may sit for an hour or so before I’m on the road. Never had any issues.
I will add, again, that I almost always wait 12-24 hours to pitch yeast. This is because my tap water can only get the wort down to about 82 degrees in a reasonable amount of time and the ferm fridge can drop it the rest of the way. no problems so far. traveling with the wort should also be totally fine.
If you’re moving a glass carboy I STRONGLY recommend that you have it in a plastic milk crate. At a minimum.
Obviously, you want it secured and what not so it won’t tip but the crate is good protection against anything banging into it.
I do it every single weekend. I dont have a garage currently(thats gonna change in 2 weeks! :)). But I brew out at my uncles house. I use Better Bottles and Glass carboys. I put them in the back surrounded by the 5 gallon water jugs I use to fill with water on the brewday. These go in the back of my Jeep and the water jugs support the bottles and prevent them from falling over.
I get the carboys home, put them in fermentation chamber, cool to pitching temps, and usually aerate and pitch the next day. been doing this for almost 2 years now, with no infections, broken jugs, spilled wort or any of that.
Famous last words 
Just kidding but I knocked on wood for you.
I would wait till I got home to pitch as well. I agree the minimal aeration during your drive isn’t an issue and you should protect your carboy to avoid breakage and a mess. If you pitch before your drive, I would be more concerned about the effect the sloshing will have on the yeast as they’re starting to get situated in their new environment.
I know of at least one brewpub chain that does it (Granite City) although the process is supposedly patented (heh). Anyway, I’ve driven wort across town before. I’ve also waited a good 12 hours to pitch, especially with lagers.
I will travel home with the wort, then pitch. I will have a chest freezer with a temp controlling my garage to control the fermentation temps.
Thanks for so much input. I’m looking forward to brewing my first batch.
Yes! And a milk crate is much more stable too.