First batch - should I boil the water?

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AntComo

AntComo

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Hi guys!

I'm about to start preparing for my first batch - a Coopers Pale Ale kit.

Now, originally all my research involved EG kits with a boil. However this one is simply done in the fermentor so no boil needed.

I'm thinking though, is it risky to use tap water without having boiled it first? Should I maybe boil it before letting it cool (or cooling it with the wort chiller) before putting it in the carboy? I can't put hot water in the carboys anyway, and warming it to the recommended 30 or so degrees seems like a big bacteria risk as opposed to boiling it and letting it cool down.

Thoughts?
 
Your water will probably be fine because all the chlorine they put in ensures it has many times fewer bugs than, say, bottled water from the supermarket. But the chlorine can create bad tastes in the beer and a way of seeing that off is … boil it! Many of us use half a crushed Camden tablet (metabisulphite) to neutralise the chlorine.
 
I read that if you put the of water in a container and leave it overnight, the chlorine evaporates out.
But the chloramine stays put, however.asad.
 
Our water comes from a spring here in the mountains that is maintained by a large mineral water company. We have long suspected that the tap water is almost identical, but I'm not sure of the mineral content.

It's great water, let's give it a go...
 
Brewed_Force said:
I read that if you put the of water in a container and leave it overnight, the chlorine evaporates out.
But the chloramine stays put, however.asad.
Click to expand...
"Leave it overnight" was a recommended way of getting the chlorine out. Even when I began brewing which was … never mind, it was known chlorine didn't make for good beer. I didn't know about metabisulphite back then (apart from use as a steriliser).

When they decided to put chloramine in UK water I guess that's when we started using metabisulphite. I don't think my water supplier uses chloramine, but I do know my water authority will use it.
 
Brewed_Force said:
I read that if you put the of water in a container and leave it overnight, the chlorine evaporates out.
But the chloramine stays put, however.asad.
Click to expand...

Your assertion is pretty accurate, chlorine is much less stable than chloramine, which will endure in the drinking water for longer. Hence chloramine is typically used in supply networks in which the furthest delivery point is a long way from the treatment works.

BTW, United Utilities do not add chloramine to any drinking water. Certainly not in Liverpool!
 
AntComo said:
Our water comes from a spring here in the mountains that is maintained by a large mineral water company. We have long suspected that the tap water is almost identical, but I'm not sure of the mineral content.

It's great water, let's give it a go...
Click to expand...
In other words it's untreated?
Our water supply is from a spring on the mountain above us - great water but even if making a beer kit I have to boil it first unless I want to end up with a bucket full of vinegary snot. Speaking from experience.
 
Cwrw666 said:
In other words it's untreated?
Our water supply is from a spring on the mountain above us - great water but even if making a beer kit I have to boil it first unless I want to end up with a bucket full of vinegary snot. Speaking from experience.
Click to expand...

Interesting! I guess I hadn't thought much about it...

It's alpine spring water that is (presumably treated and) bottled at the factory and then shipped out to shops all over Italy and Europe.

The spring itself is maintained by the same company, but whether this means they treat it or simply monitor it I don't know.

Presumably it's not 'treated' as such and should be au naturale, but safe (and great) for drinking. I hadn't thought about the effect this could have on the beer... I guess we'll see.

In future, and especially if there's an issue, I'll boil first.
 
AntComo said:
Hi guys!

I'm about to start preparing for my first batch - a Coopers Pale Ale kit.

Now, originally all my research involved EG kits with a boil. However this one is simply done in the fermentor so no boil needed.

I'm thinking though, is it risky to use tap water without having boiled it first? Should I maybe boil it before letting it cool (or cooling it with the wort chiller) before putting it in the carboy? I can't put hot water in the carboys anyway, and warming it to the recommended 30 or so degrees seems like a big bacteria risk as opposed to boiling it and letting it cool down.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

If the tapwater is fine to drink, and doesn't smell suspicious, it should be good enough. And when in doubt, by 10 liters Tesco el cheape still water in those .5 liter bottles and mix the water with the tapwater. The plastic bottles are usable for.. well, beer. And you can fill them with water, freeze them and use them to coldcrash before bottling.
 
AntComo said:
It's alpine spring water that is (presumably treated and) bottled at the factory and then shipped out to shops all over Italy and Europe.
Click to expand...
If you are in the EU the quality of drinking water is rigorously controlled, and to all intents and purposes is sterile as it comes out of the mains tap. Otherwise I'm with @GerritT i.e. 'If the tapwater is fine to drink, and doesn't smell suspicious, it should be good enough'
 
terrym said:
If you are in the EU the quality of drinking water is rigorously controlled, and to all intents and purposes is sterile as it comes out of the mains tap. Otherwise I'm with @GerritT i.e. 'If the tapwater is fine to drink, and doesn't smell suspicious, it should be good enough'
Click to expand...

I'll stick with tap.

Obviously now my first batch is in the tank it's when, not if I open a brewery, so I'll wait and see if the 'alpine water' thing is good for business :laugh8:
 
I've been brewing for a short time, say a few months. I have never boiled my tap water. But then all the kits I have brewed have had boiled wort which means that any nasties that could go into there will die instantly. Would I use cold tap water for a brew, well given that I will be this week the answer is yes.

I can also confirm that the tap water in Liverpool is just fine - no chlorine smell/taste. All of my brews have come out fine, save for either the odd mistake which we all make from time to time. And there's never been any vile smell coming from my beer either. You will in time experiment with the limits of what you can and can't do despite the advice given here. Sometimes you will get away with things, others you wont ;)
 
Cwrw666 said:
In other words it's untreated?
Our water supply is from a spring on the mountain above us - great water but even if making a beer kit I have to boil it first unless I want to end up with a bucket full of vinegary snot. Speaking from experience.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I used to live on Skye, with an untreated water supply from a overground burn (with sheep & cows in close attendance!). I now live in SW Scotland, with a water supply direct from a small river via a hydroelectric plant. No idea how many brews I've made in this time - must be 50? Nearly every one has been partial boil with a top-up of untreated water to hit the required volume. Not one has had any infection. When we moved to our house near New Galloway, it had a water purification system with a 2-stage filter and U/V steriliser. That is now in the garage. It's cheaper to use bottled water for drinking, and my expectation (from the experience on Skye) that the beer would not be adversely affected has proved true (so far!)
 

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