Brewing with tap water -- from the HOT faucet - Page 2

**LibertyBrewer** · 11-28-2008, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmb

I voted never, but that is based on my situation.

Extremely hard water in this area. So hard it eats the anode rods in water heaters within a year or two and gives an odd smell to the water of sulfur. Common practice by plumbers to remove rod whenever possible and run without. Add to that the minerals collected in the hot water heater from the heating process in a hard water environment and that's two strikes.

Since the well water is so hard, we have a water softener. This is hooked up to my hot and cold water except I have a non-softened cold run to the kitchen sink and my brew sink. Brewing with hot softened (salted) water doesn't sound like a great idea to me.

So I use cold and never hot. YMMV but I find that my cold (58*F) water warms up within 10 minutes on the burner.

Certain Pilsners like soft water.

**Bernie Brewer** · 11-28-2008, 10:26 PM

I said weeellll.......

If you have a softener, then your hot water is prolly soft, and I don't use soft water. In my new digs, I have no softener, so I go for the hot water tap.

**conpewter** · 11-28-2008, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernie Brewer

I said weeellll.......

If you have a softener, then your hot water is prolly soft, and I don't use soft water. In my new digs, I have no softener, so I go for the hot water tap.

Well soft water is not an issue, it is water that has gone through a water softener (which adds way too much sodium to the water).

You should add brewing salts to soft water though to match the style you are brewing.

I don't think you should use water from the water heater since I do like to use a carbon filter, but I think if you are doing extract that it would be just fine as long as you put a little potassium metisulfate in to knock out the chlorine/chloramine.

**BeerCanuck** · 11-29-2008, 03:27 PM

I am currently using my hot water tap mainly due to the time saving benefit.
The sediment from the hot water tank is partially filtered by the grainbed when mashing I believe.
I am currently researching a point of use tankless electric water heater for brewing. Does anyone have such a system that they could recommend?

Cheers
BeerCanuck

**FlyGuy** · 11-29-2008, 03:59 PM

I have been eyeing those up, too. They would actually get around most of the problems that people are mentioning here (i.e., you could get around sediment concerns and you could filter the water before heating).

mew · 11-29-2008, 05:53 PM

The hot tap should usually not be used for drinking purposes because it leeches metals from your plumbing into your water. In new houses, this won't be much of a problem, but in old houses you could get higher amounts of lead and other bad things.

**Kugster** · 11-29-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bernie Brewer

I said weeellll.......

If you have a softener, then your hot water is prolly soft, and I don't use soft water. In my new digs, I have no softener, so I go for the hot water tap.

I don't know how true this is...but, I heard that a proper soft water system should NOT be hooked into the hot water tank due to the fact of the salt?? Again...this may be BS?

**mmb** · 11-29-2008, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LibertyBrewer

Certain Pilsners like soft water.

But not salted water out of a residential water softener.

I use 50/50 distilled/spring water for Pilsners.

**EvilTOJ** · 11-30-2008, 07:26 AM

I brew with water right out of the hot tap with no flavor problems at all. Saves a good forty minutes off my brew-day too, since it starts out at 120º out of the tap.

billy915 · 11-30-2008, 08:40 AM

I never use hot tap water for my brew; on the other hand, i do use hot tap water for my one step sanitizer. Would anyone consider that a problem?

View Poll Results: Should you brew with tap water from the HOT faucet?
Sure, why not!	56	39.72%
Never!	58	41.13%
Welllllllll, that depends....	27	19.15%
Voters: 141. You may not vote on this poll

11-29-2008, 03:59 PM	#15 (permalink)
FlyGuy Señor Member Recipes Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 2,882 FlyGuy's Gallery BLOG ENTRIES: 9	I have been eyeing those up, too. They would actually get around most of the problems that people are mentioning here (i.e., you could get around sediment concerns and you could filter the water before heating). __________________ Cheap 10 gal cooler MLT • $3 Autosiphon • Aluminum Pot FAQ • Easy Steam Injection Mash System • Make a Frozen Yeast Bank

11-30-2008, 07:26 AM	#19 (permalink)
EvilTOJ Imma chargin mah lazerz Recipes Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,668 EvilTOJ's Gallery	I brew with water right out of the hot tap with no flavor problems at all. Saves a good forty minutes off my brew-day too, since it starts out at 120º out of the tap. __________________ There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

11-30-2008, 08:40 AM	#20 (permalink)
billy915 Junior Member Recipes Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 15	I never use hot tap water for my brew; on the other hand, i do use hot tap water for my one step sanitizer. Would anyone consider that a problem? __________________ Primary: Franziskaner Hefe Weisse Secondary: Conditioning: 6 malt amber ale Drinking: Oktoberfest, Belgin Wheat, Rye Ale, German Altbier

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11-29-2008, 03:27 PM	#14 (permalink)
BeerCanuck Senior Member Recipes Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: St Catharines Posts: 448 BeerCanuck's Gallery	I am currently using my hot water tap mainly due to the time saving benefit. The sediment from the hot water tank is partially filtered by the grainbed when mashing I believe. I am currently researching a point of use tankless electric water heater for brewing. Does anyone have such a system that they could recommend? Cheers BeerCanuck

11-29-2008, 05:53 PM	#16 (permalink)
mew Senior Member Recipes Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 713	The hot tap should usually not be used for drinking purposes because it leeches metals from your plumbing into your water. In new houses, this won't be much of a problem, but in old houses you could get higher amounts of lead and other bad things.