Immersion Chiller Leaked Into My Wort

I just finished brewing up a Double IPA. The process went off without a hitch until I hooked up my immersion chiller. I always wrap some paper towels around the fittings to catch any stray drops of tap water. It started off fine and I went upstairs for 5 minutes or so to start cleaning up.

When I came back down to the basement, I noticed that the chiller had been leaking into my wort from one of the fittings. I quickly shut off the water and tightened the fittings, which stopped the problem. However, some tap water got into the wort and I'm not sure how much. The towels soaked up a fair amount and it wasn't pouring out, but I live in Chicago and the tap water has some chlorine in it. I use bottled water for my brews, but I'm wondering if the pint or so (?) of tap water will affect the taste of my brew, or if any chlorine in the water will affect the yeast.

Not much to do about it, but I'm wondering if others have had this problem and how your beer turned out.

I pint in 5 gallons probably won't affect much. I wouldn't be worried about it.

I've used some questionable chlorinated water in plenty of brews, and as long as it's hopped to hell or kinda dark, it works fine. with lighter colored low abv brews, it's been horrible, but that was using all water. one pint shouldn't do anything.

I have had that happen a few times. I was worried when I first started brewing, but I have never had ANY problems with a small amount of water getting in the wort.

When that happened to me, I got a spoiled batch of beer. However, my case was different, as I was pumping water from a bucket of ice water that wasn't too clean. The pressure popped the hose off and it pumped a bit into the wort when it was closed to fully cooled. Anyway, I learned to make sure to fasten everything down well. My guess is that you are fine if it was just tap water. Many who do partial boils are dumping tap water into the wort without problems.

Happens quite often with my commercial chiller, even after tightening the clamps. Haven't had any off-flavors/infections pop up as a result.

Mt first immersion chiller was one of those cheap ones with plastic hose clamped to the copper. Needless to say on about my 6th batch or so the plastic hose came off and when I came to cheak on things, my kettle was full of very clear clean water !!!!!!!!!!!! Lesson learned, You get what you pay for.

I agree with the sentiment here. Your beer will be fine. If you can drink your tap water then it won't hurt your beer.

This happens to me almost everyother brew, i jsut need to remember to tighten the clamps on my immersion chiller before i turn it on and im fine. I have never had an infection. I use all treated city water (except for my current batch in primary where i got the water from a local artesian well) so i cannot comment on any flavors due to chlorine, flouride, or other things added to municipal water supplies.

I used to use Chicago municipal water for my entire brew, both extract and AG. You'll be fine. I NOW use bottled water for my brews, because I don't like the taste of Chicago water in my beer, but I made many, very drinkable, good 5 gallons batches using only Chicago water. If only a pint or so got in, you won't notice a thing.

DRoyLenz said:

I used to use Chicago municipal water for my entire brew, both extract and AG. You'll be fine. I NOW use bottled water for my brews, because I don't like the taste of Chicago water in my beer, but I made many, very drinkable, good 5 gallons batches using only Chicago water. If only a pint or so got in, you won't notice a thing.

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Thanks. It's chugging away right now quite happily. I don't really know the water profile in Chicago, but I can taste the chlorine/chloramines very slightly in a glass of tap water. I've only brewed with bottled water, so I was just wondering.

Yeah I live in chicago too and also have a leaky fitting on my immersion chiller. I get water in there regularly. I try to keep it to a minimum but it happens. I feel like I've made some solid beers even with the water. I wouldn't worry.

Wicker Park here. Been brewing for 8 months with water right out of the tap. Of course it gets boiled in the kettle, but have never had any problems with the water. My airlocks leak into my primaries all the time too for some reason, and no trouble at all..

Actually used to use bottled water but got tired of paying for 6-7 gallons of it every brew day..

You'll be fine

:rockin:

lol I've seen people do no boil extract beers where they pour their water straight from their taps. lol. I think you'll be fine.

I just built my own IC. I made sure that I bent the tubing so that all connections are outside and below the lip of my kettle. That way, even if I have a leak, any water drips outside the brew.

pksmitty said:

I just built my own IC. I made sure that I bent the tubing so that all connections are outside and below the lip of my kettle. That way, even if I have a leak, any water drips outside the brew.

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I wish I would have made a different design, but I used Bobby_M's design from youtube. It seems pretty solid and I plan on using some copper wire and more solder to make it more sturdy eventually, but that's in the future. I'm always paranoid about leaks, so I pressure test it every time.