Anybody use bottled water instead of boiling the additional 2 gallons when brewing?

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james138

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For my first two batches I made, the two additional gallons I had to add came straight from the tap. I've since realized that is supposed to be boiled. I don't really want to take the extra time to boil and then cool that extra water, so I was just wondering if anybody has any work arounds, like using bottled water, or if that's a no no. Thanks!
 
I wouldn't worry too much about just using straight tap water or bottled water. Yes it's an extra precaution to boil it, but the infection concerns are minimal. If you're doing partial wort boils, an easy thing to do is to put 2-3 gals of water in the freezer when you start brewing. Let it get cold enough where it's just starting to form ice crystals, but don't freeze it. Pour 1 gal of water into your fermenter bucket. Pour/strain/siphon the hot wort into the fermenter bucket. The top off with more cold water. Cools the wort to pitching temps every time.

And yes, you can use just about any water you would by at the store for extract brewing as long as it isn't flavored or carbonated.
 
I always had good tap water (no chloramines or chlorine issues), so I never boiled my top off water. But if your water doesn't taste great, or you have chloramines or chlorine in the water, using bottled water to top off with (and to brew with) is great.
 
Thanks, I'm guessing you just go to the grocery store and just pick up the gallons they have there, correct?


That gets expensive as they typically charge .99 / gallon for the single gallon size you find in the water aisle.

Do you have a Super WalMart near you? Mine has a Culligan Spring water machine in it and I bought Three 3-gallon jugs and refill them at the machine in the store. The charge for that is .27 cents per gallon.

They have bigger jugs but I like the 3-gallon size as I can easily lift them in and out of the cart. :mug:


ETA: I use bottled water because I live on the Gulf and have a very high salt content in my tap water.
 
I have pretty decent water in my area, but it does have a little chlorine/chloramine (never bothered to check which, but I can taste it's got one or the other), and worse, my house has old cast iron pipes. Not enough to stain, but enough I don't like drinking it.
Since my remedy for that was to get a water delivery service, I just ask for a few extra 5 gallon jugs every month beyond my expected use. Costs a little more than filling stations, but I don't have to lug it in, and I always have a rack of water in my house.

Plus, having lived in areas with the occasional hurricane/massive snowstorm and losing power and or water service, it feels good to have an extra supply anyway.
I highly recommend distilled, and the trace mineralized distilled if the water company offers it.
 
I've used tap water straight from the faucet for a dozen batches with no issues. Plus it airates the wort!
 
Our tap water pretty much sucks.... and VERY hard.
We use bottled water all the time. I will say this:
Make sure you are actually getting a full gallon!!
(or KNOW what you are getting in the bottle so you have enough)
The Deer Park "gallons" are NOT a gallon!

I like the Culligan suggestion, I'll have to see if that's available in our area.
 
When it comes to measuring the water I never trust those jug sizes. Since I use the 3 gallon jugs, measuring out gallons and half gallons was not easy.

I solved this by going to my local restaurant supply store and buying a 4 qt. (1 gallon) liquid measuring pitcher:

measure_pitcher.jpg


This way I can measure gallons, half gallons, etc. accurately. Honestly I bought a lot of my brew stuff at the restaurant supply store. It's easy to get carried away in there with all the great stuff they have.
 
Thanks guys for all your help. I don't really have a problem with chlorine or hard water, could I just fill up or top off my batch with the tap water without boiling it? It sounds like some of you,don't boil your tap water.
 
Thanks guys for all your help. I don't really have a problem with chlorine or hard water, could I just fill up or top off my batch with the tap water without boiling it? It sounds like some of you,don't boil your tap water.

Absolutely, as many of the posts here already noted. People get way too stressed out about tap water IMHO. Public water supplies in the U.S. and Canada are mostly free of bacteria and should have very little residual chlorine at the tap. If you haven't had any quality issues so far,don't sweat it.:)
 
Just for the record, I have always used the gallon jugs of spring water to top off. However, the last batch I used the gallon jugs of distilled water. Have to wait and see.
 
I do this because it's relatively cheap and I can stick them in the freezer before topping off so it speeds up the cooling process. Works great.
 
My house has a well, it's shallow (50 foot), it never looks bad (dirty, or cloudy) smells or leaves heavy deposits on my fixtures, but I don't drink it. I shower in it, I wash my clothes and dishes in it, but I don't drink it. And I don't brew with it. I buy spring water, .99 cents a gallon, I know its sterile because they pasteurize it with ultra violet rays, I don't trust my well, and for 5 or 6 bucks wouldn't trust a municipal water supply, not that either one isn't fine, it probably is. IF beer is 99% (or so) water, I'll spend the extra $5. Which I probably save by buying the dry yeast instead of the liquid
 
I was getting Giant Eagle spring water for 79c per gallon. I've boiled with & topped off with it. And just topped off with it. Top[ping off only with it did taste a bit better...def a difference. When it gets really hot around here,the chlorine in the water makes it taste like flat,weak Alkaseltzer. So spring water top off def makes a percievable difference to me. The yeast need some of the trace minerals in the spring water,so that makes some bit of difference.
 
IF beer is 99% (or so) water....

I never understood where people get this 99% water thing.

Most beers are between 3-4% ABV on the very low end, and upwards of 10-12% on the high end.

It's a small math quibble, but it irks me.
 
I always use spring water. I figure with all the work and cost that goes in an extract kit, the extra $3 for the non-boiled water is a small price to pay. Just my $.02.
 
Just for the record, I have always used the gallon jugs of spring water to top off. However, the last batch I used the gallon jugs of distilled water. Have to wait and see.

Won't make much difference.
 
Some local breweries may have a water supply that they will allow you to purchase water from. I've been told that the Grain Belt brewery here in Minneapolis sells 5 gal jugs for pretty cheap. Something like $3.50 per jug. But to save the hassell you can just grab 5 gal of spring water from the local grocery store. Boil 2.5 gal for your wort and add the other 2.5 gal once you put the wort in the primary. No need to boil the other 2.5.
 
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