Question re topping off water for partial boil

I think I can get a full boil going in my pot, but in the event that I can't, do I need to boil the topping off water that goes in the fermenter, or can it just come straight out of the tap?

You're best bet is to use water that you know is clean and uncontaminated with possible bacterias. Many folks will boil and cool their top off water separately while others will grab it straight from the tap.

Personally, I used bottled water straight from the jug on my partials.

I topped off with straight tap water for 5 batches and did not have any problems.

IMO, infections are more likely to come from airbourne particles or poorly cleaned and sanitized equipment than from city tap water.

From what I've read, if you boil it then you need to aerate the cooled-but-not-pitched wort because some/all of the oxygen will have been boiled off. I've used storebought water for my two beers so far, because I'm paranoid and don't want to mess up my early batches, and boiled water for my cider.

DaveGerard said:

I think I can get a full boil going in my pot, but in the event that I can't, do I need to boil the topping off water that goes in the fermenter, or can it just come straight out of the tap?

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Welcome to the forum. Of course i don't know what your brewing set-up is, but if you want to do a full boil, you can do it in two vessels. They will also cool faster, if you are using ice water bath to cool. then just syphon them both into your fermenter.

My brewing set up is gonna be my turkey fryer pot and burner, and then 5 gal fermenting bucket. I believe I can get the whole boil in there, but if not I plan to use some top off water and maybe get a gallon jug of water from the store and freeze it, to help cool the wort. I have a big slop sink in the basement, but I will be cooking outside and I see plenty of potential disaster in trying to get the full pot inside and down the narrow stairs. I figure chucking a gallon of ice in the kettle is simpler. Since NYC tap water is known to be very clean (I know, surprising right), I think I am going to chance it and just freeze a block of it in a sanitized milk jug.

I'd say that it's always best to either boil and cool water that you're going to top off with, or use spring water. Since I can't ever remember to do either of those, I always end up using tap water to top off should I need to.

i use tap water every time. helps to aerate the wort and allows me to brew in my tiny kitchen. i've never had a problem using tap water.

I have used bottled water straight out of the jug for all of my brews with no contamination issues.

Another tap water user, though it actually runs through the filter in my fridge first. Never had a problem. I sanitize a few gallon jugs and fill with water the day before brewing and let it chill in the fridge, then that gets me down to pitching temperature a lot faster.

Cool, good to know before I dropped a royal bacteria bomb into the wort or something.