Who uses garden hose water to brew?

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reuliss

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I recently finished a brew stand that will allow me to move my operations from my kitchen to my backyard deck. I'd like to fill my HLT with water from my garden hose. Anyone else do this without issue (or for that matter, anyone do this WITH issue)? I ask because I know garden hose water can have a detectable flavor and I'm sure there's bacteria in there, but those buggers will get killed off I'm sure.
 
reuliss said:
I recently finished a brew stand that will allow me to move my operations from my kitchen to my backyard deck. I'd like to fill my HLT with water from my garden hose. Anyone else do this without issue (or for that matter, anyone do this WITH issue)? I ask because I know garden hose water can have a detectable flavor and I'm sure there's bacteria in there, but those buggers will get killed off I'm sure.
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I wouldn't use a regular garden hose. Not just because of the possibility of off flavors but, regular garden hoses supposedly produce cancer causing chemicals. They make "Drinking-Water-Safe" hoses. I use mine exclusively for brewing (filtered of course). I drain the water out and hang it up out of the sun when I'm done.
 
I use one but it is a Goodyear hose. I can't tell a flavor difference between it and straight from the tap.
 
I use the white "RV Camper" hoses with a copper shutoff at the end to get water from my laundry room to my garage for brew day...works like a charm and cheap also
 
I've been using my garden hose for all of my brews and none of them have had any off taste or anything of the like. I'm going on 8-10 batches of doing it that way too.

I'm not too worried.
 
25' drinking water hose (Walmart)

Camco RV in-line water filter (also Walmart)

Works for me.
 
I use bottled water, but when I have had to use the tap to meet volume, I undo the water hose and collect straight from the tap.
 
any hose will get you 'hose water taste' if you let the water sit. I use a 6ft hose for brewing and I hang it up to dry after use.

The water from the hose bibb is the same water that comes out of your kitchen faucet and in your toilet.


I apologize if you already know this.
 
You want to run a lot of water through it before use, water the garden, fill the rain barrle, wash kids, do what's ya gotta do.
 
I use a garden hose too. I've been thinking about getting a dedicated hose for brewing though. The RV hose is a good idea.

Bacteria pre-boil isn't an issue, because... Boil.
 
My LHBS put together a beverage grade hose for me (clear) w/ std. Brass faucet fittings. It's dedicated to just my brewing. I use a water filter w/ filter cartridge to fill my BK/HLT.
If were to change anything I'd opt for the high pressure beverage hose so that I could have a shut off valve at the filter.
 
regular garden hoses have lead in them, read the label. Get yourselves a RV/ Marine hose, they even say "Lead Free" on them. OBTW....lead is tasteless

photo.jpg
 
California thinks everything has lead in it. I melt down wheel weights to cast into bullets, I've never had lead in my blood levels increase. Although I am not allowed in the state of California, if I go in I have to where a tag. "This person may contain high levels of lead".
 
Yes, garden hose water will show traces of lead...IF...the hose is left full of water in the hot sun for hours...

This test really does not represent the condition a brewer would use at all.

Sure it's personal choice, but the risk is way overstated IMHO.
Uninformed paranoia I call it...
Cheers
 
I've been using a garden hose for all my beers for years and have no issues and brew award winning beers so IMVHO if the water tastes fine all is good...

I don't let water sit in the hose and I allow it to run until its cold before I use it as well
 
I use a Camco RV inline filter on my garden hose. I do let the water run for a few mins before filling my kettle.
 
I've used the cheapest hose available at Lowes for all my brews. I do employ common sense in the form of flushing the hose out well before running any beer-water.
 
Inkleg said:
Hate to break it to you but lead does have a sweet taste to it.
That's why the Romans drank from lead cups and kids liked to eat paint chips.
Click to expand...

During the Roman Empire, Romans had a approximate life expectancy of 22 to 25 years. Of course, some of that is skewed by the eaten by lions deaths. :)
 
my past few brews have been from a garden hose with no off flavors. But i think i may want to buy a RV hose just to be safe.
 
I'm fairly new to brewing, but I've been using regular garden hose with a carbon filter on the end. I need 100ft of hose to get to the building where I brew. I'm going to run a hydrant over there and will probably switch to white rv hose when I can get by with 25ft. Drinking from the end of my filtered hose the water tastes great so I figure the beer should be fine. I haven't tested it or anything beyond the taste test. For a beginner like me I think I have bigger things to look at besides the hose.
 
hunterlab said:
But i think i may want to buy a RV hose just to be safe.
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Be careful driving to get the RV hose, the car ride to the home center may be more inherently dangerous than drinking from the garden hose...

Just kidding around, I need to get a short length of hose, I may as well get a potable one...carrying 10 -15 gallons of brewing water from the spout to basement brew rig is getting old!

I'm off to check out Ebay so I can avoid the dangerous car trip to Lowes.

Cheers!
 
wilserbrewer said:
Be careful driving to get the RV hose, the car ride to the home center may be more inherently dangerous than drinking from the garden hose...
Click to expand...

I know what you I always seem to walk out with more than I intend too!
 
I use a garden hose for my brew water. It's a 25' hose hooked up to a carbon filter. I also flush the the hose and filter with the tap water for about 30 seconds before filling my HLT. I also disconnect the hose and don't allow water to sit in the hose between uses. I also have very soft, neutral pH water that isn't as conducive to leaching chemicals as some waters.

From everything I've read and understand, the problem of leaching comes from when stagnant water sits in the hose for long periods of time between uses, especially when exposed to outdoor temperatures typical of summer time when hoses are used more frequently.

Also, yeast is great at absorbing heavy metals like lead (from pvc hoses and some plumbing) and copper (from chillers) that may be present in the wort.
 
Heading to Wal-Mart today to check out the RV hoses... I have been using a wagon to cart my keggles back and forth from the garage to the house. Its getting old.
 
I use a blue potable water hose from WalMart ran through a filter. My beer tastes just fine.
 
You're all doing it wrong. The only way you'll get a well developed hose and lead flavor in your beers is if you do a 45 minutes hose-stand after flameout. This will extract the most possible lead and that distinctive rubber hose character.

There are a couple different techniques you can use.

If you have pumps and all that, just recirculate your wort through the hose for 45 minutes after the boil has finished. If you can't do that, just submerge the hose in the wort after the boil is done. Be careful to put the hose in the kettle slowly, so you can make sure the wort fills the entire hose.
 
That is damn funny: 45 minute hose-stand!

My housemate just offered me his old RV hose the next time he goes to his storage unit. So, problem solved.
 
DogFace_Brewing said:
I use the white "RV Camper" hoses with a copper shutoff at the end to get water from my laundry room to my garage for brew day...works like a charm and cheap also
Click to expand...

What kind of shut-off do you have? I tried a couple of 3/4" valves from HD but none of them fit right. Using the RV stuff from Wally World as well.
 
PackerfaninSanDiego said:
regular garden hoses have lead in them, read the label. Get yourselves a RV/ Marine hose, they even say "Lead Free" on them. OBTW....lead is tasteless
Click to expand...

I'm 95% sure the lead is contained in the brass ends of the hose. I'm an engineer in the rubber industry and can't think for the life of me why they would add lead to either a rubber or PVC compound.

PS, the majority of plumbing fixtures sold before March of this year also contain lead.
 
jhoyda said:
I'm 95% sure the lead is contained in the brass ends of the hose. I'm an engineer in the rubber industry and can't think for the life of me why they would add lead to either a rubber or PVC compound.

PS, the majority of plumbing fixtures sold before March of this year also contain lead.
Click to expand...

I'm an engineer in the rubber industry: Insert pre-teen snickers....
 
Seriously though. I use a well used hose for brewing. I have not noticed any major off flavors. If I'm measuring out specific volumes, I use a pitcher and fill in the kitchen.
 

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