Using Bottled Water

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chiefbrewer

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Hey guys. I've been away for awhile...had to sell all of my brewing equipment...but times are better, and I'm ready to hit it again. I have been re-visiting my former brew day procedures and trying to fine tune them. I have been beaten to death with the idea that you HAVE to boil all the water you use before you put it in the fermentor...but I have seen that several on this board use bottled water to top off their stovetop batches...what is the consensus around here(if there is one) concerning that? Can you assume that bottled water is sterile enough to add to your wort post boil? Thoughts?:mug:
 
I use bottled water and top off with it post boil without a problem. Never even considered it being an issue. I'd be interested to hear other opinion on it and if there are any horror stories out there though.
 
I don't know who's beaten you to death about boiling your water, OR using bottled. I've said it over and over, unless there is a boil water advisory in your area, then you don't NEED to boil your water. If your tap water tastes good enough to drink, it's good enough to brew with. Though some choose to boil to get rid of the chlorine, plenty of other people don't. This like many other aspects of this hobby, is really a matter of preference. I've never pre-boiled my water, I'm going to be boiling my water in my wort, so there's no logic to me in doing it.

Same with bottled. Some swear by it, but it's really a matter of preference, and to me it's a waste of money.
 
I've used bottled spring water(2.5 gallon jugs) with no ill affects. I didn't boil any of it except what was used in the wort, I also found that with the 2.5 gallon jugs that you can place them in the freezer and use them to chill down the wort in small batches without a wort chiller or having to submerge my primary fermenter in ice/water/salt for to long...
 
Revvy said:
I don't know who's beaten you to death about boiling your water, OR using bottled. I've said it over and over, unless there is a boil water advisory in your area, then you don't NEED to boil your water. If your tap water tastes good enough to drink, it's good enough to brew with. Though some choose to boil to get rid of the chlorine, plenty of other people don't. This like many other aspects of this hobby, is really a matter of preference. I've never pre-boiled my water, I'm going to be boiling my water in my wort, so there's no logic to me in doing it.

Same with bottled. Some swear by it, but it's really a matter of preference, and to me it's a waste of money.
Click to expand...
I was referring more to boiling the water you are going to use to top off your wort when you can't boil a full 5 gallons in the kitchen.
 
chiefbrewer said:
I was referring more to boiling the water you are going to use to top off your wort when you can't boil a full 5 gallons in the kitchen.
Click to expand...

I've NEVER EVER topped off with boiled water. And NEVER had any problems with it. Nor have I bothered with bottled for that as well.

Again, it is one of those "matter of choice" brewing things. Do it if it makes you feel better, or don't, but it's not Mandatory to making great beer. (Very little is mandatory in this hobby.)
 
I've never boiled either. When I was doing partial boils I used the technique described above. Using the bottled water to chill your wort. It was by far the best way I had found to chill the wort for partial boils. I actually works better than a wort chiller for partial boils. After a while I just started cooling down tap water. I'd just sanitize old water jugs and fill them with tap water. I cap them and let them cool in the freezer for a couple of hours while I was brewing. It was cheaper and I never had an issue.
 
The water here is so nasty, I cannot drink it. I use a Brita just to boil my pasta -

that said, I spring for spring water on beer days. Yes, it is an extra expense (sigh) but it's not worth ruining a batch. So how's the water in Flowery Branch?

welcome back to your hobby!
 
if I use bottled water, I go for Nestle's I think it is called "lifewater" it is only $0.50/gal. and it has nutrients added back into the water, perfect for brewing.
 
If your water tastes fine your probaby allright just using the tap. If your worried there are companies you can send your water to and get an analysis. or for the extra 5 bucks you can buy the bottled stuff.

Maybe try the same recipe twice, once using tap and once using bottled. Do a blind test and see if you can tell the difference.
 
vandeg said:
I've used bottled spring water(2.5 gallon jugs) with no ill affects. I didn't boil any of it except what was used in the wort, I also found that with the 2.5 gallon jugs that you can place them in the freezer and use them to chill down the wort in small batches without a wort chiller or having to submerge my primary fermenter in ice/water/salt for to long...
Click to expand...

+1 this is what I have done every time. It really cools the wort down quickly. I submerged by fermenter in an ice bath and put 2.5 gal of very cold water in the bottom, then added the wort in three large batches intermixed with more cold water. Not only does this cool it off faster but mixes it and aerates it as well.
 
I used un screwed with well water for my 1st 2 brew days, then since that water was 2 hours away from me I switched to the bottled stuff at the advice of my LHBS. Then I switched to Ice mountain because it was cheaper.

All the above were never boiled pre-anything...used for top off and even to aid in cooling as others have mentioned. All have made mighty fine beer.

I am planning to use city water, run through a Pur filter, boiled for 15 min and w/ a camden tab per 5 gallons for my next batch(s). I think I will be just fine.
 

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