Isn't Top Water contaminated?

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BlackHillsBrewing

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Ok, maybe stupid question... but I waited two weeks before brewing, cause I didn't want to mess up. I did everything buy the book.. Everything. Then it dawned on me. "That was stupid!"

1. I did my 3 - 4 gallon boil
2. Sanatized everything that came in contact with wort.. "EVERYTHING"
3. Direction on yeast even said Boil water then cool then add yeast.
4. Fill Fermenter to 5 Gallon mark with water. <-- Won't this water then contaminate wart if it's never been boiled? Nobody says anything about the Top Off water being boiled. Is it possible that this water has bacteria or other posible contaminates since it wasn't boiled with original wort?
 
Technically yes, but I remember adding straight tap water on several occasions without a problem. Not recommending the practice, but I survived unscathed. You will probably be fine.
 
Good question. The reality is that there is minimal risk with contaminated tap water. Most tap water is treated at regional water treatment facilities and potential contaminates are filter out and/or killed during treatment. I never had an issue with top-up water when I was brewing in this fashion. I wouldn't worry about that. If it still does make you a little nervous due to the remote possibility, you may also want to consider doing a full wort boil. You beer will turn out better through this process anyway.
 
Yes, there is the possibility that it is contaminated. Will it cause a problem? I doubt it. Boil the water and you should be fine.
 
Well, I don't think its sterile that's for sure, and it does come from a well. I was just wondering how come nobody mentions boiling the top off?
 
Well, I don't think its sterile that's for sure, and it does come from a well. I was just wondering how come nobody mentions boiling the top off?

Before going all grain, I always boiled my top up water. It may not be totally necessary as long as you pitch plenty of healthy yeast, but I think it's good insurance plus it will get rid of chlorine. I've seen numerous debates on this issue on this forum.
 
Would you drink your tap water if it were loaded with bacteria?

RDWHAHB

Bacteria doesn't multiply as well in treated water as it does in nice sweet sugar water, like wort. When testing water for bacteria count the first thing the water company does is sterilize the tap so that isn't included in the count. At least that is what I have seen them do on TV.
 
Before going all grain, I always boiled my top up water. It may not be totally necessary as long as you pitch plenty of healthy yeast, but I think it's good insurance plus it will get rid of chlorine. I've seen numerous debates on this issue on this forum.

Yeast do not eat 100% of the sugars. The bacteria can just lay in wait and bide its time. I just read a thread somewhere on here where a guys barley wine was good for 3 years and then developed a gusher infection.
 
I've never boiled the top-up water and have yet to have problem.

Beer has been brewed long before the concepts of sanitation and sterility where thought of. :D

The bacteria can just lay in wait and bide its time. I just read a thread somewhere on here where a guys barley wine was good for 3 years and then developed a gusher infection.

Now I am picturing a little lactobacillus dressed up in commando gear hiding behind a ridge of yeast carcasses on the bottom of a bottle. Watching, careful monitoring the deliciousness of the barleywine, waiting until the peak of flavorful glory and BOOM, time to get bacteria sex on...

Amusing image, but a lot can happen to a bottle in 3 years. Saying that the bacteria "lays in wait and bides its time" isn't the most probable scenario ;)
 
\

Beer has been brewed long before the concepts of sanitation and sterility where thought of. :D\

Actually, beer was made because they didn't understand sanitation and boiling it and adding hops meant people didn't get sick like they did from the unboiled water.
 
rdwhahb my friend,

a friend of mine who has been breweing for more the 5 yrs uses his water straight from the tap for top up purposes and has no problems. now is this going to be true for everyone? no, but it just illustrates that if you like the taste of your water chance are you'll be fine. it also helps if you pitch big starters of yeast to outduel any other nasties that get in.
 
I dunno .. im on like brew 20 so far and strictly use tap water. I'm on city water though. Some of my friends are on well water....wouldn't use that stuff to brew thats for sure.
 
From what I understand, yeast can do it's thing and neutralize some bacteria. However, the longer it takes for the yeast to kick in, the longer the bacteria can grow stronger. Isn't this one of the benefits of a starter?
 
Doesn't the Ph level of fermenting beer reach such a level as to inhibit bacteria shortly (day) after fermenting begins?
 
i live in the country and have well water with a slight sulfur smell to it.

i was wondering the same thing but in the end i just ended up buying drinking water from the store to brew with. at winndixie i can get 6 gallons of water for around 5-6 dollars, so if it makes you feel better do that.
 
Unless you cool it quickly with something like an immersion chiller, I think the wort is at more risk if you boil the top-up water then let it sit around to cool off to a pitchable temp. Better to just pitch and end it. Like I said earlier, I haven't had a problem nor have most folks on this thread. I'm totally for being as cautious as possible, but unintended consequences may do more harm than good.
 
For all those saying that they use water straight from the tap, anecdotal evidence doesn't mean that it's save. Take a revolver and put one bullet in it. Spin the cylinder, put it up to your head and pull the trigger.

Click.

Since you didn't die, it must be safe, right?
 
It's simple, if there's not a boil water advisory in your area, and you can drink your water, then you can brew with it, AND you can top off your fermenter with it.

It's really that simple.

I've never boiled my top off water.

The only time I have boiled water to use, is when I am boiling jars prepare them for washing yeast, and I use that boiled water and the evident;y sterile jars and lids.

But if you can drink and cook with your water, you don't need to boil it. At least not for sanitary reasons. Many folks boil their water to drive off chlorine.

But if it makes you feel better then go ahead. There's a million ways to skin this brewing cat and they all work.
 
You could always just top off with distilled water. That would be more sterile than straight tap water. Its an added cost, and I think tap water would be fine though.
 
Drinking water, like every other substance, contains small amounts of bacteria. Most of these bacteria are common ones and they are generally not harmful.

http://www.lenntech.com/applications/drinking/faq/drinking-water-faq.htm

Harmful to humans and beer loving are two different things. Would you use a hot water rinse after washing your fermentor and call it done? It will have far less water left over than topping off is going to add. If you have no solids left in the fermenter (or bottle) then this would be all that is needed. I'll stick with sanitize EVERYTHING that comes in contact post boil myself.
 
If I don't use bottled, I boil every bit of water that I use for brewing. Top up water, mash and sparge water, everything. It's not hard to do, doesn't take much time and even if the water coming into the house is fine, I don't know if the cat licked the faucet 10 minutes before I started brewing.
 
My tap water has been used in 45+ brews. Not 1 problem.

I did have 1 infected batch from not thoroughly sanitizing.
 
Well Scott,
I hope we all made this is a clear as mud for you. Obviously, there is no consensus here. I've never contaminated any of my brew with top up water. None of my brewing friends have contaminated their brews from top up water. If I were still doing partial mashes on the stove, I would STILL be topping up right from the tap. Nevertheless, the choice is yours. Looks like the boil and/or distill folks are not having a problem either...so you'll have to go with your gut on this one.
 
Actually, beer was made because they didn't understand sanitation and boiling it and adding hops meant people didn't get sick like they did from the unboiled water.

Fermentation was the "sanitizer" that made the water drinkable. Checkout Ancient Sumerian brewing, no boiling involved. Hops weren't introduced until the 16th century.

Six of one, half dozen of another. :mug:
 
Bacteria doesn't multiply as well in treated water as it does in nice sweet sugar water, like wort. When testing water for bacteria count the first thing the water company does is sterilize the tap so that isn't included in the count. At least that is what I have seen them do on TV.

I boil my water and top up a few liters as required, no problems.
 
Fermentation was the "sanitizer" that made the water drinkable. Checkout Ancient Sumerian brewing, no boiling involved. Hops weren't introduced until the 16th century.

Six of one, half dozen of another. :mug:

They probably stirred the brew with a stick back then :)
 
We have a superb source of local spring water here in southeastern Michigan, called Absopure. I've been using their water in all my brews and each has turned out very well. I always top off from a freshly-opened 5 gallon jug of Absopure spring water. If their jugs are clean enough to accept shelf storage for 2 years, they're clean enough to add to my beer!

No bacteria problems thus far.
 
I dunno .. im on like brew 20 so far and strictly use tap water. I'm on city water though. Some of my friends are on well water....wouldn't use that stuff to brew thats for sure.

I've used well water for my entire homebrewing career. You couldn't pay me to use water from the municipal supply.

Oh, and don't bother boiling your top-off water. Dump it in, good and loud so it oxygenates, pitch your yeast, and have a beer.
 
Technically yes, but I remember adding straight tap water on several occasions without a problem. Not recommending the practice, but I survived unscathed. You will probably be fine.

I'm not even going to read the rest of the thread because this answer is good enough to agree with.
 
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