Boil & Cool my water, strange stuff in the bottom!

Ok, its about time I asked this question. Here's my method for water.

3 gallons in brew pot
2.5 gallons in seperate boiling pot

I boil the 2.5 gallons for 5 minutes and put in the freezer until i'm ready to add the wort to the carboy.

When i'm adding the chilled 2.5 gallons, at the bottom of the kettle is these white salt looking things. I'm guessing these are minerals or actually salt or something. I am on a municipal water system so I am not adding softener or anything like that. Here is my question:

1. I refrain from adding the last bit of this water which contains the white salts/minterals, should I be putting it in? I know we talk about yeast liking minerals and stuff.

2. What the heck is this stuff???

I dunno, but I'd be willing to bet that its minerals that may or may not help your beer. I wouldn't know since I'm not a chemist.

However, I AM curious as to why you boil the 2.5 gallons prior to chilling it? My guess is that you're concerned with sanitation...or maybe even boiling out the chlorine? Not sure...but what you're missing out on with this tactic is the easy addition of oxygenated water to your wort, cutting down on the amount of oxygen you have to pump into it for the health of your yeast. Personally, if I need to add water at the end, I add it straight from a jug. Not boiled, just cooled. When you boil your supplementary water, you're removing valuable oxygen...

I am doing it to sanitize the water and remove chlorine. I hate buying water. I oxigenate by shaking the carboy, seems to work for me.

90% chance it is calcium carbonate & harmless. This is very common in water and it comes out of solution when the water is boiled. If you looked inside your water heater, it's probably layered with it.

david_42 said:

90% chance it is calcium carbonate & harmless. This is very common in water and it comes out of solution when the water is boiled. If you looked inside your water heater, it's probably layered with it.

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I SEE! It just so happens that I am using HOT water and my hot water is cloudy sometimes. So you are assuring me this is harmless? Should I avoid putting it in the beer or just dump it in?

Go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_carbonate

david_42 said:

90% chance it is calcium carbonate & harmless. This is very common in water and it comes out of solution when the water is boiled. If you looked inside your water heater, it's probably layered with it.

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That is my guess as well. Like David suggests with the water heater element, have a look and see if the dishwasher element has a nice white coating on it when it is dry. Heat precipitates the carbonate. You should be able to make good stouts

A bit of trivia; as little as 1/16" (at least as I recall) of buildup on your heating element will reduce your thermal transfer efficiency by as much as 25%!

Calcium carbonate is the main thing that makes water hard. It is also used to adjust pH. Many Old World porters & stouts are brewed using water high in gypsum. As opposed to Burton salts (calcium sulphate)

Unless you are doing all grain Pilsners (spell checker says "innersoles":rockin: ), no harm.

Two things, first, it is better to use cold tap water for your brewing needs rather than water that has passed through your water heater. Second, you should check with your municipality to see if they are in fact using chlorine and not chloramine as a biocide. Chloramines are not removed by boiling. I have heard of people using Camden tablets to remove chloramines.

John

Why do you suggest water that has not been through the water heater?

david_42 said:

90% chance it is calcium carbonate & harmless. This is very common in water and it comes out of solution when the water is boiled. If you looked inside your water heater, it's probably layered with it.

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I get the same thing from out tap water and the ice machine in the freezer. Our water tastes horrible so I figure it is something the town is putting in it. All that money for water each month and I can't even drink the stuff.

dantodd said:

Why do you suggest water that has not been through the water heater?

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The theory is hot water more readily leeches the lead from the pipe solder in copper sytems or from the lead pipes if you have an older (ancient) lead pipe system.

Add bleach and Aluminum Pot and your offspring will have 3 eyes!

olllllo said:

The theory is hot water more readily leeches the lead from the pipe solder in copper sytems or from the lead pipes if you have an older (ancient) lead pipe system.

Add bleach and Aluminum Pot and your offspring will have 3 eyes!

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Thanks for the explanation.... My house was build in 1856 so I probably have lead around here somewhere! I will use cold water from now on.

olllo is right on the money (except maybe for that 3 eyes thing.. I'm not so sure... lol)

But another reason is that hot water from the heater will be less oxygenated. Also, if you ARE adding salts into your system, it'll be added to the hot water, so it's just generally a good habit to get into.

david_42 said:

Many Old World porters & stouts are brewed using water high in gypsum. As opposed to Burton salts (calcium sulphate)

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Actually gypsum is calcium sulfate. Burton salts are a combination of salts, probably with gypsum being the main ingredient.

-a.