Is tap water sanitary?

If I am brewing extract, and I do a 3 gallon boil, then top up with filtered tap water in the fermenter, is there a risk of infection from the unboiled tap water?

Thanks!

Generally speaking if you drink it then its fine to brew with.

I've used untreated tap water to top off many times without issues.

The water has chlorine in it (if it's city water) and is fine. The issue is in the Faucet...is it sanatary???

King of Cascade said:

The water has chlorine in it (if it's city water) and is fine. The issue is in the Faucet...is it sanatary???

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Chlorine is bad for beer- not because it's not sanitary, but because it makes beer taste bad. I'd use some sanitizer on the faucet (I use star-san in a spray bottle) and not worry. I'd boil the top off water if my water was chlorinated, though.

YooperBrew said:

Chlorine is bad for beer- not because it's not sanitary, but because it makes beer taste bad. I'd use some sanitizer on the faucet (I use star-san in a spray bottle) and not worry. I'd boil the top off water if my water was chlorinated, though.

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True but the question was "is there a risk of infection from the unboiled tap water"

I would not chance it... you spend alot of time and money on your beer so if you can't do a full boil then use preboiled tap

Ive always used the tap water in my small town and never had a problem. i wouldnt worry about it

I do have a charcoal filter I bought from morebeer, and I do run it through that. I'm not tasting or smelling any chlorine in what comes out of it. In addition, I put my hydramator (sp?) in my tap water, it was 1.002. The filtered water reads closer to 1.000 (temp corrected, of course), so I'm fairly certain it's doing it's job. My concern is the possibility of contaminants that may be in the water and make it past the filter.

Is it possible to get an infection, if all other sanitary conditions are met, by way of filtered, unboiled tap water?

This thread might give you a few other opinions on the use of unboiled tap water to dilute beer.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-sanitary-sanitary-88660/

Technically, yes, it is possible to infect beer if you dilute it using unboiled tap water. I've done it, and had no issues that I can report. I was technically taking a risk in doing so though. If I knew then what I know now, I would probably boil the water, just to make sure I wasn't taking any risks.

Once you can do it, a full wort boil is the best plan, since you don't need to worry about having to add water back after the boil. It will make your beers better too.

The rule in brewing with water is that it has to be boiled during the brewing process to make it sanitary and to boil off any chlorine. Anything that touches the beer after the boil and cooling has to be sanitized (Starsan or other sanitizer) which would include any extra water added to the beer which must be boiled and cooled while maintaining sanitary practices.

The best answer is - it depends. Get a water report from your local water company. If your water is high in chlorine then you may want to think about boiling it and cooling it before topping off.

FWIW, before I started doing full boils I always topped off with tap water and never experienced any problems.

i never thought about the chlorine, what about bottled kroger water?

What's a "kroger"?

giligson said:

What's a "kroger"?

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Kroger's is a chain of grocery stores. Finally a question that I can answer.

Bottled “Kroger” or Albertsons or Safeway water will be your best option if you don’t do full boils. You could also freeze the jug and chill your wort with it. You have to remember there is no sterile beer you just have to pitch enough yeast so it takes hold and eats the sugars before the creatures living in your charcoal filter spoil your beer.

i use local grocery store "spring water" but.... you need to read the "legal" terms on what "spring water" is.

i found out, it is "tap water" from a well in Anahiem, ca.
Anahiem ca is a major city in orange county.
my own water is from my own well. it has very metallic flavor, i wont use for making beer. i have awhole house sediment filter (2 stage, 75/30/10 then down to 5 micon) but it still tastes bad, so i use the $1.00/gallon bottled spring water to brew with.

i would be worried about a charcoal filter that has time for bacteria to fester in it. charcoal is a great flavor filter, but does little for microbes and whatnot. boil and cool in the freezer is what i do, even with my bottled "spring water"

i did find it on sale for $ .60/gallon recently!!!!!!! yay!

giligson said:

What's a "kroger"?

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You have never heard of K-Rogers?!?!?!? Kroger is just a big chain of grocery stores... huge in ohio anyways...

Kroger - Home

jldc said:

Kroger's is a chain of grocery stores. Finally a question that I can answer.

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hehe! I know that feeling too!