Preheating water night before brewing

[iamwhatiseem]

(using cooler for mashing)
Is there any risk of picking up "plastic" or any off flavors if one preheated water within max temp for their cooler and store overnight as another step to shorten brew day?

Especially during the winter, sure would be quicker to heat 140 degree water than 57-62 degree water.
Anyone done this before?

 

[govner1]

Fortunately for me I start w/ filtered water & 120°F directly from my water heater in my brewery (garage).
I'd be more concerned w/ filtering my water first. I'm not sure of any plastic flavored you might pick up from overnight storage. You might check w/ the manufacturer.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Yeah that's the problem...Rubbermaid does not even recommend using a cooler for a mash tun period. They flat out say it is made for keeping liquid cold, not hot.
And I quote..
"Our water coolers are designed for keeping liquids cold and are not tested or designed for use with hot liquids. Please note that extremely hot liquids may damage the cooler liner.
Our coolers are not tested for use with hot liquids. We do not suggest using our coolers for home brewing purposes or as mash turns."

 

[kh54s10]

I wonder what temperature you would have to heat to, to still have 140 in the morning?

I wouldn't want to carry the heated water outside to brew so I would have it outside. If the temperature was near freezing, I would expect water in the double digits at best. i.e. under 100 degrees. Maybe no warmer than tap water.

 

[govner1]

Can you connect a beverage line to your faucet & run through a filter?
I use beverage quality line that's 25' w/ hose adapters to connect to my filter to fill my HLT. It only takes 15-20 minutes to get to strike temp before transferring to my MLT (cooler). I refill the HLT during the mash & I'm ready to sparge.
I save a few gallons of hot water for cleanup & running SaniClean through my pump, chiller, & lines.

 

[bumstigedy]

If you had a kettle with an electric heating element and a controller, you could set it to maintain a temperature so that it would be ready in the morning. I have never tried this. I would be a little concerned about leaving it unattended over night.

 

[Singletrack]

No answer to your actual question, but I happen to believe...well never mind about that, but...
you really don't want to preheat a bunch of water the night before, then let it cool down so you can reheat it. That's a waste of energy and money that won't be worth it, plasticy beer notwithstanding.

 

[Natdavis777]

No answer to your actual question, but I happen to believe...well never mind about that, but...
you really don't want to preheat a bunch of water the night before, then let it cool down so you can reheat it. That's a waste of energy and money that won't be worth it, plasticy beer notwithstanding.

I agree with this.

As I am not concerned with keeping hot water in the rubbermaid cooler (as many homebrewers have made award winning beers with these vessels without off-flavors), you would be better off served with an electric element where it is set on a timer to start heating a short time before your desired mash in.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I agree with this.

As I am not concerned with keeping hot water in the rubbermaid cooler (as many homebrewers have made award winning beers with these vessels without off-flavors), you would be better off served with an electric element where it is set on a timer to start heating a short time before your desired mash in.

Hmm...why didn't I think of that?
The reason for me even wanting to do this is I am now brewing by myself...which is not easy when you have arthritis in both knees and shoulder...hands...but that is another story.
My son always brewed with me but is back in college now.
Anyhow...anything I can do to shorten brew time is a good thing.
Now about that pulley system when my arthritis is in an active stage...

 

[user 163849]

I brew extract kits, but still use a heat stick (Hot Rod from Brewhardware) on a timer to bring the water to near boiling by the time I plan to get out to the garage. It is set to turn off about the time I would expect to get out there so it does not keep going if I happen to not make it out there for a while. Once I'm out there I remove the heat stick and fire up the burner for the boil. This makes clean up of the heat stick a snap as it is only used in clean clear water.

 

[wilserbrewer]

A bucket heater on a timer would help you....search for thread "I love waking up to hot sparge water"
hot water stored in the cooler would have to be reheated, sounds like a hassle.