Water conservation AND stagnation

[HamiltonBrian]

I know, I know...not the sexiest thread title. However, let me get right to it. I have been in the habit for a while now of filling up my pot with the required mash and sparge water the night before. I do this to rid the water of the chloramines plus I throw in a couple of camden tablets to soften the water. However, my eagerness has gotten the better of me. Where I meant to mash/brew on the weekend...I didn't get to it. So, I ditched my water into the dehydrated garden and vowed to get it done this weekend. Filled up on Friday night and voila...brewing isn't happening.

The result is...the water sits in the pot, covered, and goes stagnant. I don't want to waste this water again. It's too precious.

Is there something I can do to prevent it from stagnating and keeping somewhat fresh? Can I divide the quantity and fill some buckets and agitate them a bit each day? I really want to use this water for a batch this coming weekend.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JonM]

Stagnating? When I think of stagnating water, I imagine green stuff growing in it and mosquito larvae swimming around in it. I take it your water doesn't get that gross. What does it do?

 

[HamiltonBrian]

Stagnating? When I think of stagnating water, I imagine green stuff growing in it and mosquito larvae swimming around in it. I take it your water doesn't get that gross. What does it do?

No, no green floaties or larvae...but it has an odour that is less-than-pleasant. This is after 4 or more days.

I gave my pot a REALLY good cleaning Friday before I added the water. Normally I am pretty cavalier about it...mash water is okay, and anything really gross will get killed in the boil. But I scoured and scoured and rinsed until it was spotless. Maybe the poor hygiene had more to do with the pot than anything else.

 

[Brownalemikie]

Umm......please explain again (in detail) why you dumped water just because it sat in a pot over night. You lost me right from the get-go.

 

[HamiltonBrian]

Umm......please explain again (in detail) why you dumped water just because it sat in a pot over night. You lost me right from the get-go.

It was in the pot for quite a few nights and smelled "off." I assumed that if I found the odour unappealing, then the mash would certainly be affected.

 

[Brownalemikie]

It was in the pot for quite a few nights and smelled "off." I assumed that if I found the odour unappealing, then the mash would certainly be affected.

Now I understand. Maybe try filling the pot the night before.

 

[HamiltonBrian]

Now I understand. Maybe try filling the pot the night before.

That is always the default plan, but then when something comes up..."Crap! I can't brew today."

I am wondering if...perhaps I could boil it the night before when I am convinced I can brew?

 

[day_trippr]

[...]I am wondering if...perhaps I could boil it the night before when I am convinced I can brew?

lol - isn't that how this all started?

Cheers!

 

[RedlegEd]

That is always the default plan, but then when something comes up..."Crap! I can't brew today."

I am wondering if...perhaps I could boil it the night before when I am convinced I can brew?

Brian,
You didn't say how big your batches are, so do you have access to one (or two) 4-5 gallon water bottles (the big plastic kind?) I brew 5 gallon batches (5.5 to the fermenter.) Here's what I do the day before I brew, I have two 4 gal water bottles I got from Sam's Club. I fill them both with filtered tap water and cover with sanitized aluminum foil. You can add Campden tabs if desired, but I just let them "rest" overnight to dissipate any chlorine in the water. Since these have only ever been used for water, and are kept upside down and dry when not in use, I'm certain of their cleanliness. If something comes up and I can't brew, no biggie, they wait for me. I've never had a problem with "off" smelling water, even after a week or two. Good luck! Ed

 

[HamiltonBrian]

If something comes up and I can't brew, no biggie, they wait for me. I've never had a problem with "off" smelling water, even after a week or two. Good luck! Ed

Per your initial question...I am running 6 gallon batches so normally prepare about 10 or more gallons for mashing/sparging/topping-up.

I like the bottle idea. That's great!!! Alright...that's something I can work with! Thanks a bunch!

 

[stpug]

Chloramines are really stable in water and won't dissipate at any great pace. Chlorine will dissipate fairly quickly. Leaving a pot of water out overnight that contains chloramines is of no great value besides bringing it to room temperature. Additionally, sulfites (sodium/potassium metabisulfite, campden, etc) don't "soften" water, granted they introduce some sodium but not at the expense of other minerals. HOWEVER, sulfites are excellent at quickly ridding your water of chlorine AND chloramines (within several minutes). They can also scavenge oxygen, but that's a different rabbit hole. All in all, continue using sulfites for chlorine/choramine removal (not softening) and, unless it's saving you some great amount of time, there's no need to pull your water for brewing any sooner than a few minutes before you start heating it for strike.

Lastly, the water in your brewpot is no more valuable than the water you put on your plants - so feel free to continue watering plants with it if you don't use it for brewing.

 

[Yooper]

Chloramines are really stable in water and won't dissipate at any great pace. Chlorine will dissipate fairly quickly. Leaving a pot of water out overnight that contains chloramines is of no great value besides bringing it to room temperature. Additionally, sulfites (sodium/potassium metabisulfite, campden, etc) don't "soften" water, granted they introduce some sodium but not at the expense of other minerals. HOWEVER, sulfites are excellent at quickly ridding your water of chlorine AND chloramines (within several minutes). They can also scavenge oxygen, but that's a different rabbit hole. All in all, continue using sulfites for chlorine/choramine removal (not softening) and, unless it's saving you some great amount of time, there's no need to pull your water for brewing any sooner than a few minutes before you start heating it for strike.

Lastly, the water in your brewpot is no more valuable than the water you put on your plants - so feel free to continue watering plants with it if you don't use it for brewing.

Agreed- but don't use "a couple" campden tablets. Use 1 for every 20 gallons, so for 10 gallons of water, use 1/2 of a crushed tablet.

The reaction is instantaneous, so just stir it in a few minutes before you brew. The chloramines (if that is what is in your water) will protect it from microbes or whatever is making your water "go bad", and then just remove the chloramine on brewday.

Maybe what you're smelling is not stagnant water, but instead excess sulfur from the megadose of sulfites?

 

[jschein]

^ this