top up water

I have a 5 gallon and a 3 gallon pot. With the 5 i will typically boil my volume at 4 gallons which boils down to 3 so i have to top with 2 gallons. I usually boil my top up water the night before and chill in the fridge or if i'm pressed for time boil and cold water bath during my brew day session. Is boiling the top up necessary or could i just filter with a brita pitcher?

 

My opinion is that boiling the top up makes you 99% certain that you won't introduce an infection into your wort, whereas not boiling makes you only 90% certain. I just don't think there is that much of a risk from municipal tap water in the US.

 

Agreed. Personally I would prefer to boil it, but my friends topped up when they first started and they didn't. I don't remember an infection.

 

I know I "should" boil my top off water, but in 10 batches I have not, just used filtered cold water from my fridge... So far no infections.

I hate to waste wort (beer) but will continue this way till I get a batch with an infection.. only then will I change to either full boils (I have the pot size to do 6.5 gal boils.. but it's a pain to cool, move, pour) or boiled water.. like you, probable a day before, put in a sanitized bucket and stick in the fermentation chamber to cool.

 

Wait.. What?.......crap think I just learned I need to learn something

cuz I do have either chlorine or chloramine in my tap water depending on the cycle my water co op is on that quarter.

Off to do some research.....

 

Thanks...


I found another thread detailing the issue and posted there.

Love this place.... get smarter every time I sit down and read stuff here...

 

I never boil my top off water, but I use bottled spring water. Never had anything go wrong with my batches.

 

Or you can take about a 10th of a vitamin c tablet and add it for the same, easier to obtain, effect.

 

I have the potassium metabisulfite in powder form how much should i use? And will this kill any yeast when i pitch or does it become inactive after a period of time.

 

What I have seen cited so far is 35 milligrams per gallon.
https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

Not read anything about a concern with killing yeast.