2 questions from a relative beginner...

[cygnus128]

I have 2 questions...

1) I am thinking about trying to culture a few types of yeast ($6+ per batch is way too much ). I pitched a vial of White Labs WLP320 (American Hefeweizen) about 6 days ago and immediately screwed the cap back on and put it back in the fridge. Would the remnants be viable for culturing? I would assume as long as the vial seals when the cap is screwed back on (it certainly should) that it should be ok.

2) I always use a brita tap filter to filter my brewing water. Up until now I have been boiling the water as well. Assuming that the filtered water is not too hard (I haven't tested it but I can) do I really need to boil it? I know boiling will remove temp. hardness but are there other benefits as well?

 

[andre the giant]

Here's what I would recommend.

1) Throw the vial away. There's probably not very much residue left in there. Instead, wait until your primary fermentation is done, siphon the beer off into the secondary, (if you're not using a secondary, then do this when you bottle) then carefully pour the yeast cake that remains in the bottom of the primary into sanitized beer bottles. Cap the bottles and shove them in the fridge. I usually get about 3 bottles of yeast at 8oz per bottle. When you want to use that type of yeast again, pull out a bottle, let it warm to room temp, pitch it into some starter wort, and in 24 hours you'll have lots of yeast ready to go. I currently have Irish Ale, Belgian Wit, and London Ale yeasts in the fridge. No problems with this method so far.

2) Don't bother boiling the water. My community water is pretty well chlorinated. I have a undersink filter that helps with that problem, otherwise, I don't mess with the water at all.

Others will have differing opinions, but here's a place to start.

 

[nbrower]

OK, so I'm a real beginner here, and I might be completely wrong... but I'm also a chemistry major, so I'll take a stab.

I believe that if you boil the water, you can eliminate the chlorine from it, which can improve the taste of your brew.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Two words: Bottled water.

 

[brewhead]

ahh but does boiling eliminate chloramine? chloramine was put in drinking water so that the chlorine wouldn't evap.

also boiling takes out certain minerals out that makes the water taste good and therefore makes the brew taste good.

 

[kenmc]

nbrower,
how can you remove the chlorine from the water by boiling? Surely it's a dissolved as a solid-compund and will be left behind after boiling? Quick google gave me this:
http://www.awwa.org/science/sun/qom/qom0301.cfm
"We do not recommend that anyone boil water, except as directed in emergencies. Boiling water presents serious health risks, including scalding and burns, that outweigh the benefit which might be achieved in reducing a chlorinous taste. However, the information from this study helps us explain the real and perceived benefits of boiling water."
I just use tap water, or bottled water, depends if I feel like going to the shops or not!

 

[nbrower]

kenmc,
Chlorine is actually a gas, not a solid-compound. When water is heated, it's ability to dissolve gas decreases, and it will release the chlorine. Yet, it will also release the oxygen that is dissolved in it too, which is not good for your brew, so you'd need to aerate it well.

 

[nbrower]

Brewhead,

I had no idea about chloramine. That's very interesting. I'll try and read something about it.

 

[kenmc]

yeah I know chlorine is a gas, I rememebr that much from school , but I thought that they would have added it as eg sodium chloride or somehting like that to disolve it in the water.
no matter.

 

[brewhead]

mustard gas anyone?

 

[AlaskaAl(e)]

One word-----Beano

 

[bikebryan]

ahh but does boiling eliminate chloramine? chloramine was put in drinking water so that the chlorine wouldn't evap.

also boiling takes out certain minerals out that makes the water taste good and therefore makes the brew taste good.

Boiling will only take out the minerals if you trap the escaping steam and run it through a condensor - in other words, distill the water. What's left behind in the pan is usually even heavier in mineral content than what you started with.

Very few people have the necessary setups to distill water. I know a few people who I suspect may distill something else, but that's another story.

 

[nbrower]

For anyone who's interested...

http://www.chem.duke.edu/~jds/cruise_chem/water/watinorg.html