Dumb Question

[jlietzow]

I have been brewing in a kettle that can only hold 2.5 gallons. After my boil I cool the wort in an ice bath and then add it to 2 gallons of cold water in my bucket. Then I top off with cold water to reach 5 gallons.

So far I have just been using cold tap water, but now wonder if I should have preboiled the water first to sanitize it. Did I screw this up?

 

[JimRausch]

In theory, yes you could be introducing some wild bugs by using tap water, but practically? Not a problem. After all, within 30 minutes or so, you are adding billions of yeast cells bred for the sole purpose of fermenting that wort. They will almost certainly overwhelm the 10s to hundreds of bacteria that might have been introduced.
But wait- your tap water doesn't have chlorine/chloramine in it, right? If it did that would be the problem.

 

[Kate00]

I’ve always topped off with cold tap water and never had problems from it. You should be fine. If your local water does have high chlorine or chloramine as mentioned above grind up a Camden tablet and add during the boil.

 

[modelflyer2003]

Make sure your boil pot can hold more than 2.5 gallons of water because of boil overs. I use a turkey deep fryer kit I got at Meijer for (I think) around $50. Has served me well. I don't use tap water. A gallon of drinking water is $0.98 at Walmart. I buy 7 and end up using a little more than six gallons when I brew with a gallon extra for insurance. It's cheap. Not going to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. The rest of your procedure mentioned is correct. Do yourself a favor and get a glass carboy (6.5 gallon capacity or more). I'm sure you can make excellent beer in a plastic bucket, but you are robbing yourself of the ability to see the progress. I always start with a blow off tube and switch to an airlock after active fermentation has dissipated. Good luck. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't make as good as or better than the microbrewery. If you don't care for the beer you make, try a different kit.

 

[jlietzow]

I feel better - thanks! I have well water, so no chlorine problem. However it is softened. I recall seeing posts that that might be a problem. Any comments on that?

I'm about to brew my third extract kit tomorrow (an oatmeal stout) and could use bottled water if needed.

 

[micraftbeer]

Generically they say if you like the taste of your water, you're OK. But that's way too general for my preferences. I buy Distilled Water from the store as above poster said. It's a pain lugging all those 1 gallon jugs around, but at $0.99/gallon, it's cheap.

I'm looking forward to getting a reverse osmosis water filter installed at home. That gets rid of everything in theory (Chlorine from city water or iron from well water).

 

[modelflyer2003]

I feel better - thanks! I have well water, so no chlorine problem. However it is softened. I recall seeing posts that that might be a problem. Any comments on that?

I'm about to brew my third extract kit tomorrow (an oatmeal stout) and could use bottled water if needed.

I have a water softener. When I boiled my test water from the tap before I brewed my first extract kit, I could see all the milky color from the salt at the bottom of the pot. Not worth that to me. I have not brewed a oatmeal stout, but the best thing I have brewed is Northern Brewer Imperial Stout. It was outstanding!!

 

[flars]

I feel better - thanks! I have well water, so no chlorine problem. However it is softened. I recall seeing posts that that might be a problem. Any comments on that?

I'm about to brew my third extract kit tomorrow (an oatmeal stout) and could use bottled water if needed.

Can you draw off water for brewing before it goes through the water softener?

 

[jlietzow]

Can you draw off water for brewing before it goes through the water softener?

I could, but the water really isn't drinkable at that point. Way too much iron and sulfur. At this point I think I'll just keep using my tap water, which is quite drinkable - just low in calcium and other minerals.

Once I improve the rest of my brewing process I may test a batch with bottled water just to see the difference.

Thanks to all for your help!

 

[GPa Bob]

Make sure your boil pot can hold more than 2.5 gallons of water because of boil overs. I use a turkey deep fryer kit I got at Meijer for (I think) around $50. Has served me well. I don't use tap water. A gallon of drinking water is $0.98 at Walmart. I buy 7 and end up using a little more than six gallons when I brew with a gallon extra for insurance. It's cheap. Not going to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. The rest of your procedure mentioned is correct. Do yourself a favor and get a glass carboy (6.5 gallon capacity or more). I'm sure you can make excellent beer in a plastic bucket, but you are robbing yourself of the ability to see the progress. I always start with a blow off tube and switch to an airlock after active fermentation has dissipated. Good luck. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't make as good as or better than the microbrewery. If you don't care for the beer you make, try a different kit.

(also modelflyer and micraftbeer) - Have you checked your local grocery? Our Cub Supermarket (part of Super Value) will fill your 5 gallon carboy for 39 cents per gallon. That's $1.95 for 5 gallons. I pay less than $2.75 for a 5 gallon carboy and 2 milk gallon jugs. It's RO so they say. The minor downside - they have carboys there but you have to put a deposit on them. However, they can be exchanged every time, if you wish. We live in Minnesota.