Minor mistep, major problems?

[lgilmore]

I have my first batch (irish red) of true homebrew in a secondary and my second (cream stout) in the primary right now. Both are kits.

A couple of questions.

I have without thinking used tap water to fill the bubblers. I know I should use spring water or vodka from all the reading up, but brain fart and tap water. It's a small amount, will it cause any problems if it gets inside with the beer?

Also didn't trust my seal on the secondary fermentor so I ran a tiny bit of canning parafin (melted, the stuff you seal jelly with) around the edge to ensure the airtight seal. Shouldn't be a problem, yes? no?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I would refrain from using the parafin a second time, but no, you shouldn't have to worry. The seal on those buckets it perfectly fine unless you plan on aging for a long time...and then it should be done in glass anyway.

As for your tapwater issue...it's not likely to cause a problem. I did this for about 6 months when I first started. I would put scalding hot tap water in my airlock instead of taking the time to boil it. Now, I just keep a bottle of cheap vodka on hand.

 

[user 84304]

Typically, you should avoid tap water, but IMHO the likelihood of infection is minimal. With that said, always, in the future, treat it like poison, that way you use sanitizer/vodka in the future for your airlock.

In the meantime, Relax....and such.

 

[badmajon]

I use tap water for everything, and I've honestly never had a problem.

Infected water? I mean, really...?

 

[bonzombiekitty]

You'll be fine. I use tap water all the time for various purposes during brewing and have never had an issue.

As for the seal on your bucket, it doesn't need to be air tight. The lid is mostly there to keep things from falling into the beer. There will be enough pressure produced by the fermentation to keep outside air from entering.

999 times out of 1000, if you just cleaned and sanitized, you'll be just fine.

 

[lgilmore]

Thanks to all for your replies. I've been pretty through about sanitizing and cleaning everything. Then I forgot about the contents to fill the bubbler with. I just happen to have a bottle of cheap vodka in the house. Friday I will be moving my cream stout to a secondary and brewing a copper ale. I will put the vodka up where I have the fermenters so I avoid the out of sight out of mind trap.

The beer in the secondary looks really good right now. I sealed the bubbler plug with wax probably to keep me from messing with it too much as I couldn't tell for sure if there was air escaping around the plug or not. This way it will keep me from taking it off and on too much.

 

[davcar74]

I use some of the star san/water mixture form my sanitzing steps in the airlock. But, I do use tap water to top off partial boils without boiling it. Is there a small risk of infection from using tap water in the brewing process? Probably...some folks would tell you to boil it first, but I don't think most actually do

 

[Yooper]

I use tap water for everything, and I've honestly never had a problem.

Infected water? I mean, really...?

Not only do I use tap water in my airlocks, in my wine musts, and to top off my wort if needed, but I even have the temerity to DRINK it!

I know that some people have bad tasting water- maybe iron in it, or a sulfur smell, and chlorine isn't good for beer, but really try not to worry about something like that. My tap water is fine for drinking, and most people in the US have a safe water supply. Tap water won't hurt anything, especially in an airlock!

Now, for brewing you may want to use bottled water or reverse osmosis water if you have chlorine or chloramine added to your water or if your tap water isn't good tasting. But you shouldn't have to worry about boiling it to kill microbes in your water supply.

 

[kyleobie]

+1 to the thread. I predict your beer will taste good!

 

[bluemoose]

I use tap water for everything, and I've honestly never had a problem.

Infected water? I mean, really...?

The only issue I have had here is if you move the bucket. So you put the water in a week or two ago(enough time to get little nasties living in it). You need to move the bucket out of the fermentation chamber. You pick up the bucket by the handle and the pressure causes suck back from the airlock.

The easy solution is to take the airlock put before moving, but sometimes you forget and have compromised water in the beer. I typically use santiser in the air lock. If it is sitting for long periods, Vodka.