Natural spring water safe to use?

[p0ink]

I have a question regarding the possibility of contamination from natural spring water.

I live in Colorado, and there are many public access points to free spring water (those little brick houses with continuously flowing spring water) up in the mountains. The water is always outstanding...seriously, some of the best water you could ever taste.

But to my question...

Would the water from one of these be acceptable to use, or could it be a big risk factor for possible contamination? Should I boil all of it prior to use, or should it be just fine to use for a batch of brew?

Thanks a bunch.

 

[John Beere]

I live near several springs in north FL, one of which was just bought by Nestle where they are now bottling it. I contemplated trying this myself but just decided that it was more trouble than it was worth when my tap water tastes just fine after filtering.

Let us know how it goes if you try it...

 

[rod]

as long as you don't use it for top off water it is being boiled anyway when you make your beer

 

[John Beere]

I guess I didn't really answer your question... which, I can only give you my opinion - which is there is probably way more places in the brewing process to introduce infection other than the water... especially if its good quality water. Back in the day (early 90's) we were using water from our garden hose... heh

 

[p0ink]

So, you guys would only use it for the wort/steeping, since it is going to be cooked, but not for the top-off to 5 gallons?

 

[rod]

to be safe boil and cool any you want to use for top-off

 

[boo boo]

You could get it checked to see the mineral content if doing AG. Other than that, if it tastes fine use it after boiling. If it is true spring water, it should be OK.

 

[jma99]

I worked for that spring water company in Florida for about 5 years.
Zephyrhills Spring Water, now part of Nestle Waters.......

Just because water is from a spring does NOT make it clean and pure!

Please be careful when drinking raw spring water, you don't know what is in the water!

Bottled spring water is processed: Filter in activated charcoal, UV light, micropore filter, and often ozone.

Processed spring water is great to brew with. I made some of my best scottish ales with Zephyrhills spring water, but I would NEVER drink raw spring water!!

 

[cpbergie]

So is bottled spring water ok to use for the top off, without boiling?

 

[Brewtopia]

So is bottled spring water ok to use for the top off, without boiling?

I use bottled water all the time to top up my carboy straight from the container and have NEVER had a problem with off-flavors or infection.

 

[dcbrewmeister]

As jma99 pointed out, "bottled" water is not filled at the spring and capped. It's filtered, process, UV lighted before it ever gets into a bottle.

The water from the "shack" you're talking about is probably very good water, but I would boil it the nite before and let it sit over nite. What you use during the boil, is well, going to be boiled...

Just boil your top off water, the rest is going to be boiled.

 

[kleinbeer]

Spring water is usually no good because of the wild yeast strains it carries will infect your brew. i dont now wether boiling will get rid of them all but if your game to try i would get it tested and then have a go. I heard also that spring water may be a bit on the harder side so you might need to adjust thr pH

 

[boo boo]

Adding water to top up a fermenter or carboy should be done only after boiling it to prevent oxygen and contaminates from spoiling your beer.