Speeding up the AG proces by using hot tap water

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overseasbrewer

overseasbrewer

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Hi,

I am hoping to start soon to do my first all grain batch. :ban:

My question is: To speed up the process, is it a problem to use hot tap water so it takes less time to get your mash water to the right temperature?
 
If the water heater is made of food safe materials i don't see why not. If you can you should test the mineral profile of the tap hot water to see if something from the heater is getting in the water, just to be sure.
 
Add 1/2 a campden tab to help mitigate chlorine. Other wise brew on.
 
Water heaters have a sacrificial magnesium (or aluminum/zinc) anode rod in them. Not to mention there are certain types of bacteria that can thrive in them, depending on what temp it's set at and if you're using well water. Minerals tend to concentrate inside the tanks also.

I don't use hot tap water for anything food related, but YMMV.
 
It sounds like early in your brewing hobby but you'd be better off planning ahead, being organized and making sure you have enough time set to brew. The time that using water thats hot from the tap isn't going to make a big dent in your brew day and it might make it harder to stay consistent.

In a perfect world you could look into an electric set up and have it set on a timer so the water could start heating and be near ready when your ready to mash.
 
Try it once with it and once without and see if there’s any benefits either way then decide from there
 
Just stopped in to say that water from a hot water tank where the water has been heated and stored is typically not considered the best for brewing because of the reasons already stated above. However, water from a good quality on-demand water heater is perfectly fine, and can be very convenient, assuming of course you have already determined that your tap water is suitable for brewing.
 
You could just add a heat stick to your HLT if you want to speed it up. My burner is big enough that by the time I weigh and mill my grains it's got the water about ready to go. But I'm only doing 5 gallon brews.
 
waldoar15 said:
Water heaters have a sacrificial magnesium (or aluminum/zinc) anode rod in them. Not to mention there are certain types of bacteria that can thrive in them, depending on what temp it's set at and if you're using well water. Minerals tend to concentrate inside the tanks also.

I don't use hot tap water for anything food related, but YMMV.
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Electric heaters - right? Not gas?
 
I do this. This time of year is I have very cold tap water, using hot water can speed up the process by 45-60 minutes. I do have an in demand heater.
 
waldoar15 said:
Both usually, unless they have a plastic lining.
Click to expand...
Crazy - have to find out more. Have a tank-less water system and I like to prep my water two days out. Run hot water for mash and sparge into same container. Crack the lid to let the chlorine off-gas, then add half a tablet of campden to get rid of chloramines.
 
ProblemChild said:
Crazy - have to find out more. Have a tank-less water system and I like to prep my water two days out. Run hot water for mash and sparge into same container. Crack the lid to let the chlorine off-gas, then add half a tablet of campden to get rid of chloramines.
Click to expand...


You're probably fine with a tankless, on demand system. I'd use water from one (if I had one).
 
For future reference, try this: Fill one container with hot water and another with cold water from the same tap. Cap both and set them aside overnight, or until they reach the same temp. Then taste both. Can you taste the difference? Then you don't want hot water in your brew.

Personally, I'd never use hot water, but I don't have a tankless heater.
 
whovous said:
For future reference, try this: Fill one container with hot water and another with cold water from the same tap. Cap both and set them aside overnight, or until they reach the same temp. Then taste both. Can you taste the difference? Then you don't want hot water in your brew.

Personally, I'd never use hot water, but I don't have a tankless heater.
Click to expand...


Keep in mind that dissolved O2 is in tap water and hot water does not hold dissolved gasses as well (they escape). That affects the taste of the water. there might - and I only say "might" be a benefit to drawing hot water and allowing it to cool as dissolved O2 is reduced.
 
I fill my HLT directly from the hot water heater in my garage, simply for convenience' sake. I do have a dedicated potable water hose that I can hook up in the kitchen to the sink there, but I've never had an issue with the water out of the heater (just your standard run-of-the-mill water heater, nothin fancy), and the dogs almost ripped the tap out of the sink last time I used that method by tripping over the hose. I use two campden tablets per 5 gallon batch also. YMMV.
 
No, no, no, and no. Just no.

If you got a brand new water heater, I would sign off on using the water from it for consumption for up to a few months. Otherwise, the water in that tank has more than just water in it.

Edit: Re-read somewhere about tankless heater. This should be fine as long as there is no storage tank. That's just gross.

Fun fact: it's not a 'hot water heater' - it doesn't heat hot water. It's a 'water heater'.
 
Drink the filtered city tap water? Mine has small amounts of chloramine.
Not a problem, but I have slightly higher standards for my brewing water. Cooking with tap water is no big deal because chloramines degrade over time in boiling water.
 
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I do it all the time. One could take two glasses and fill one them with cold water and the other with hot tap water. let both of them come to room temperature and give them a taste to see if you notice any difference.
 
Floppyknockers, mea culpa, you are correct. As to what may be in it, it hasn't yet made a difference in the taste of my beer, but is HAS made a HUGE difference in the length of my brew day and how much propane I use to get the HLT and boil kettle going. I've never minded a long brew day, but I DO mind having to get my propane tank exchanged every time I brew. Using the hot water from the heater gives me about 3 brews from every standard propane tank, with no weird off flavors from the water due to (possibly excessive) use of Campden. YMMV.
 
No need to over think this. Use the hot tap water, it's faster. I've done it for years when I'm in a hurry or want to save some propane.

There are loads of other things that are going to impact the taste of your beer far greater than hot tap water vs. cold tap water.
 
Soooo there are plenty of people out there that will say it's a bad idea to consume tap water that went through the water heater.
It is a source of minerals. It is potentially a reservoir for bacteria (and potential toxins even if sterilized). Hot water flowing through your piping leaches lead or other dangerous chemicals even from plastic (so tankless systems are not safe either).

With my older hot water tank there was a noticeable difference in taste, so I can say these concerns are real and would have an effect on brewing, at least in my home.

Believe what you will and do whatever helps you brew. It won't kill you overnight. The minerals do have an effect on flavor but if you're making water adjustments, just use a water analysis of your hot tap water.

FYI alcohol is a known carcinogen so this really isn't a health forum. 3.5% of cancer deaths are attributable to drinking alcohol ... plus all the other health risks of course.
 
How old is your plumbing? Lead based solder used to be used in plumbing before it was banned (1986 in the US and Canada). Hot water can cause the lead to leach into the water.
 
How much time would it actually save? 10 minutes maybe? I am curious of the difference between hot and cold as far as minerals. I start with cold water. Ever drain a tank?
 
brewcat said:
How much time would it actually save? 10 minutes maybe? I am curious of the difference between hot and cold as far as minerals. I start with cold water. Ever drain a tank?
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For me it's the difference between 45-50F and 105F. If I'm using my big vessels that's 45-60 minutes.
 
+1 to the above. If I start with water from the heater I'm at strike temp within about 20 minutes. From dead cold it takes over an hour. To me that's propane I can use for another brew, as well as time I can spend doing other things that need to be done on weekends. Unless your water heater was manufactured in the 70's you should be safe.

Further to the above, the water will be boiled eventually and anything nasty will be obliterated (except for heavy metals, which if you already have them in your water heater you're probably screwed anyway). I'd be interested to see a basic water test done on heated water from a heater for residual minerals, metals, etc.
 
I have battled this out here in the past. You are lucky that you didnt get the pictures of rotted heaters. Dont worry someone will add them. I have a new one now and before used a p.o.s.

The advice given above is good, pour a hot and a cold glass and let them sit and then taste.

I used hot water for Speed. And sometimes I still do, but I prefer not to. In fact I try to use the most expensive water I can afford, but sometimes I just use tap water. I'm not sure there's any ill effect. You know some people will make it sound like that water sits in there forever. With a family of four and showers and everything I'm not sure how long the water really sits in there. Either way, want to talk about a first world problem....

As a final thought, beer is 90 percent water, so imho is an important factor, if not one of the most.
 
I do all my brewing with RO water. When it's cold out, I move the jugs into the house the night before so that it's room temp to start.

We have decent tap water here, but I would never brew with it because I don't feel like I can trust it. Even with a comprehensive water report,there's no guarantee it's the same in April as it is in August. With RO water, I know what I'm getting and what my starting point is. From there, I can ensure I have exactly the water profile I want.

I don't brew enough beer to risk brewing with less than optimal water.
 
I make coffee and tea with hot tapwater all the time and don't taste any difference. Also cook with it. My water-heater is about 2 years old.

I brew with cold tapwater for the mash, but have been thinking about using hot tapwater for the sparge so I don't have to lug another 2 gallons of hot water up the stairs in a bucket. (have an ersatz electric kettle that will only plug-in in the basement or garage)
 
waldoar15 said:
Water heaters have a sacrificial magnesium (or aluminum/zinc) anode rod in them. Not to mention there are certain types of bacteria that can thrive in them, depending on what temp it's set at and if you're using well water. Minerals tend to concentrate inside the tanks also.

I don't use hot tap water for anything food related, but YMMV.
Click to expand...
True.
I also don't use hot tap water for anything food related
 

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