Tap Water?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

co_native

New Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
SoCal
Hi guys, new to the forum and need some advice. I've read my Mr. Beer book 3 times now, it doesn't say a whole lot about water. Can I use tap water? I've boiled three gallons of tap water and waiting for it to cool, this will be the first batch. The water here is OK at best, I know the first batch will not be the best, just want to make sure tap water is OK. If so can I pull it cold?
 
I used tap water for the first time... it was fine. But the better the water taste the better the beer will. berr is 85% water I think...... Chlorine and other additives added by municipals will cause issue... I'd go and ask in the beginner forum...






thanks
timg
 
I've used tap water through a GE fridge filter for my first 3 brews, and they all taste great. All the people who have had my beer are impressed as well, and no negative comments about off flavors even from my SN beer snob friends. My city doesn't add chlorine tho...they add chloramine which may be broken down by the boiling...not sure. I'd just roll with it, and take/send it to a beer taster/LHBS/HBT member and see what they think of it. :drunk:
 
Awesome! I know that the water dept. here adds chloramine, I keep fish too, this stuff is harmful. I boiled the crap out of the water and let it cool to about 110 degrees before I added the wort, in about an hour I will be at 70 and add the yeast. I plan on keeping the brew in a cooler in a closet that doesn't exceed 75 even in the summer (except on REALLY hot days), it's stupid hot here in the summer time so I will probably put off the beer making until the fall after the first batch due to air conditioning useage $. I will definitely try the Pur filter, it's carbon based right? Thanks guys, I consider this a good welcome to the forum. I would have posted in the beginners forum but I figured I'd get a better response here. Any other advice you have please help!
 
I use bottled spring water because the tap water in my area is not that good tasting, and because we have a cooler and get five gallon bottles delivered right to my home - very convenient!!
 
Chlorine is boiled off, chloramines are not. In general, for extract brewing, if your water tastes good, the beer will be ok. Chloramines make beer have a "medicinal" aftertaste, so if you have chloramines and don't filter, you could be bottled water or RO (reverse osmosis) water.

I've heard that a campden tablet per 10 gallons of water the day before brewing (and the the water sits our overnight) can eliminate chloramines, but I don't know that for a fact.
 
Water supplies vary greatly from region to region. Each state must follow their own rules as well meet federal regulations for treatment. The amount of and type of chemicals that are in your water depend on where you live and where you get your water from. Drinking water is treated for various things but mainly for disinfection, pH adjustment, and corrosion control. Typically water from a surface water source like a reservoir will have more chemical treatments performed on it than a ground water source like a well would have simply because it has greater exposure to natural and unnatural variables. That being said there is no way of knowing what they put in your water unless you call and ask. Here in Massachusetts each water supplier/Town has to produce an annual “Consumer Confidence Report” that will typically give you information about what chemicals are in your water. I am not sure how it works down in SoCal but a little investigative work will probably net you the answer.
In my opinion to get the best tasting water I would purchase the cheap grocery store spring water and run it threw a carbon filter. Carbon filters are your standard Brita and Pur filters. These filters don’t remove chemicals but they are very good at removing tastes and odors caused by organics in the water.

Hope that helps

-Dan
 
If your tap water tastes good, you might only need to run it through one of these simple hose end charcoal filters.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX87S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Filter2.jpg

Filter4.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Back
Top