Tap water

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mworkman

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When I did my first batch, I just used tap water and I didn't boil it. My water tastes good and I have my own well so there is no chlorine in there. I just bottled it yesterday. Now I read that you should boil it first. Is the need to boil it because of city water and what they put in it? Or, am I gonna get sick in 3 weeks when my beer is ready?
 
your not gonna get sick not matter what. the epa ensures low levels of toxins and/ or microbes in drinking water. Well water which comes from ground water or an aquifier (water running through layers of rock) is safe from contaminates such as deer poop, and acid rain, and air pollutants. the only problem could be that if your well is located near a dump you could have sludge seeping into the goundwater, or fertilizer from nearby farms, or acid rain which eventually seeps down into the aquifier,or even faulty sewage sytems can end up leaking into your well.

The best thing to do is have your water tested...
 
mworkman said:
Or, am I gonna get sick in 3 weeks when my beer is ready?

Not specifically commenting on your question...It's kindof amusing that one of the historical functions of beer and other alcoholic drinks was to make otherwise bad water potable and storable. Now we worry about weher our water is good enough to make beer with.
 
Ivan Lendl said:
your not gonna get sick not matter what. the epa ensures low levels of toxins and/ or microbes in drinking water. Well water which comes from ground water or an aquifier (water running through layers of rock) is safe from contaminates such as deer poop, and acid rain, and air pollutants. the only problem could be that if your well is located near a dump you could have sludge seeping into the goundwater, or fertilizer from nearby farms, or acid rain which eventually seeps down into the aquifier,or even faulty sewage sytems can end up leaking into your well.

The best thing to do is have your water tested...

I've only been living here for about a year (New House and well). They tested it before I moved in and they said it was good. No dumps or farms near by. :)
 
I use my well water and have had great success, though I do boil it first. I do this not out of concern for the water's quality, but rather that since I use a propane burner outside and have a wort chiller, it is so easy to do that there is no excuse not to. I did add tap to my 2nd brew to make 5Gal since I was short, and there was no issue. I started using spring water, but have largely given that up, since my well water is great.
 
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