Top Off Water Poll - Revisited?

[uwmgdman]

I think this poll may have been done at some point. But I can't find the old one and we'll maybe get some fresh votes/comments. A poll for anyone who does partial boils or at one time did partial boils.

 

[TheJadedDog]

I top up with bottled water and I have never boiled it.

 

[bradsul]

I haven't done any PM or extract in a long time, but I just used water straight from the tap for top up. No treatments of any kind.

 

[Fenster]

I used distilled water before moving to full boils.

 

[Beerthoven]

When I was doing partial boils I did not boil my top off water.

Even now, when I rehydrate dry yeast, I do not boil the tap water.

 

[ohiobrewtus]

Before I was doing full boils I did not boil any water that I used.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

Right outta the tap, baby!

 

[Kelvinator]

I've been using filtered ozonated drinking water from the grocery store.
I also think our city water sucks by itself.

 

[drobbins]

haha, I'm right outside of Raleigh
I have a well and use water out of the garden hose
it rocks:rockin:
Kelvinator, you should come out here for a brewin some day:cross:

Dave

 

[DeathBrewer]

oakland tap water FTW

 

[ctalbot]

I use bottled water, so I don't worry about boiling it first.

Chris

 

[twocylndr]

I boil my top off water, from a well, day before brew day. Let it chill, covered, on the porch over night.
I'm anal about sanitizing everything...never had a spoiled batch.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

I don't boil the top off water. For the most part I top off with RO water. I've heard of many people who top off straight from the tap with no issues for many years...

 

[cheezydemon]

It probably does depend on your water quality, but I have definitely used water straight from the tap.

I have heard that HOT water contains nasties that live inside the hot water heater, so I let it run cold for a minute before using tap water.

 

[Poppy360]

I top off with cold water straight from the tap for my extract brews. Ten brews and all is good.

 

[rdwj]

When I used to top off, it was pure tap!

 

[TWilson]

I use bottled spring water without boiling it first.

 

[rangerray]

I'm going to use spring water. Close to where I live there is a natural spring and the owners have capped it at the surface and have a pipe draining at the top. When I get the water home I'm going to boil it before using it. This will be my first brew.

 

[rabidgerbil]

My current kettle will hold 3.5 - 4 gallons (safely), so I fill it, steep my grains, and then add some of the extract. In the mean time, I also put another 1.5 gallons in a second pot, and keep it just off a boil. As the main kettle volume drops from steam loss, I top it off with the hot water, and then refill the hot water pot to keep it full. During the last fifteen minutes, I divide the remaining extract between the two kettles, topping them both back up, so that I have a complete five gallons. I whirlpool the main main kettle, and begin running it through my CF chiller. When it is about halfway down, I top it off from the second kettle, whirlpool again, and then start the flow to the CF back. So far this method has worked very well for me.