Water Question

[coopd3ville]

I am looking to start my second brew today which will be a Hefenweizen from extract with specialty grains. For my first brew I used bottled spring water, my question is can I use tap water? My thoughts were if I boil it then the water would be sanatized?
Also I have some grains to steep but want to make sure I totally understand how it works, so you steep them as you would a tea bag at 160 degrees for about 30 mins. Then you remove the grains from the water that is now a preliminary wort. This is where I think I am not totally sure what happens. So you bring the preliminary wort to a boil and add the extract and other ingrediants acording to the time schedule?

Any help with this would be greatly apreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[TheJadedDog]

1) Tap water will be fine as long as you boil then cool your top-off water (I use tap for my boil and bottled for top-off but that's just me).

2) Yes, you steep the grains in a grain bag for 20-30 minutes around 155 deg. Make sure you do not go over 170 deg.

3) Once the steep is over, bring the wort to a boil, then remove from heat and add extract, return to boil and add hops according to hopping schedule.

 

[McKBrew]

If you normally drink your water from the tap, and it doesn't contain excessive amounts of chlorine or other additives, there is no problem brewing with it.

As for steeping, you have the idea. You can steep for longer if you want. Then bring it all to a boil and add the rest.

 

[coopd3ville]

Thanks Jadedog and Mcbrew for your help with this.


I have one more question, it is regarding secondary fermenter. Is it benificial to use a secondary fermenter with a Hefenweizen. I thought that there was supposed to be yeast suspened in this type of beer, wouldn't keeping it in a secondary result in the yeast settling? Would it be ok to just keep it in the primary for a little longer?

 

[TheJadedDog]

Yeah, I wouldn't go to a secondary with a Hefe, not appropriate for the style. Keep it in primary for 2 weeks, then bottle.