May seem like a dumb question

[gymrat]

But I just gotta ask. Is there any reason I shouldn't use water from my garden hose for brewing? It sure would make life easier. I have thought about the food grade thing, but as a kid I used to drink out of the garden hose all the time. I suppose we are using different materials for garden hoses these days though.

[narvin]

How did that hosewater taste as a kid? 

Get a food grade (white) RV hose.  Garden hoses could contain lead and also will leave a flavor impact on your beer.

[gymrat]

Oh we could definitely taste a difference. I am 56 years old, when I was a kid nobody thought about stuff leaching into food or water.

I was just surfing and found exactly what you mentioned. And it really isn't that expensive.

[Pinski]

How did that hosewater taste as a kid? 
This

Get a food grade (white) RV hose.  Garden hoses could contain lead and also will leave a flavor impact on your beer.

Those

[gymrat]

I just ordered this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Apex-8612-50-NeverKink-8-Inch-50-Foot/dp/B0001MII88/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It will be nice not to have to keep running back and forth in and out of the house to fill my kettle.

[richardt]

Just say no to the hose.  RV filters just don't cut it.

Use the 4 or 5 gallon empty water jugs and just get bulk RO water from the grocery store.

The water jugs are easy to carry and you know the water has been properly filtered of chlorine and stripped of nearly all ions. 

Then, if doing all-grain, all you have to do is add back the various brew salt additions you desire for your particular style (bru'n water is good for this).  If you're doing extract, you don't have to add any salts.

[WDE97]

Do not use your hose water to make beer!! A couple of guys in my homebrew club did this when they made their first batch (10 gallons) last year, and the beer had an overpowering hose flavor to it.  They were pretty good sports about all the jokes at their expense, but it was a good lesson for all of us.  The hose flavor did dissipate over the next 6 months or so, but man that stuff was terrible.

Oh, and the only dumb question is the one not asked!

[bo]

I brewed beer on my back porch for several years using an old rubber garden hose. Old is the critical word here. Let your nose be your guide.

[narvin]

Just say no to the hose.  RV filters just don't cut it.

Use the 4 or 5 gallon empty water jugs and just get bulk RO water from the grocery store.

The water jugs are easy to carry and you know the water has been properly filtered of chlorine and stripped of nearly all ions. 

Then, if doing all-grain, all you have to do is add back the various brew salt additions you desire for your particular style (bru'n water is good for this).  If you're doing extract, you don't have to add any salts.

Not sure what you mean by "RV filter", but there's no reason you can't use a carbon filter with one of these: http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/cartridge-filter-housing.html.  If chloramine is in your municipal supply, campden can help remove that.

Whether your house water is good for brewing is another question, but there's no reason you can't get it from your hose bib if it is.

[gymrat]

I have been using nothing but tap water to brew since I began with absolutely no issues. So I would be using the same water, it would just come through a hose from the tap. I was concerned about the hose imparting a flavor, but if it is food grade, would it still?

When my new hose gets here I will run water through it for about 10 minutes or so to purge it, then taste the water coming through it after that. If I don't pick up any hose flavor I will go ahead and use it. But I would definitely purge it before every use.

[weithman5]

i have used my outdoor garden hose via a filter on one or two occasions.  i did however let the water run for quite some time first.  watering the plants etc. then hooked up the filter and filled my kettle.  no problem.  wouldn't make it a routine but did work fine.

[tomsawyer]

Let your nose be your guide.

Generically good advice.

[morticaixavier]

Let your nose be your guide.

Generically good advice.

toucan, son of sam - Green Jello (oops wrong thread )

[tomsawyer]

Let your nose be your guide.

Generically good advice.

toucan, son of sam - Green Jello (oops wrong thread )

I had not heard of this group before and I'm not sure I'll be buying their music.  Kind of a heavy metal meets plushies sort of vibe.

[morticaixavier]

Let your nose be your guide.

Generically good advice.

toucan, son of sam - Green Jello (oops wrong thread )

I had not heard of this group before and I'm not sure I'll be buying their music.  Kind of a heavy metal meets plushies sort of vibe.

Yeah, Jello Biafra was a member of The Dead Kennedys. Green Jello was his 'comedy' group.