[morticaixavier]

I have heard some of the larger breweries are going to use wastewater from their public urinals in the tap room as "grey water" for cooling purposes.









Not really but I am sure someone has plans to do something similar

using a grey water system as cooling water is actually a good idea. assuming you have a grey water capture system that is

[Stevie]

using a grey water system as cooling water is actually a good idea. assuming you have a grey water capture system that is

Assuming one can ensure zero cross contamination.

[Jimmy K]

using a grey water system as cooling water is actually a good idea. assuming you have a grey water capture system that is

Assuming one can ensure zero cross contamination.

For the record, grey water does not come from a urinal/toilet.

[Stevie]

using a grey water system as cooling water is actually a good idea. assuming you have a grey water capture system that is

Assuming one can ensure zero cross contamination.

For the record, grey water does not come from a urinal/toilet.

Right, but it can come from kitchen waste water.

[Stevie]

One of the best ideas I have seen is pumping pool water through the chiller. I don't have a pool, but if I did I would for sure take advantage of the thermal mass of thousands of gallons water.

[Jimmy K]

I was just thinking geothermal, but that is much easier to implement.

[scottNU]

This is the one subject I don't always feel great about as a homebrewer.  Cooling water goes into the washing machine (during the winter) or the garden (during the summer), but I am not efficient enough to claim that it's a closed system.

My last batch made use of the outdoor temperature and snowpack to aid in reaching lager pitching temps.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, the outdoor temp was well below zero.

[kylekohlmorgen]

My last batch made use of the outdoor temperature and snowpack to aid in reaching lager pitching temps.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, the outdoor temp was well below zero.

Good point!

This time of year, I can use snow (instead of ice) in my chilled water recirc loop.

Write THAT down, Southern California... 

[morticaixavier]

My last batch made use of the outdoor temperature and snowpack to aid in reaching lager pitching temps.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, the outdoor temp was well below zero.

Good point!

This time of year, I can use snow (instead of ice) in my chilled water recirc loop.

Write THAT down, Southern California... 

yeah, that's real helpful. thanks

[klickitat jim]

Crazy, but if I was only able to use 10 gallons of water a week for brewing I would be shopping for a glycol system. Probably I would start by learning how it works, because right at this moment I don't have a clue.

[Jimmy K]

Crazy, but if I was only able to use 10 gallons of water a week for brewing I would be shopping for a glycol system. Probably I would start by learning how it works, because right at this moment I don't have a clue.

They are pretty simple Jim. You put money in one side and get cold glycol out the other.

- Sent by Tapatalk TARDIS Edition

[klickitat jim]

Oh, seems simple.

[gmac]

Make something else. I'm being serious. Wine and cider would use substantially less water. Sometimes you just have to accept the reality that because you want to do something doesn't mean it's the best thing to do.

[reverseapachemaster]

I capture all of my chilling water and use it to water the garden, indoor plants, or grass. If you're brewing outdoors it's not that hard to run the output of the chiller into your grass. It's far more useful than sending it back into the sewage system for further treatment.

I make spent grain bread and use most of the grain out of my small batches for that purpose. That keeps all the water trapped in the grain as part of my consumption. When I don't make bread I sparge the grain once or twice more and boil that stuff down to make starter work on future beers. It's a BIAB system so I can really squeeze out the majority of the water.

Any left over sparge water gets cooled and bottled in the fridge. Then I drink it.

You could also look at reducing your boil off.

[cornershot]

Long term solution: Have less children.