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Author Topic: using bottled water  (Read 7185 times)

Offline Tony H.

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #15 on: January 29, 2011, 10:22:23 am »
I am also an extract brewer, and used to buy the gallon jugs of spring water for brew days.  I recently, in the past year, went to a camper-style in-line filter.  So far, I have had zero problems and have used it on various taps in the house and on the outside spigot (where I do most of my brewing during good weather).  It is cheaper than buying bottled water and very portable.  After each use I let it sit uncapped in a dish drainer for a day or so then cap it back up for storage until next use.

Buying a potable-water grade hose (very cheap) is a must with this filter, but then again, it gives you more flexibility of locations to brew around.

Here's a link:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-with-Hose/14504321
Tony (johngault007)
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Offline euge

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #16 on: January 29, 2011, 10:28:07 am »
Does the chlorine evaporate during a full boil?  My water is chlorinated but I haven't noticed it to be overwhelmingly "bleachy" in character.  Getting bottled water just seems to add yet another thing to do in the process.  It's not impossible but I don't live in an area where I can easily get large volumes of bottled water.  Our small village has a municipal water system but not a store that sells anything bigger than 1 L bottles.

Is it the end of the world to use tap water?  I know that leaving it sit over-night or running a fish tank bubbler through it will remove a lot of the chlorine.  Is this good enough?

You can do that or get yourself some campden tablets.
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Offline denny

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #17 on: January 29, 2011, 11:02:15 am »
Yews, it evaporates, but not before creating chlorophenols.
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #18 on: January 29, 2011, 05:19:16 pm »
Does the chlorine evaporate during a full boil?  My water is chlorinated but I haven't noticed it to be overwhelmingly "bleachy" in character.  Getting bottled water just seems to add yet another thing to do in the process.  It's not impossible but I don't live in an area where I can easily get large volumes of bottled water.  Our small village has a municipal water system but not a store that sells anything bigger than 1 L bottles.

Is it the end of the world to use tap water?  I know that leaving it sit over-night or running a fish tank bubbler through it will remove a lot of the chlorine.  Is this good enough?

It is not the end of the world to use your tap water.  Just recognize that enpleasant tast impacts can be created from the chlorine of chloramine that is in the water. 

Chlorine comes out of water easier and quicker than Chloramine.  Chlorine has a stronger and more obvious aroma than chloramine, so some people might not detect it.
 
You definitely would not want either of these compounds in your wort since they combine with the wort compounds prior to the boil and the production of chlorophenols is assured.

Minor adjustments to remove those components is strongly recommended.
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Offline punatic

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #19 on: January 30, 2011, 02:22:36 am »

Yeah, yeah and I suppose it's great to go surfing in the morning and volcano watching in the afternoon......

Well kind of.  I do most of my volcano watching in the evening, night, and predawn.  Snowboarding on Mauna Kea in the afternoon.  :)

Not this week though.  I've been assembling two new 10gpm (permeate) RO skids for a client in Kona.  Turning brackish water into irrigation water.  Startup has been challenging.  Four hours of driving to and from 12 hours of work in Kona.  I do find time to have a nice lunch at Kona Brewing Co. though.  All work and no play is illegal in Hawaii.
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Offline cheba420

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #20 on: January 30, 2011, 09:45:51 am »
I am also an extract brewer, and used to buy the gallon jugs of spring water for brew days.  I recently, in the past year, went to a camper-style in-line filter.  So far, I have had zero problems and have used it on various taps in the house and on the outside spigot (where I do most of my brewing during good weather).  It is cheaper than buying bottled water and very portable.  After each use I let it sit uncapped in a dish drainer for a day or so then cap it back up for storage until next use.

Buying a potable-water grade hose (very cheap) is a must with this filter, but then again, it gives you more flexibility of locations to brew around.

Here's a link:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-with-Hose/14504321

I've used RO water for every batch I've ever done. However, I may just be making a trip to Walmart soon to give this filter a try!
Matt
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Offline uisgue

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #21 on: January 30, 2011, 10:08:20 am »
Here's a link:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-with-Hose/14504321
Is a 100 micron filter small enough to filter chlorine and/or chloramines?
Doug Hickey
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Offline tubercle

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #22 on: January 30, 2011, 10:28:32 am »
I caution the use of Euge's topping off procedure.  Although there is only a small chance of infection, the reason that there is such a low chance is that all municipal water systems in the US have to maintain a disinfection residual in the water lines.  For most places, that means chlorine or chloramine. 

I strongly recommend that removal of these compounds is critical to producing good beer.  So hopefully Euge just failed to mention that he does that.

As far as I'm aware chlorine and chloramine are primarily contraindicated when all grain brewing. I treat my mash water with a campden tablet or let the water sit out overnight. Topping up a couple gallons for an extract batch in the fermenter shouldn't cause any problems. It never has for me. Additionally, if one pulls some water off the tap and it reeks of chlorine then that might cause some medicinal off flavors. Be wary of that or cleaning fermenters with bleach. So if this is the case I advise just using bottled water.

I knew there'd be some flack over the statement. Emphasis on "used". It's ok to do it. Not part of my regular brewing procedure since normally I do all grain and the odd extract batch is also done full-boil with RO water.

 Straight out of the tap with well water. Not an issue in 25+ years.
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Offline onthekeg

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #23 on: January 30, 2011, 10:44:28 am »
Here's a link:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-Water-Filter-with-Hose/14504321
Is a 100 micron filter small enough to filter chlorine and/or chloramines?

You will need an activated carbon filter to remove chlorine and you will have to flow very slowly to remove chloramine.  I personally would use campden tablets.

Offline Tony H.

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #24 on: January 30, 2011, 11:22:59 am »
I have a noticeable chlorine smell in my tap water normally.  I don't use anything except that Camco water filter.  I just open the faucet and don't really worry about it after that.  I did a SA Summer Ale clone using this filtered water and didn't detect any off flavors or aromas.  The good thing about the filter is you can use it for everything on brew day.  I cook, clean and top off with the same water.

Of course, I have no technical information to back up my process, I just know I haven't made a bad batch yet because of water  ;D
Tony (johngault007)
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Offline punatic

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Re: using bottled water
« Reply #25 on: January 30, 2011, 12:09:00 pm »
The product description doesn't say the filter contains activated carbon, but it does say it "greatly reduces bad taste, odors, chlorine..."  That's what activated carbon does.  A 100 micron fiber filter won't.  A 100 micron filter is loose enough to drive a truck through.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2011, 12:15:01 pm by punatic »
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