Tap Water v Bottled

LaughOrDie

Hi All,

I was just wondering if anyone had tried a brew using tap water? If so what was the result?

Can it be that bad?

irish_goat

Tap water is what nearly every homebrewer and a lot of the commercial brewers use in Ireland. I tend to leave mines overnight before using it so that the chlorine evaporates out.

SpaceRocket

I never even considered using bottled water. I would imagine it would drive costs up considerably? I wonder if there is much a difference in the taste of the end product?

LaughOrDie

Thanks people,

I'm going to use water straight from the tap and see how it turns out.

loyatemu

irish_goat wrote: »

Tap water is what nearly every homebrewer and a lot of the commercial brewers use in Ireland. I tend to leave mines overnight before using it so that the chlorine evaporates out.

wouldn't the chlorine evaporate out anyway?

I've always used tap water for kits, never bothered to leave it sit (it would increase the chance of infection I would've thought).

ian_m

If you can drink your tap water & don't get any tastes then its ok to use. Having said that I run mine through a britta filter, simply because we have one.

5 litres of water costs about €1.30 in lidl/aldi.

*summer tap water can contain smell a bit like chlorine

sharingan

There are certain cheap waters that you can buy in gallon form that are very useful as they have a well known, or reference water chemistry. 'Ashbeck' water from tesco is cheap, and its pH is well documented. Many home brewers use it when they need a very precise chemistry profile for a specific beer, and then tweak it with gypsum/calcium.

Its overkill for kit beers though.

LaughOrDie

Thanks again folks.

I've always used the Ashbeck water from tesco. Not expensive but it's a pain carrying 25 litres back from the shop.

It's only for kits so I'm glad to hear I won't have to lug that again in the future.

Hingo

Was there not something recently about tap water having to be boiled before consumption in parts of the country? Like it might be ok to use now but I thought I seen something on the news about residents in Boyle being advised to boil tap water (Insert Boyle/Boil Pun Here :P)

Im not based in that area myself but might be wise to double check your local authority's webpage for any such notices

lang

Hi there. Our water supply is from a well containing a lot of lime. Since moving to this house I have started to use bottled water from Lidl almost exclusively. I tend to do a hop tea with filtered tap water though so normally a litre or so of this will end up in the brew. I'm reluctant to use solely tap water as worried this would ruin the brew and don't want to waste a load of wort and time really.

LaughOrDie

I started an IPA the other day using water straight from the tap.

Based in Dublin City Centre. Usually fine for drinking.

I'll let yous know how I get on.

Hingo

LaughOrDie wrote: »

I started an IPA the other day using water straight from the tap.

Based in Dublin City Centre. Usually fine for drinking.

I'll let yous know how I get on.

Do! I'm based in D14 myself, we had some issues with the water going white (I think there was some issues in the area) last year, fine now but have been a bit paranoid to use it.

Are you brewing from a kit or Extract/All Grain

sharingan

lang wrote: »

Hi there. Our water supply is from a well containing a lot of lime. Since moving to this house I have started to use bottled water from Lidl almost exclusively. I tend to do a hop tea with filtered tap water though so normally a litre or so of this will end up in the brew. I'm reluctant to use solely tap water as worried this would ruin the brew and don't want to waste a load of wort and time really.

You should have your water tested. My water chemistry-fu is not so sharp, but the lime should be making the water *hard* i.e. more alkaline.

If you know what its pH is, you can treat it. I think a well would be more consistent from a water chemistry POV than tap water (which tends to get actively treated).

Save you a lot of money on bottled water, and the high calcium carbonate content may be very appropriate for certain styles. Also consider the water *flavour* which is probably better than tap water and it may leave a unique impression on your beer.

LaughOrDie

Hingo wrote: »

Do! I'm based in D14 myself, we had some issues with the water going white (I think there was some issues in the area) last year, fine now but have been a bit paranoid to use it.

Are you brewing from a kit or Extract/All Grain

I'm using a kit so it should be fine.

There has been some times when the water was cut off and came back on there was a bit of a taste/odour from the tap water.

But it's running fresh lately.

Saruman

Tap water is fine for kits and extract brewers.

You only need to be concerned when you do all grain as water is crucial to the mash process.

BrewRob

Saruman wrote: »

Tap water is fine for kits and extract brewers.

You only need to be concerned when you do all grain as water is crucial to the mash process.

Do you not only have to be careful to hit the PH? Apart from that should tap water not be ok? If you are truely trying to emulate a certain style from a certain region then you may need salt additions. That was my understanding?

Saruman

BrewRob wrote: »

Do you not only have to be careful to hit the PH? Apart from that should tap water not be ok? If you are truely trying to emulate a certain style from a certain region then you may need salt additions. That was my understanding?

PH is only part of it and to be honest, is not likely to be an issue with any Irish tap water.
There is also the sulfates and carbonates and other minerals, again, if you are trying to get a certain water profile to suit a particular style. Not something you need to worry about unless fairly advanced.

What every all grain brewer needs to treat for is chlorine and chloramine. A couple of campden tablets should sort that out. I use one for the initial strike water and then since I do batch sparging, a half a tablet for each batch sparge water. You never want chlorine or chloramine in the mash or the results will be undrinkable beer.

BrewRob

The chlorine and chloramine react with the yeast not with the grain and can five off a medicinal flavor so every brewer should be trying to knock these chemicals out??

KAGY

lang wrote: »

Hi there. Our water supply is from a well containing a lot of lime. Since moving to this house I have started to use bottled water from Lidl almost exclusively. I tend to do a hop tea with filtered tap water though so normally a litre or so of this will end up in the brew. I'm reluctant to use solely tap water as worried this would ruin the brew and don't want to waste a load of wort and time really.

I only use well water and I don't even treat it. only had one definitely infected batch but i think that was something on the wire of my thermometer. I prefer heavier ales though which apparently suit hard water. but even the few lighter ales and wheat beers turned out fine.
disclaimer - I only use kits and I wouldn't call my pallet refined :-D

Saruman

BrewRob wrote: »

The chlorine and chloramine react with the yeast not with the grain and can five off a medicinal flavor so every brewer should be trying to knock these chemicals out??

True, I always thought it was less important for kit and extract brewers because the mash was done for them and that chlorine in the mash is what allowed the compounds to form and then the yeast leaves the chlorophenols behind, but I'm probably wrong there.
Perhaps it's just that I only started using them when I went all grain.