I Am A Water Waster

[Pumpy]

Following Darren asking me how much water I use , I thought about it

1)Rinse the brewery out before I mash (20L)
2)Wash it down after I mash (20L)
3) sterilise the fermenter before use (4L)
4) soak the fermenter in napisan after use (30L)
5) sterilise the filterand tubes before use (3L)
6) rinse the filter after use (3 L)
7)soak the filter in napisan (5L)
8)rinse the keg out (6 L)
9)soak the keg in napisan (20 L)
10)Rinse the keg and beer lines (10 L)
11) rinse the beer glass before and after each beer (1L)
12) forgot cleaning with napisan two NoChill cubes (60 L)
13) rinsing No chill cubes (10L)
14) evaporation from kettle (15 L)


Would that be right to make a 40 liter batch I use 207 L water to get a beer into the glass I dont use a chiller that would add more ???

That does not include the water in the beer which is 40 L so that is a total of 247 Litres for a 40 litre batch


Pumpy ,

I am Gob smacked !!!!

 

[Guest Lurker]

Hey Pumpy. A lot more than 40 l in a 40 l batch of beer, you need to add back your evaporation and your losses to trub.

Oops, you already thought about evap at No 15

 

[Pumpy]

Hey Pumpy. A lot more than 40 l in a 40 l batch of beer, you need to add back your evaporation and your losses to trub.

No 14 GL

 

[Pumpy]

missed cleaning the second keg thats another 20L

pumpy

 

[Screwtop]

Really don't think we have to worry Pump, your not exporting your beer like the big guys. Don't worry too much about the water positive imports including wine and beer from countries that have limitless supplies of water, but exporting our precious water overseas in megalitres each year inside bottles and foodstuffs is really stupid for such a dry continent. At least your water remains within your local system.

 

[big d]

This surely must rate as a red rag to a bull post if Darren lays eyes on it.If it blows out it will be a short thread.Mind you some very interesting additions of water usage to birth 40 litres of beer Pumpy.
Being on the land and relying on tank water every drop counts so thank you mate my brain is now ticking over some more with water usage.Brew day tomorrow so will be very interesting water wise.
P.S i reckon you use too much water.

Cheers
Big D

 

[Vlad the Pale Aler]

Pumpy - If you used a chiller of some sort, you could collect the water used and re-use it for cleaning on the next brew, instead of only getting one use from your cleaning water.

 

[Keifer]

Get a rain water tank

 

[big d]

When i do the plumbing i will be using my 9000litre shed tank for my wort chiller and recircing it back.This summer i hope to take a few samples and temp readings on those hot WA days to see what variance i get.
All going well the no chill method will get the flick.

Cheers
Big D
(Turning green)

 

[Zizzle]

Most of my cleanup water gets dumped into the washing machine.

Only really dirty water gets dumped on the garden.

I think the commercial guys have a ridiculous water usage rate as well though pumpy.

 

[AUHEAMIC]

Pumpy
Thats only 2 loads of washing water (in an upright washer). A load of washing gets done every second day at or house. I brew once or twice a month.

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Pumpy
Thats only 2 loads of washing water (in an upright washer). A load of washing gets done every second day at or house. I brew once or twice a month.

I agree. You don't brew enough, Peels.

The way I read you, Pumpy, you're using the volume of a container to wash it. I reckon I probably use around half that by spending a little extra time. I use the water I save to rinse and wash all my bottles, though...

 

[AUHEAMIC]

I agree. You don't brew enough, Peels.

If I was single it would be the other way around.

 

[redbeard]

I re-use my napisan soak water numerous times thru cubes & fermentors. i transfer most to the next then just throw out the dregs with the gunk in it. I only use a litre or so of hot water to clean kegs. i use the hot water left in the hlt to help clean up after a brewday, initially by pumping it around, to clean the pump.

I dont waste water but also im not anal about using it. Im guessing most water used in my household is in showers not brewing.

my current water bill is divided into:
sewerage $102
stormwater drainage $11
water $2

lol

 

[kabooby]

But Pumpy,

What about the positive impact of drinking 40L of beer instead of 40L of water

Kabooby

 

[goatherder]

It sounds a lot Pumpy but I think your water usage is pretty good. I hear that commercial breweries have water usage in the order of 10-15 litres for every litre of beer.

 

[fraser_john]

Pumpy,

re your napisan soaks......when soaking kegs, carboys, cubes, I will always re-use the napisan mix about three to four times, just add an extra teaspoon of napisan each time, makes 20 litres go a long way!!!

 

[TasChris]

exporting our precious water overseas in megalitres each year inside bottles and foodstuffs is really stupid for such a dry continent.

Perhaps we could dehydrate our beer, milk, wine etc exports!!

Water useage is not much of a concern if you have water tanks (and an average rainfall of about 1300mm) and use the waste water wisely.
The water use footprint would be much less of a concern than our power use with all our pumps, heaters, fridges, cool rooms etc.
I stop worring about it after 2 or 3 sips


Chris

 

[eric8]

Pumpy,

re your napisan soaks......when soaking kegs, carboys, cubes, I will always re-use the napisan mix about three to four times, just add an extra teaspoon of napisan each time, makes 20 litres go a long way!!!

That's a great idea to re-use the napisan mix. I had never thought of that. I usually wash everything on my front lawn after brewing, so it sort of isn't wasted as much.
eric

 

[bconnery]

It might sound like a lot but as pointed out when you consider how much water other frequent processes use it isn't that much. Plus you get beer at the end of it...
I very much believe it should all be about how much you use overall anyway.
The council here is pushing this 'Target 140'. That is 140L per person per day.
Well I have a pool and I make beer and have a child which means more frequent washing and we are still at around 100, sometimes even less.
I re-use a lot of the water involved in the brewing process for watering, filling the pool etc. etc.