Pre Boil Mash Water

[citizensnips]

I feel like this has definitely been asked before, but I did a site and google search and didn't come up with a lot so thought I'd ask here. Just a querie, why wouldn't you pre boil your mash water to evaporate and get rid of some nasties like chlorine and bacteria and what not, then just wait for it to decrease to strike temp? I know it could take a little longer but would it hurt the beer? or does it need some nutrients in the water or something....
Cheers

 

[Helles]

I boil all water the night before for any pale lager soft Melbourne water
And i'll add brewing salts most other style

 

[citizensnips]

Interesting helles, maybe I should as well as I only really plan on doing ales and lagers for a bit. Any reccomendations on some salts I should add? Don't really have much of an idea on the water topic so any help would be appreciated, especially melbourne specific
by the way.......I take it that it doesnt effect mash efficiency too much or anything?
Cheers

 

[Helles]

Normally only use Cacium Sulfate and Calcium Chloride
1 tsp of each in mash for 20lt of mash water
Depending on style will vary slightly

 

[pimpsqueak]

I only really plan on doing ales and lagers for a bit.

Just curious. What will you be brewing after you finish with the ales and lagers?

 

[QldKev]

Just curious. What will you be brewing after you finish with the ales and lagers?

:lol: :lol:

 

[Pommy Matt]

I feel like this has definitely been asked before, but I did a site and google search and didn't come up with a lot so thought I'd ask here. Just a querie, why wouldn't you pre boil your mash water to evaporate and get rid of some nasties like chlorine and bacteria and what not, then just wait for it to decrease to strike temp? I know it could take a little longer but would it hurt the beer? or does it need some nutrients in the water or something....
Cheers

If you are going to boil to dechlorinate make sure your local water supply uses straight chlorine, not chloramine as boiling won't remove the latter. Bacteria wise - there won't be any in fresh tap water, that's what the chlorine is there for, and anyway the boil will take care of it. I don't think boiling would help anything else, but stand to be corrected.
Personally I don't see any advantage in the extra effort and expense of pre-boiling. I use half a campden tablet and then adjust my water based on what I'm brewing with CaCl and Gypsum, with acidulated malt for ph if required.

 

[stuart13]

...
Any reccomendations on some salts I should add? Don't really have much of an idea on the water topic so any help would be appreciated, especially melbourne specific
by the way.
...
Cheers

Try this pdf document. A good starting point.

 

[Impy]

I feel like this has definitely been asked before, but I did a site and google search and didn't come up with a lot so thought I'd ask here. Just a querie, why wouldn't you pre boil your mash water to evaporate and get rid of some nasties like chlorine and bacteria and what not, then just wait for it to decrease to strike temp? I know it could take a little longer but would it hurt the beer? or does it need some nutrients in the water or something....
Cheers

Surely boiling it before the brewing boil is completely superfluous. If you're looking to boil off chlorine, then that will happen during your brew boil. And if you're worried about bacteria, then the brew boil will take care of that as well.

Boiling is boiling. Before the mash or after, all the same things are still going to happen.

 

[katzke]

...
Boiling is boiling. Before the mash or after, all the same things are still going to happen.

Chlorine reacts with organics to produce nasty things. If you have a lot of chlorine it may be worth filtering or boiling.

Boiling also changes hard water if you have terrible hard water from bicarbonate.

I don't boil, however I do not have bad water that stinks or is hard.

 

[manticle]

As katzke suggests, pre-boiling will effectively remove chlorine and temporary hardness, as will some filters. Please note boiling will not remove chloramines or permanent hardness.
However Melbourne water is very soft and not overly chlorinated. Chlorine begins to come out of solution above 20 deg. C so for Melbourne water, heating to strike will be sufficient.

As for bacteria - if your water source is so high in bacteria that it will affect theflavour of a beer made the regular way (eg 60-90 mash/boil) then it is probably not suitable for use.
Again, melbourne water is good on that score.
http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...showarticle=124