Using The Hot Tap For Mash Water

[1974Alby]

Hi all,

I was just reading a different thread about washing machines here and it got me thinking about the pro's and con's of using the hot water system water for brewing.

I have done it in the past...just giving the water out of the hot tap a short blast with the burner to get it up to strike temp... and made what I consider to be nice beer ...but is there anything inherently wrong with it that might prevent my beer from being better? :huh:

One thought that comes to mind is that water stored at high temps in the HWS is likley to be de-chlorinated..but I could be wrong on that. Im no expert but interested in the thoughts of others who think about such things.

Do you use HWS water? if yes, why?.............. if not, why not?

Cheers

Al

 

[Rowy]

Hi all,

I was just reading a different thread about washing machines here and it got me thinking about the pro's and con's of using the hot water system water for brewing.

I have done it in the past...just giving the water out of the hot tap a short blast with the burner to get it up to strike temp... and made what I consider to be nice beer ...but is there anything inherently wrong with it that might prevent my beer from being better? :huh:

One thought that comes to mind is that water stored at high temps in the HWS is likley to be de-chlorinated..but I could be wrong on that. Im no expert but interested in the thoughts of others who think about such things.

Do you use HWS water? if yes, why?.............. if not, why not?

Cheers

Al

I've done only about 15AG brews so I am no expert but have used it in every one. Have had no problems.

 

[Wolfman]

I'd like to know two!

 

[hsb]

I'm no expert on H2O but I think this is why it's not preferred. We want those minerals in the water, unless you're adding them to mash liquor.

The water coming in from the water main or well enters the water heater and is then heated. Hot water is less capable of holding on to the dissolved minerals common in water, so some of the minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, come out of solution and settle at the bottom of the tank. This is the sediment that accumulates in the water heater.
http://articles.webraydian.com/article4316...ter_Heater.html

I don't know what pH of hot water is, id guess it's different. Do you drink it? How's it taste?
I heat from cold, seems like a pretty essential ingredient to cut corners on but I'm sure there's lots of brewers here doing the same and making and enjoying their beer.

 

[iralosavic]

My wife says the world health organization advises against the use of hot water service water for infants (including if boil sanitizing), but she is not sure of why. Perhaps the reason will provide an insight.

 

[Rowy]

My wife says the world health organization advises against the use of hot water service water for infants (including if boil sanitizing), but she is not sure of why. Perhaps the reason will provide an insight.

I've had all the kids I want anyway so there's one side effect I'm not worried about

 

[Greg.L]

I heard that lead from the solder and maybe the pipes as well dissolves more at higher temps.

 

[Greg.L]

Found this quote from an Australian website. (lead.org.au) "Avoid using hot water for drinking or cooking purposes (this advice applies equally to non-leaded plumbing systems - in order to reduce copper intake);"

 

[iralosavic]

Yeah that's what my wife says, but copper has been used for cooking for centuries and still is today. In cooking it is advised to avoid acidic foots such as tomato or citrus etc as copper is reactive in acidic solution. I can't imagine simply heating water would reduce the ph by enough to make it acidic to the point of affecting copper reactions.

 

[ploto]

I'm pretty sure the water has to have a very low pH (I've seen 4 quoted) for lead and other heavy metals to be of any concern. Happy to be proved otherwise.

As for the hot water out of the tap, how was it heated? A rusty old electric tank may well be a concern. When the plumber drained our old one on replacement he collected a cup of the dregs and asked if I wanted a Turkish coffee. On the other hand what problems might one expect from an instant gas water heater? It's just a flame heating a copper pipe so how could that affect the water chemistry?

Another issue that may be of interest is the temperature of the water and how it would relate to mash rests and whatnot.

 

[RdeVjun]

Anyone ever noticed a big blue stain under a leaking hot tap? I have, its not the only tap that leaks in my household but its the only one with a stain. :unsure:

Edit: Electric HWS.

 

[Cocko]

I have a continuous flow HWS and it is way much radness!

Not only good for endless showers but because I can fill my MT with, about 65*, water and then drop in a Immersion element, yes I heat my strike water direct in the mash tun - Why? Saves ******* around transferring water at X temp from one HLT vessel to another RA RA...

Fill MT with strike volume, drop in heating element, Also heats up the actual MT..

Its a win win. Also, reduces the demand on your HLT.

2c.

 

[Phoney]

I have heated dozens and dozens of brews from cold water on a timer so that it's ready mash in as soon as I come home from work, and I have also filled my urn with hot water directly out of the tap to save time to get it up to strike temp, dozens and dozens of times.

Have never noticed the difference. Mind you I have gas hot water if thats any different??

 

[Spork]

I've filled my urn from the hot tap most times.
Getting water from 54c to 71c takes 20 mins. Getting it from 16c takes wayyyy longer.
Might try a couple more from cold tap though and see if end result is even better than my usual.

 

[kelbygreen]

well a mash is acidic and people (including me) use cooper as a manifold. Not sure what point the cooper reacts but if you want a shinny bit of cooper throw it in the mash tun it will come out shinny

 

[kelbygreen]

I've filled my urn from the hot tap most times.
Getting water from 54c to 71c takes 20 mins. Getting it from 16c takes wayyyy longer.
Might try a couple more from cold tap though and see if end result is even better than my usual.

wow 20 mins for 17degs? I get about 28lts of tap water (20deg prob?) upto 72deg in about 30 mins with a poky 3 ring burner.

 

[komodo]

do you then add your grist to the water as opposed to adding your water to your grist?
edit : thats directed at you cocko

 

[kelbygreen]

I find it easier to add the grist to the water. People say different things but I add a bit stir it in add a bit stir it in. I find you get less chance of dough balls. I also pump my mash water into the MT as its a esky and let it sit for about 3 or so mins, so I always go over my mash in temps then let the MT absorb the heat then if its still little to hot I stir it around or add a little cold water. I find only going few degs over the expected is enough when mashing in with almost 30lts of water.

I should add that when I heat the MT and all there is no grain in the water, Once it drops to my strike temp then I add the grain.

 

[Deebo]

I remember reading up on this a bit trying to find an answer and the general consensus seemed to be if it is a continuous hot water system it should be fine, if it is a tank, maybe not.
I used to use my continuous hot water system and didnt notice any detrimental effects, now I just use an electrical timer and stc-1000 to preheat the strike water while I sleep (as I use an undersink carbon filter now)

 

[drew9242]

I use gas instantaneous hot water for every brew except when i use 75% rain water to soften it up. I think all the crap we have in our water down here has more of an effect.