Using water from gas hot water system for water

[trustyrusty]

Hi Guys

Question. I had an issue with the gas hot water system the other day and emailed the manufacturer about it. They mentioned something about the water needing to get over 60 deg to kill micro organism..etc.

Got me thinking, the hot water gas (not electric) looks like a boiler, runs into the sink in copper pipes (sometimes used in brewing too cool wort, as in place inside the wort with cold water running through...so copper not an issue?)

I thought that using hot water might a good way to sterilize your water for wort and stock water - cooled as needed. In other post I mentioned using a sterilizer and it was mentioned that if you rinse your fermentor with water after cleaning / sanitizing the water should be of the cleanest quality etc. I think our water is ok but if you were worried about not using a no-rinse sanitizer then surely your water for a batch is the same issue. Has anyone tried this, and do you sterilize water for brewing..?

I am refer to gas hot water, I think with electric heaters could be different...
I also mean storing hot water for later use when cool for beer making... not hot enough for the wort production boil but you could start off with it and heat up as needed..

The reason I ask is I heard for what ever reason you should not drink water from a hot water system...sounds like rubbish to me ..but maybe I have missed something here...
Thanks

 

[razz]

Not drinking water from the hot tap may well be an old wives tale rusty. HWS's now have to have water stored above 60 degrees to defend against the bacteria that causes legionnaire's.

 

[tugger]

In nsw it can't come out the tap hotter than 50.

 

[Dae Tripper]

That is the job of the tempering valve

 

[indica86]

HWS's now have to have water stored above 60 degrees to defend against the bacteria that causes legionnaire's.

Edit - yes, apparently that is the case.

 

[vykuza]

Not drinking water from the hot tap may well be an old wives tale rusty. HWS's now have to have water stored above 60 degrees to defend against the bacteria that causes legionnaire's.

My old man caught legionaires last year, lucky to have survived!

 

[vykuza]

In nsw it can't come out the tap hotter than 50.

Mine comes out at 45-47, but is limited to 50.

it's "on demand" though, gas, so not storing the liquor.

 

[trustyrusty]

Hi Guys, thanks - I am really concerned about temp.....my only question really if it is ok to use to brew with...ie consume...

Surely water that has got to 65 deg or so in the tank...will have less chance of diseases or impurities than out of the cold tap..therefore more chance of a better beer?
If the water has been in the tank all day at a high temp it is like it has been sanitized or most of the impurities removed?

If you want to see how hot it gets from the tank ..run some off the pressure release valve into a glass....mine got to about 65 or even a bit higher...



Cheers

 

[user 36151]

I use hot water for brewing from a 50L electric storage heater its also used for cleaning ect so the water is turned over weekly normally ran cold with cleaning prior to brewing then allowed to heat back up .thermostat set about 75c. with stat cycled off at 75 i get about 70L into biab kettle at about 50c and thats all from the hot tap filtered through a under sink type drinking water filter. In the beginning i filled a couple of pints one hot and cold both un filtered put gladwrap on them and chilled and sampled could not taste a difference in them.It saves a heap of time and gas if you using it.
No rheem taste as mr bullpit would say

 

[Rodolphe01]

Some people don't like using storage hot water system water for brewing (or drinking) because of the sacrificial anode possibly putting zinc in the water (or something). Probably doesn't apply to the instant gas hot water systems though.

The water while hot might be 'safer' microbiologically, but might be less 'safe' once cooled because of the effect the heating may have on residual chlorine. Also, the additional handling/cooling/storage of the water might simply re-contaminate it (if it was even contaminated in the first place). The hot water system won't remove any impurities either. However, reticulated water in Australia is very safe, so I wouldn't be concerned about this for brewing with it. Getting into water chemistry and removing chlorine etc when you get to the pointy end of refining your brewing, sure - but then you would be looking at RO water anyway.

Straight tap water is fine for brewing, thousands of kit brewers use it routinely without a thought.

For what it's worth I use hot water system water simply to save on heating time in the urn.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

I use boiling water from my kettle to rinse

 

[spog]

Hi Guys, thanks - I am really concerned about temp.....my only question really if it is ok to use to brew with...ie consume...

Surely water that has got to 65 deg or so in the tank...will have less chance of diseases or impurities than out of the cold tap..therefore more chance of a better beer?
If the water has been in the tank all day at a high temp it is like it has been sanitized or most of the impurities removed?

-
To get rid of the nasties water needs to be boiled for 15 mins which will kill and drive the nasties off via the boil/vapour.
A HWS is a sealed unit and does not boil so the impurities etc will remain inside,but as for catching something from your hot water service the chances are very very slim.
If it were an " oh no don't do it " issue we would all be crook,seeing as we wash dishes and ourselves in hot water from a hot water service.
It's no different than running water from a tank or tap into a pot and then heating to 65 degrees.

 

[trustyrusty]

Hi Guys - thanks

All I am asking is if it would be ok to use hot water from the HWS water - that is cooled for the water in your brew. It has to be better than the cold water in terms of less nasties.
I am not asking to use if I wanted to purify water I would use - I would boil to make sure - but out of the hot water it would have a chance to be cleaner than cold.
And if you were going to boil water this would be a easier and time saving start...

I am sure it is fine to use... I think that is an old wives tale about drink hot water out the system. You boil water tea in a kettle that has elements in it?

I will give it a try...

cheers

 

[glenwal]

All I am asking is if it would be ok to use hot water from the HWS water - that is cooled for the water in your brew.

Put water from your hot tap in a mug, let it cool and then drink it. If it tastes OK then you should be good. If it has any off tastes to it then don't use it as the of flavors may effect the resulting beer.

 

[klangers]

Legionnaires is generally airborne on tiny particles of water which enter your lungs. There is very little, or no, risk of contracting Legionnaires from tap water (assuming you're talking municipal treated water rather than local dam or rain water).

What brewing method do you use? You need not worry if you're boiling your wort anyway before cooling to ferment.

 

[spog]

Hi Guys - thanks

All I am asking is if it would be ok to use hot water from the HWS water - that is cooled for the water in your brew. It has to be better than the cold water in terms of less nasties.
I am not asking to use if I wanted to purify water I would use - I would boil to make sure - but out of the hot water it would have a chance to be cleaner than cold.
And if you were going to boil water this would be a easier and time saving start...

I am sure it is fine to use... I think that is an old wives tale about drink hot water out the system. You boil water tea in a kettle that has elements in it?

I will give it a try...

cheers

Taking water from a HWS and then letting it cool is a waste of time the end result is the same .
Taking water from a HWS that is already heated and then commencing a boil will result in less time / energy to achieve a boil .
Dont worry about the old wives tales as they are simply that.

 

[motman]

I read something about older copper pipes being braised with lead, which leaches more at higher temps. May be worth checking out.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The old tale of not drinking from the hot tap goes back to the days of lead pipes, which was thought to be causing lead poisoning, it was phased out donkey's years ago.

 

[kunfaced]

HWS's have a scale buildup happen in them. Mostly calcium and magnesium build up in the HWS over time. I know it causes problems internally with the elements but I don't know how much of it would be picked up and delivered to the tap.

 

[spog]

I would say a lot of it as a HWS is a sealed unit , the only time anythings escapes is when either the pressure relief valve kicks in or the hot water tap is opened.