Can I fill my keggles with a garden hose?

[Joeneugs]

I just set up my all grain brewery in my garage and was wondering how everyone gets water to their systems.

Can I use a hose from my front yard as long as it's food grade? Or should I just fill a pitcher of water from my kitchen sink which has a water filter attached?

 

[xsists]

Get a RV water hose and run it to the garage. That should be fine. If you really want to, you can filter the water once you get it into the garage.

 

[BendBrewer]

Yes you can.

 

[jsweet]

You got it.

Point of info: The food-grade hose they sell at Lowes doesn't say "food-grade" or "potable water" on the packaging any more (and actually says in fine print that it's NOT for that). I asked one of the employees and he was really confused, since it's the same brand that used to say food-grade, same specs in terms of the material, similar packaging (minus the food-grade thing, of course) but they apparently just changed it. Maybe it was a liability thing?

If it's white and has a picture of an RV on the front, it's the right one, regardless of what the packaging says. FYI.

 

[xsists]

I know the local Walmarts have a bunch of different white potable food grade hoses in an array of lengths.

 

[bumstigedy]

Do you get a plastic / VOC aroma from using that Hose?

 

[Apoxbrew]

I use a regular hose. never had any problems. I'm actually using a rubber hose now as I'm taping into my hot water tank. no problems either.

I wouldn't worry to much about what hose you use.

 

[Junkster]

I used a regular garden hose for years without any problems. I made sure I ran whatever water was in the hose out & then ran it through a charcoal filter to fill the tanks. I figure whatever time the water is in the hose during the short transit time from the house plumbing to my brewing filter was nothing to worry about. My muni water company's intake is in Lake Erie and I KNOW fish poop in it! <G>

 

[HawkATP]

I use a regular white garden hose. I make sure I run it about 20 seconds before I start filling my HLT to get any bugs out that may have crawled in. I have a brew specific spray nozzle I attach to it though that I keep inside.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Real simple hint... Smell and taste the water before you fill your system.
I had a problem with RV hoses I bought. I ruined a couple batches before I got smart enough to taste the water BEFORE I filled the system from the hose. I ended up going to Lowes and buying a PEX water line to make a brewing dedicated hose.

 

[remilard]

I think the hoses, including RV hoses, make the water taste plasticy. I carry water outside in 5 gallon water bottles.

 

[Raider-11]

Stay away from any thing made in China, they use chemicals in manufacturing that have been outlawed in the US.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Can I use a hose from my front yard as long as it's food grade?

Absoutely NOT if you live in California...

 

[SirBC]

Absoutely NOT if you live in California...

Why is that?

 

[Clann]

because it will cause cancer, duh

Everything in cali causes cancer

 

[jsweet]

I thought wiser's comment was hilarious, but there's some truth here: although I'm sure the elevated risk is pretty trivial, you could leach carcinogens from a non-food grade hose. Would I lose sleep over it? No. But I wouldn't do it on purpose when it's only a few bucks to get the right thing...

 

[SantaClaus]

I use a food grade garden hose, and recently added a carbon filter system to my stand. Using that method in the middle of chicago winter is a bit tougher, but pouring warm water over the spigot to thaw does the trick.