Mash in w/ water from hot water tank

[jeremyjudd]

It occurred to me a few years back that taking cold tap water to 170ish degrees takes a lot more time and uses a lot more propane than taking hot water from the tap at roughly 125 degrees to 170. So since that time I always get my mash water from the hot water tap. I make great beer and have not have any off-flavors due to this approach. But I did start wondering recently if it may be harmful to drink water that has come from a hot water tank. I don't have lead pipes or anything, but also realize that water from the hot water tank may leach some undesirable heavy metals.


Does anyone else use this approach or see any problems w/ it?


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[helibrewer]

It should not be any different than filling your pot with hot water before boiling it for pasta....

As long as you have a reasonable water profile to start with I see no issues. You could always send a sample off to Ward labs for a definitive answer.

 

[Foosier]

Uhmmm... You don't have lead pipes... sooooo I am going with no, not harmful.

Honestly as long as your water is not softened, there is probably no reason not to use a hot water heater to pre-heat it. There are a number of members of this site with demand water heaters built into their process. so no.... no harm.

 

[Renoun]

Flushing sediments out of the bottom of one's hot water tank is an often neglected home maintenance task that can extend the life of the tank. If you are brewing with water from your tank it would be an especially worthwhile thing to do on a regular basis (once or twice a year). Connect a hose garden hose to the drain valve, run it somewhere it can drain, open up up the valve, and let the water run until it is clear.

 

[n240sxguy]

This is one of those, well actually, kind of questions. Absolutely do not use water out of your hot water tank unless you know for a fact that it does not have an aluminum anode rod. That's why they always say not to use hot water for cooking. Consumption of aluminum is not a good thing. Look it up. On the other side of that coin, if you have a tankless heater, or a tank with a magnesium or powered rod, go ahead and use your hot water.


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[Epimetheus]

Jeremyjudd, your hot water tank is either lined with glass or lined with enamel or similar non-reactive surface so no metal leach into the water. The manufacturers take pains to do this because if metal leaches into the water, the tank is corroding and it will soon leak. Besides, there are no heavy metals in a bare water tank. It is a steel alloy, not lead or cadmium.

I use hot tap water all the time for brewing. Add 1 campden tablet per 20 gallons to instantly eliminate the chlorine, and you're good to go. I use a pill cutter to split the tab for less than 20 gallons.


n40sxguy, Dangers of aluminum leaching from cookware and anodes is nonsense. So says the Alzheimer's Association. Please PM me with the source of "they" rather than we hijack this thread.

 

[n240sxguy]

n40sxguy, Dangers of aluminum leaching from cookware and anodes is nonsense. So says the Alzheimer's Association. Please PM me with the source of "they" rather than we hijack this thread.

I don't see how answering a person's question is really thread hijacking. It is on the topic of what was mentioned. He said he wondered if it was safe, and what others thought. There is speculation that aluminum causes Alzheimer's. Studies have shown both ways. Here's a source you will probably accept as credible.

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/phs/phs.asp?id=1076&tid=34

Whether you believe it or not, I choose to limit my exposure. Also, if he has a porcelain lined tank, it may not even have a sacrificial anode, so we would both be happy about that.


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[jeremyjudd]

Thanks all for weighing in. Good tips about draining the crud out of the bottom of the tank and adding campden. Will do both.