Hi All
We have moved our little brewery into one of our Garage's. In order to get running water in there we have to use an outside tap.
Will the water be clean enough to use directly in our brew or will we need to clean the hosepipe every time we use it?
We are wondering if any of you guys had similar problems and what your solutions were/are?
Regards
LoftyAmbitions
Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
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brewzone
Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
If You use 1/2" clear braided pvc of foodgrade quality then there won't be any issues.
If You are using ordinary hosepipe which stays connected all the time for use in the garden etc then You will need to flush out the water in the hose in case chemicals in the hose have leached out into the water contained in the pipe.
Bacteria in a garden hose could also be an issue.
I have used the outside tap to wash down after brewday but usually get the water for brewing from indoors.
BZ
If You are using ordinary hosepipe which stays connected all the time for use in the garden etc then You will need to flush out the water in the hose in case chemicals in the hose have leached out into the water contained in the pipe.
Bacteria in a garden hose could also be an issue.
I have used the outside tap to wash down after brewday but usually get the water for brewing from indoors.
BZ
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boingy
Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
Even if your hose is food grade you will still need to flush it through and be careful not to leave it outside otherwise algae will grow in it and all manner of nasties will take up residence. Assuming you brew 5 gallons at a time I suggest you just lug the water you need to the garage in couple of trips using a spare FV.
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Jolum
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Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
Or get a pump and pump it from inside.
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TC2642
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Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
Never had a problem using the outside hose for brewing with. It all gets boiled anyway so I cannot forsee any problems. I've been using mine for several years without ill effect.
Fermenting -!
Maturing - Lenin's Revenge RIS
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Maturing - Lenin's Revenge RIS
Drinking - !
Next brew - PA
Brew after next brew - IPA
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Jolum
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Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
TBH, I'll soon be moving into a new brewshed in the garden and I was going to do just that. The tap outside is mains water and already has a hozelock fitting so I was planning on connecting up my food grade tubing for the liquor and then the (brewing) garden hose I use to connect to my IC.TC2642 wrote:Never had a problem using the outside hose for brewing with. It all gets boiled anyway so I cannot forsee any problems. I've been using mine for several years without ill effect.
"Everybody has to believe in something, I believe I'll have another drink." - W.C. Fields
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Blackaddler
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Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
That's exactly what I do. I use a brass hosetail on the outside tap, though.Jolum wrote:
TBH, I'll soon be moving into a new brewshed in the garden and I was going to do just that. The tap outside is mains water and already has a hozelock fitting so I was planning on connecting up my food grade tubing for the liquor and then the (brewing) garden hose I use to connect to my IC.
Food grade hose for liquor. Garden hose for the immersion chiller, as the water is only used for cleaning or watering the garden.
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ChrisG
Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
My heating boiler is in my garage so I just take the mains feed from that. Guys who installed the heating system were very interested in my homebrewing and i mentioned that i needed a water tap in the garage so they showed me what to do. Gave them a few beers away 
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Kev888
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Re: Using a hosepipe from an outside tap
I use a hose/pipe for brewing out in the garage, taken from the outside tap; the brewing liquor was possible to trundle out there in tanks on a trolly but the hose really helped with all the washing out and rinsing and so on, so now I just use that for everything.
I was going to use the garden hose I already had, but it smelled nasty and a cautious taste of the water put me off; I also read a thread on here where someone decided the taint they were getting reminded them of the smell from their hose. So I got a dedicated food grade pipe for brewing - I'd intended to circulate cleaner around it before use but must admit that I haven't done so yet, though I do run it through for a bit before using it to fill the HLT.
I posted on a related subject here and awalker's post contains a useful link to a food grade hose that I intended to get, but I left it too late to order before brew day so ended up temporarily (and therefore ever since then!) using some plastic potable water pipe which works but isn't flexible enough.
The biggest annoyance I've had is that during the cold weather it has frozen - even laying it out in the am its had time to freeze during brew day, and its surprising how often I end up wheeling it out. I'm thinking of looking at a more semi-permanent setup; I can't easily bury a pipe as there's too much concrete between tap and garage, but i was thinking maybe some pipe insulation covering the hose and some sort of heating wire may be possible.
Its unrelated to the post, but if its of interest I also laid some 40mm waste pipe out to empty cleaning solution and rinse water through into the drain, and more recently got a length of 3/4" hose which I'm hoping will do the same but be easier to roll out. I was going to just let it spill onto the yard but with the frogs I get part of the year and the cats that seem to lap at it I thought best not really.
Cheers
kev
I was going to use the garden hose I already had, but it smelled nasty and a cautious taste of the water put me off; I also read a thread on here where someone decided the taint they were getting reminded them of the smell from their hose. So I got a dedicated food grade pipe for brewing - I'd intended to circulate cleaner around it before use but must admit that I haven't done so yet, though I do run it through for a bit before using it to fill the HLT.
I posted on a related subject here and awalker's post contains a useful link to a food grade hose that I intended to get, but I left it too late to order before brew day so ended up temporarily (and therefore ever since then!) using some plastic potable water pipe which works but isn't flexible enough.
The biggest annoyance I've had is that during the cold weather it has frozen - even laying it out in the am its had time to freeze during brew day, and its surprising how often I end up wheeling it out. I'm thinking of looking at a more semi-permanent setup; I can't easily bury a pipe as there's too much concrete between tap and garage, but i was thinking maybe some pipe insulation covering the hose and some sort of heating wire may be possible.
Its unrelated to the post, but if its of interest I also laid some 40mm waste pipe out to empty cleaning solution and rinse water through into the drain, and more recently got a length of 3/4" hose which I'm hoping will do the same but be easier to roll out. I was going to just let it spill onto the yard but with the frogs I get part of the year and the cats that seem to lap at it I thought best not really.
Cheers
kev
Kev