I have been using water for a while but have recently seen people who think this isn't best practice and is likely to get infected.
I have also found out that the sanitizer I use breaks down over time so likely wouldn't be suitable. I have taken to using dish soap for now but don't know if there is a problem with this practice.
I am currently avoiding vodka because of the alcohol duty in my country.
the chances of it getting infected with plain water are very low. depends on what sanitizer you use, but basically none of them will break down in the time it takes for your wort to ferment and for you to refill it.
i’ve been brewing for a long time, never had anything get infected, and i always use diluted phosphoric acid (starsan).
think about it this way; would you rather have sanitizer (safe, food grade), or soap (possibly both emetic, and laxative) in your wort?
Thanks for the input. I don't use starsan but something called chemipro oxy which contains sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate. I think this stuff breaks down faster than starsan but I am not sure.
Most soap (at least where I am) is not antimicrobial - it cleans by removing germs from surfaces, so it doesn't seem effective to me being put in an airlock. Not to mention the potential mess during fermentation and potential contamination of your batch.
The same SO2 solution I use to sanitise my equipment. While not strictly necessary during the fermentation, as the CO2 from the fermentation is already displacing oxygen, It prevents oxygen from getting in after the fermentation has ended.
I use the sanitizer I'm using at the brew day. Iodofor, Starsan, Alcohol 70%, etc.
Have never had an infection, never used tape water though.
Just keep in mind that if you don't have any way of closing the airlock in the fermentation vessel - airlock tube section, when cold crashing, the liquid might get sacked to the vessel, due to pressure difference caused by temperature drop.
Not really, but it's on my goal. I intend building a kegerator and use my fridge just for fermentation.
I cold crash in the same fridge for the momment.
Oh, and I do have a valve for closing my airlock, mostly for preventing oxidation tham infections concerns.