Reusing Mineral Water Bottles

[BertB]

On my first couple of brews I brought mineral water in 5 litre bottles and used that to brew with.

On the next go I'm planning on using the soft Welsh water from the tap instead

After the bottle where emptied, I put the caps on and they've been in the shed since.
I refilled the (4) 5 litre bottles last night and popped half a youngs crushed campden tablet in each, leaving the cap on but not tight.

My better half has asked me if I should have sterilised the mineral water bottles before refilling them, and I genuinely don't know.

I'm using them mainly for ease of measuring the water, but I'm thinking maybe I'll just use the water straight from the tap and measure with a sterilised jug. (the campden was an idea from the big stout thread).

Anyone have any thoughts on it?

[BertB]

Further research into this suggests I've totally miss understood the dosage of the campden, got litres and gallons mixed, whoops!

Looks like it should be half a tablet per 5 gallons of water and not litres.... looks like I'll be starting over and will sterilise the bottles first to be on the safe side.

[alexlark]

Hi, I'm from South Wales and I've always used the water straight from the tap for brewing. No problems here

[Jim]

If I were you I'd get a measuring jug and sterilise it before use [just noticed you suggested that yourself at the end of your post]. You don't want to be using bottles that have been lying about in the shed, even with the tops on, without sterilising them first. The rule is everything that touches the brew or the brewing water should be sterilised beforehand.

Put the campden tablet into your fermenter once you've filled it (1/2 tablet per 5 gallons) - don't mess about trying to do it in the bottles.

[BertB]

Thanks chaps.