Help for a beginner

[Flamenco]

I am about to restart my home brew hobby after at least 20 years. I managed some decent brews but also had too many failures - mostly due to a nasty metallic taste. Things have moved on since those days in the home brew world it seems but I have become very concerned about water quality and what to do about it. I've seen a very scary looking calculator but have not the faintest idea what to do with it.

Is there a simple starter's guide for beginners which sets out step by step what I need to before using the water out of my cold tap?

In the past I simply used the water as it was (and I suspect may be why I had the failures).

I am quite prepared to work at it but am at a loss to know where to start.

Any help and advice most welcome.

[Dave S]

I am about to restart my home brew hobby after at least 20 years. I managed some decent brews but also had too many failures - mostly due to a nasty metallic taste. Things have moved on since those days in the home brew world it seems but I have become very concerned about water quality and what to do about it. I've seen a very scary looking calculator but have not the faintest idea what to do with it.

Is there a simple starter's guide for beginners which sets out step by step what I need to before using the water out of my cold tap?

In the past I simply used the water as it was (and I suspect may be why I had the failures).

I am quite prepared to work at it but am at a loss to know where to start.

Any help and advice most welcome.

Hi

I too returned to brewing early last year after an absence or about 20 years, and you're right things have moved on unbelievably.

In answer to your question, a good start would be to read the water treatment section by going to Brewing Knowledge Base at the top of this page and clicking on 'Water Treatment' to the right.

Hope that helps.

[orlando]

If only.

For me water treatment might as well be the final frontier, fiendishly confusing for anyone who has not received a grounding in chemistry. Graham Wheeler has a calculator on here which has notes attached to it that are quite a good start. Another guy on here, who is a consultant water engineer over in the States, has a very good intro to it HERE. But before you do anything you are going to need a water report from your local supplier so nip over to their website and download that before you do anything. In a month or so John Palmer et. al. will be publishing a homebrewers book on Water which you can probably pre order on Amazon. Oh! and one final thing, get yourself a packet of very strong analgesics and a damp towel handy, you're going to need them

[Pinto]

I've used water straight from the tap with no problems before - I think that you'll find the improvements in kits since the "Boots" days has done the most for improvement of product and flavour.

As its been said, proper water treatment is an arcane art - but all journeys start with a first step So i'd say this - either brew using a cheap spring water (dear in relation to the tap, but not that much more in real terms), or do the first step in water treatment and draw off 25 litres of water from the tap before you brew and add 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to it and stand for a few hours - this will remove any chlorine taint that might be in your water and could cause those metallic tastes you want to avoid.

Once you get a few kits under your belt and gain experience and confidence, then you can worry about making a perfect analagy of finest Burton-on-Trent water

[far9410]

I've used water straight from the tap with no problems before - I think that you'll find the improvements in kits since the "Boots" days has done the most for improvement of product and flavour.

As its been said, proper water treatment is an arcane art - but all journeys start with a first step So i'd say this - either brew using a cheap spring water (dear in relation to the tap, but not that much more in real terms), or do the first step in water treatment and draw off 25 litres of water from the tap before you brew and add 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to it and stand for a few hours - this will remove any chlorine taint that might be in your water and could cause those metallic tastes you want to avoid.

Once you get a few kits under your belt and gain experience and confidence, then you can worry about making a perfect analagy of finest Burton-on-Trent water

+1

[crafty john]

I've used water straight from the tap with no problems before - I think that you'll find the improvements in kits since the "Boots" days has done the most for improvement of product and flavour.

As its been said, proper water treatment is an arcane art - but all journeys start with a first step So i'd say this - either brew using a cheap spring water (dear in relation to the tap, but not that much more in real terms), or do the first step in water treatment and draw off 25 litres of water from the tap before you brew and add 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to it and stand for a few hours - this will remove any chlorine taint that might be in your water and could cause those metallic tastes you want to avoid.

Once you get a few kits under your belt and gain experience and confidence, then you can worry about making a perfect analagy of finest Burton-on-Trent water

+1

+2

[orlando]

I've used water straight from the tap with no problems before - I think that you'll find the improvements in kits since the "Boots" days has done the most for improvement of product and flavour.

As its been said, proper water treatment is an arcane art - but all journeys start with a first step So i'd say this - either brew using a cheap spring water (dear in relation to the tap, but not that much more in real terms), or do the first step in water treatment and draw off 25 litres of water from the tap before you brew and add 1/2 a crushed campden tablet to it and stand for a few hours - this will remove any chlorine taint that might be in your water and could cause those metallic tastes you want to avoid.

Once you get a few kits under your belt and gain experience and confidence, then you can worry about making a perfect analagy of finest Burton-on-Trent water

Good advice. I would add if your water is rather hard the simplest way of reducing carbonate (temporary hardness and up to a point pH) is to boil it for 1/2 hour then when cooled aerate after racking off to your HLT or storage bucket.

[Flamenco]

Many thanks for the advice. Will proceed with the Campden tablet this first time.

Whilst I'm at it, I've seen a lot about having an airlock on the FV and most seem to say it's a good idea. When I was in my local suppliers this morning, I was told it wasn't necessary so have come away without one.

Am I at greater risk of infections in the brew with no airlock?

[far9410]

Many thanks for the advice. Will proceed with the Campden tablet this first time.

Whilst I'm at it, I've seen a lot about having an airlock on the FV and most seem to say it's a good idea. When I was in my local suppliers this morning, I was told it wasn't necessary so have come away without one.

Am I at greater risk of infections in the brew with no airlock?

Ive never used one, if you have a loose lid to keep crap out, the co2 layer produced by the ferment will protect your beer.

[sweatysock]

I too was daunted by the thought of water treatment. I went the simple route of 1/2 campden tablet the night before, then used Brupacks CRS and DLS. Their website sets it out for the layman and explains what to do.

Currently the only beer I have treated the water is in the FV so I cannot comment on any tangible difference. My pre treated beers were pretty good so I will need to wait and see.