Camden tablet cock up!

[Mikeyd]

Hi all,
Made a small 10L Ag batch last night and it needed topping up to reduce the Sg. So I used cooled boiled water which I’d added a Camden tablet too.
Luckily I realised before I pitched the yeast that I had added water with the tablet in. Should I now give it 24hrs before pitching or have I ruined this batch?

Thanks.


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[ACBEV]

I don't think you have ruined it... Just wait and pitch...

 

[BeerisGOD]

I've heard people adding campden water literally half an hour before the boil'
If it's only top up water you should be o.k.

Let us know if it's off and running cos I maybe in the same boat one day as id rather add treated water than plain tap water

 

[ACBEV]

When I make wine from fruit juice, I add a campden tablet to kill off any wild yeasties and thingies, when wait 24 hours before pitching. So just wait and it'll be fine.

 

[Mikeyd]

Ah yes of course, forgot about that when making wine.
Should hopefully be ok then if I pitch the yeast tomorrow morning then, it will have had 36 hours to dissipate by then.


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[MyQul]

I had no idea campden tablets can have an adverse (ie kill) yeast(probably because I dont make wine. I've added campden tablets to my top up/dilution water loads of times just prior to pitching the yeast and never had a negative effect

 

[marshbrewer]

I have always treated my brewing water (if I'm not using bottled) with 1 campden tab per 20l or so of water 15 mins before I start brewing, and that includes kit brewing where most of that water was added as is, and the yeast chucked in. Never had a problem with fermenting not starting tbh

 

[ACBEV]

I had no idea campden tablets can have an adverse (ie kill) yeast

This is my understanding from reading several wine making methods from the interweb... Now I might be re-gurgitating a myth!

But, Wikipedia... "inhibit the growth of most wild yeast". I think it may be sensible to wait, although it may not effect pitched yeast. I think its a common practice to wait. Further into the article it says "yeast population will only be stunned", this may be why you have not had noticeable adverse effects.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campden_tablet

 

[Mikeyd]

I always treat my water prior to boiling too.
Last time I just topped up with cooled boiled water. However this time i used top up water I had already boiled then added a tablet. I also used this water to rehydrated some yeast which I was going to pitch before I realised my error. It totally killed the yeast off which is why I then realised what I’d done.
I’ll be adding some new rehydrated yeast to the brew this morning so will let you know if it works.


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[Mikeyd]

Added the new yeast this morning, all bubbling away nicely now.


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[-Bezza-]

I thought it would be a good idea to use a Campden tablet when making my most recent kit up, on the basis that it should improve the taste of the water. Wasn't really sure what I should be doing and was in a rush so wasn't paying a great deal of attention. Put 1/4 tablet in a small amount of warm water to dissolve, stirred the LME through the hot water, chucked the campden tablet solution in and topped up with cold tap water before pitching the rehydrated yeast.

So...

a) I'm not sure whether that allows the Campden tablet to work its magic on the chloride, i.e. whether it needs to be in pure water to work or if it can still remove the nasties once all the sugars are in
b) It has fermented just fine (actually my quickest fermentation yet, which might be attributable to the new brewfridge or from rehydrating yeast for the first time).

Conclusion: Fresh campden tablets do not kill yeast!

 

[Mikeyd]

That’s interesting because when I added water with Camden tablet in it to my yeast to rehydrate it definitely killed the yeast off...


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[-Bezza-]

That’s interesting because when I added water with Camden tablet in it to my yeast to rehydrate it definitely killed the yeast off...


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Ah, I didn't add it to the water used to rehydrate the yeast - that was just normal tap water, boiled and cooled.

Perhaps it kills yeast when concentrated - bearing in mind that I had used 1/4 tablet for 23 litres of water, if you add 1/4 tablet to a yeast starter, that might be 200-times more concentrated.

 

[BeerisGOD]

I can't believe I stopped using these gems
Had a pint of a two week old IPA tonight and the difference compared to the non treated is so much more fresh
I'd normally use bottled but thought I'd try the 'if it's ok to drink from tap..' Metaphor
Anyway we live and learn

 

[Wouter]

Ah the old sulfide argument :). Btw, the only way that it is actually proven to be sort of sterilizing is with addition of citric acid.
Do watch out for the irritating fumes though. That's one of the reasons why I hate the stuff.

 

[Sadfield]

It is my understanding that Campden tablets don't kill yeast or bacteria, but do inhibit growth.

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