Hi All

[Fazzer]

Hi there.
My name is Faz.
Complete newbie brewer, I have a stout beginners kit to get underway after xmas.
I'm going to put it under the stairs so hopefully the temp is ok, I do have a little heater that can go in there for any cold nights.
Was reading a lot about water, wow, lots of things to think about but want to kieep it simple for now. I have bought some dip sticks for testing, but not sure what i'm looking for! Also got some cambden tabs but I think for the first brew I'm going to use bottled water.
Any tips or advice will be more than welcome.

 

[Leon103]

Welcome and good luck.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum...

 

[The Baron]

welcome to the forum

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

 

[An Ankoù]

Welcome. What kit have you got? Follow the instructions that came with the kit. What are dip sticks? What were you intending to use campden tablets for, if not for sterilising your equipment and bottles? What do you expect to gain from using bottled water? Sorry for all the questions, but it's not clear what you're trying to do-apart from making beer, of course.

 

[starseeker]

Welcome ,
I brew under the stairs and find it keeps a very steady temperature , good luck with your stout :)

 

[Fazzer]

Welcome. What kit have you got? Follow the instructions that came with the kit. What are dip sticks? What were you intending to use campden tablets for, if not for sterilising your equipment and bottles? What do you expect to gain from using bottled water? Sorry for all the questions, but it's not clear what you're trying to do-apart from making beer, of course.

Thanks for the reply,
It's coopers stout i think, its actually wrapped under the tree, but thats what i asked for!
Dipsticks to test the chemicals in the tap water, see if i need to treat it.
Campden tabs get rid of chlorine?
Bottled water so i don't need to use the tablets above.

 

[An Ankoù]

Thanks for the reply,
It's coopers stout i think, its actually wrapped under the tree, but thats what i asked for!
Dipsticks to test the chemicals in the tap water, see if i need to treat it.
Campden tabs get rid of chlorine?
Bottled water so i don't need to use the tablets above.

Ok. Good. Don't worry about the water chemistry too much at this stage as the mash has been done for you. You're spot on about eliminating chlorine, but possibly wasting your dosh buying bottled water. Use your tap water if it smells and tastes ok. You only need half a Campden tablet for the whole batch. Chlorine and chloramine are not good in beer, but it's when you use it to boil the hops that you get real problems. I think Coopers Stout is already hopped, isn't it?

 

[Fazzer]

Ok. Good. Don't worry about the water chemistry too much at this stage as the mash has been done for you. You're spot on about eliminating chlorine, but possibly wasting your dosh buying bottled water. Use your tap water if it smells and tastes ok. You only need half a Campden tablet for the whole batch. Chlorine and chloramine are not good in beer, but it's when you use it to boil the hops that you get real problems. I think Coopers Stout is already hopped, isn't it?

Ah, I see.
Tap water seems fine, i drink it and there is no chemical smell to it.
If i was to use half a campden tab, can I just add the tablet when I add the water?
Not sure about your last question.

 

[An Ankoù]

Ah, I see.
Tap water seems fine, i drink it and there is no chemical smell to it.
If i was to use half a campden tab, can I just add the tablet when I add the water?
Not sure about your last question.

Add it to the water before you mix it with the kit.
Sorry about the last question. I think Cooper's stout is a "beer concentrate" which you have to add water and sugar to. This means that the malt has been mashed and sparged and has been boiled with the hops so you don't need to worry about those processes. The only reason I mentioned it is because if you boil chlorinated water with hops, the result is undrinkable, but you don't have to worry about that.
Might I suggest you get a decent book on home brewing: not too simple and not too hard, and give it a good reading so you can get an overview of the whole operation. I'd recommend any early edition of Graham Wheeler, even second had, from Amazon. The latest edition is OK, but not worth the money in my opinion.

 

[Fazzer]

Add it to the water before you mix it with the kit.
Sorry about the last question. I think Cooper's stout is a "beer concentrate" which you have to add water and sugar to. This means that the malt has been mashed and sparged and has been boiled with the hops so you don't need to worry about those processes. The only reason I mentioned it is because if you boil chlorinated water with hops, the result is undrinkable, but you don't have to worry about that.
Might I suggest you get a decent book on home brewing: not too simple and not too hard, and give it a good reading so you can get an overview of the whole operation. I'd recommend any early edition of Graham Wheeler, even second had, from Amazon. The latest edition is OK, but not worth the money in my opinion.

OK, i get it now. I think i've been over complicating everything by reading too much into water treatment and the like.
Nice to get some clear and straight forward answers, so thanks for that.
I will defo have a look for the book you mention.
So looking forward to getting it going.