Hi, been brewing kits on and off for years

[The Mad Brewer]

Hi, I'm quite an experienced brewer as far as kits are concerned, never attempted any start from scratch recipes though.

Mi best tip to any aspiring brewer is to never use tap water, use cheap bottled water, it hardly adds anything to your costs and it really avoids running the risk of having a terrible tasting brew.

 

[Moley]

I'm not entirely sure I agree, that advice would rather depend upon the tap water in question. My own is pretty good (although I seldom drink it neat) and I am quite happy to use it in my wines and beers, with just a little metabisulphite added.

Welcome to the forum :

 

[Dunfie]

Welcome to the forum. :

In some areas untreated tap water can cause some problems but in others the quality is great. My own supply is a bit soft but its easy enough to add a bit of gypsum as required.

 

[battwave]

I'd concur, my tap water if fine. The only warning is watch-out for water companies that add Chloramine (quite common now).

It can't be agitated or boiled out of the water, and reacts with the good phenols in your brew to give bad chlorophenols. To describe the taste and smell of these, think of TCP or sticking plasters!

The treatment is easy: the wine makers old friend; the Campden tablet. Crush half a tablet in 5 gallons of water and allow to stand for 10 minutes or so. Treat all the water that goes into your brew.

Discovering this little secret took me from one failed brew after another, to ales I'm proud to share with friends and family.