Please help - campden tablets (or lack of)

Graeme · Sep 23, 2009

Hi,

I am new to the forum and to home brew. I have just started fermenting my first brew (Woodforde's Admiral's Reserve).

I also have two demi's of wine from kits on the go.

The problem is, I have used water straight from the tap in all three brews. I didn't know about campden tablets - they weren't mentioned on the kit instructions or by the man in the home brew shop.

Have I ruined my brews before I've even started them?

Thanks for your help.

Wez · Sep 23, 2009

Don't fret too much, it removes the chloramines from the water that comes from your tap - the worst that will happen is you will have a slight twang from the beer.

Just one to remember for next time.

When i used to brew kits i forgot to treat water loads of times and still enjoyed the beer. :thumb:

Aleman · Sep 23, 2009

Wez said:
When i used to brew kits i forgot to treat water loads of times and still enjoyed the beer. :thumb:

I still do

and I've only been brewing slightly longer than Methuselah :lol: I wouldn't fret it, you won't have done anything bad to the wines, and its possible the beer will get away with it . . . when you run your cold water into the sink does it smell strongly of chlorine? . . . If not you have no problems . . . if it does . . . you may but you may well get away with it.

Graeme · Sep 23, 2009

Thanks for your advice Aleman and Wez.

The mains water here doesn't have a particularly strong odour of clorine, so hopefully I'll be ok.

I'll be sure to use campden tablets next time.

Thanks again.

theboltongroaner · Sep 28, 2009

I just started my very first brew this weekend and after reading this thread i had a sniff of my tap water and definitely very chloriney - can someone advise when exactly to use the campden tablets? It's only been fermenting for a day or so - is it too late?

Leglesstwot · Sep 28, 2009

theboltongroaner said:
I just started my very first brew this weekend and after reading this thread i had a sniff of my tap water and definitely very chloriney - can someone advise when exactly to use the campden tablets? It's only been fermenting for a day or so - is it too late?

To late now I fear, you add the crushed half of campden tablet to the 23 litres of water before you start. Add one now and you could stop fermentation as i believe it will kill the yeast.