Hello Homebrewers

Bought my Brewers Best Kit yesterday and anxious to get started.After some review I see some discussion about the use of a wort chiller.Is this an important
item to add to my brew kit or would an ice bath in the sink suffice?I am also curious about water used in the brewing process.Do most lean toward bottled water or tap water?
I do have a couple books in my collection and a DVD on the way.Let the fermenting begin.
BBB

A wort chiller is a great investment and would recommend it but to start an ice bath works well, you will just need a lot of ice to get the temps down quickly which is the goal. It getts expensive to keep having to buy ice, especially if you live somewhere warm.

As for water, if you can drink it from the tap and it tastes perfectly fine then you can brew with it. If there is any question to the quality the R/O or bottled water is the way to go. If you already run your water through a home filter then that's fine too.

The only thing I'll add that you did not question is your fermentation temperature and control. Be sure keep your temps cooler rather than warmer, if your first kit is an ale try and pitch the yeast and ferment in the mid 60's and that will ensure you get a great beer with no off flavors!

Welcome to the hobby and the community! Cheers!

You don't necessarily need a wort chiller. I used an ice bath for my first brew and probably will for my next. I plan on making my own wort chiller in the future.

As far as water goes, it just depends on the water in your area. I opted to use bottled water.