28 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I've always filtered all of my brew water with a water pitcher (painful). I'm thinking of trying out campden tablets as my main concern is chlorine in the water b/c I'm guessing it tastes good otherwise. Any tips or experience with using these? I could also maybe get an inline block filter for my cold water but that seems a little bit more of an investment. Thoughts?

[ncbeerbrewer]

I've always filtered all of my brew water with a water pitcher (painful). I'm thinking of trying out campden tablets as my main concern is chlorine in the water b/c I'm guessing it tastes good otherwise. Any tips or experience with using these? I could also maybe get an inline block filter for my cold water but that seems a little bit more of an investment. Thoughts?

I understand your pain and filtering water for your beers. I used to do that a couple of years back myself too. I am on well water and the water that I get from the sink/faucet taste just fine and dandy. Needless to say I believe if your water taste good for regular consumption then its perfectly good for brewing. I don't filter any of my water and have never noticed the change. Now I know you can play with water chemistry to create water profiles for certain beer styles but I say as long as the water taste good to drink by itself then its good to brew and I am not messing with it.

[beach]

The city water were I live is very high in chlorine (smells & tastes like a swimming pool). All my brewing water is pushed through 2 carbon block filters plumbed in series. When I mix sanitizer I add campden tabs to handle the chlorine.Beach

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

The city water were I live is very high in chlorine (smells & tastes like a swimming pool). All my brewing water is pushed through 2 carbon block filters plumbed in series. When I mix sanitizer I add campden tabs to handle the chlorine.Beach

Our city water isn't super high in chlorine but it's noticeable enough that I'd want to minimize it.

[MakeMeHoppy]

City water here chlorinated as well. For brewing my neighbor gets bottled water from Sam's Club in a disposable 4 gallon container. I use these containers to hold 8 gallons of brewing water. I leave them uncovered overnight and then seal the cap back up. I can't detect any chlorine aroma after the overnight sit.Give it a try, you may save yourself some expense.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

City water here chlorinated as well. For brewing my neighbor gets bottled water from Sam's Club in a disposable 4 gallon container. I use these containers to hold 8 gallons of brewing water. I leave them uncovered overnight and then seal the cap back up. I can't detect any chlorine aroma after the overnight sit.Give it a try, you may save yourself some expense.

this essentially already happens after I filter since I have to filter ahead of time. I just put a glass of straight from the tap water in the fridge and I'll have the Mrs. test it out tonight to see if she can detect anything.

[djinkc]

Campden tablets are cheap. I use 1 for a 10 gallon batch. I usually filter my water and treat with Campden. Chlorine will evaporate well overnight and filters can be effective too. Chloramines are different. A lot of treatment plants are switching to chloramine. We have it. Most filters aren't all that effective for chloramine removal but Campden tablets will knock out both chlorine and chloramines in a minute or two. I wouldn't brew without it using our water.

[Given2fly]

Depending on the amount I'm brewing (typically 2 five gallon batches) per session, I usually fill my HLT (15.5 gallons) and a few 5 gallon buckets with water the night before, adding in 1-2 crushed Camden Tablets. No filtering necessary from my end. Camden tablets are cheap and I've never noticed a problem.

[stellarbrew]

I will echo what others have said...Campden tablets are cheap, easy and effective. Also, as dj in kc mentioned, they are effective with chloramines even when some filtering systems are not. I was advised that 1/2 Campden tablet is plenty adequate to rid 5 gallons of water of chlorine or chloramine, and I have found that to be the case. I recommend crushing the tablet finely and adding to your water after it has been heated to help it to fully dissolve in the water.

Edited by stellarbrew, 14 February 2010 - 09:41 AM.

[realbeerguy]

Campden tablets are cheap. I use 1 for a 10 gallon batch. I usually filter my water and treat with Campden. Chlorine will evaporate well overnight and filters can be effective too. Chloramines are different. A lot of treatment plants are switching to chloramine. We have it. Most filters aren't all that effective for chloramine removal but Campden tablets will knock out both chlorine and chloramines in a minute or two. I wouldn't brew without it using our water.

+1 on Campden & Chloramines.I filter & use campden. I'll try to post the picture of the filter set up on the RV hose.

[siouxbrewer]

So campden during the brewday is alright? I've got a bottle of the stuff but I've never used em, would be worth giving it a shot. Wasn't too sure about the effects it would have on the yeast.

[realbeerguy]

So campden during the brewday is alright? I've got a bottle of the stuff but I've never used em, would be worth giving it a shot. Wasn't too sure about the effects it would have on the yeast.

1 tablet to 15 gal brew water. Minimal effect.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

+1 on Campden & Chloramines.I filter & use campden. I'll try to post the picture of the filter set up on the RV hose.

what are you attempting to filter out since the campden is taking care of the chloramines and chlorine?

[realbeerguy]

Campdem is taking care of chloramines, filter does chlorine & cysts & other debris in water. There are some that say a filter will do the chloramines, but in my experience that is not the case.

[tag]

what are you attempting to filter out since the campden is taking care of the chloramines and chlorine?

Metabisulfite for the chlorine/chloramine. Charcoal filter for any other off flavors.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Campdem is taking care of chloramines, filter does chlorine & cysts & other debris in water. There are some that say a filter will do the chloramines, but in my experience that is not the case.

cysts? btw - I'd love to see your RV hose + filter setup

[zymot]

I use 1/2 campden tablet per 5 gallons. I disolve 1 tablet in 1 liter of water and mix 500 ml of solution into 5 gallons.I few years ago, I did some testing. Originaly posted on the board of green.

My tap water is sanitized with chloramine. I wanted to experiment and see how I could eliminate chlorine/chloramine from my municipal tap water.I purchased a bottle of 25 test strips intended for home aquarium use. The product used was Lifegard brand Chlorine/Chloramine Test Strips from Pentair Aquatics. $17.99 retail, Part Number R440006https://www.lifegard...oduct.php?id=28Simple to use. Dip a strip in you water sample for 2 seconds, remove and wait ten seconds. Presence of chlorine/chloramine (test does not make a distinction) turns the test strip a progressively darker purple color. Compare test strip to color chart on bottle to determine chlorine or chloramine concentration. The scale on the bottle reads from .1 PPM to 10 PPM with 6 steps between. A zero PPM chlorine/chloramine reading is white or no change of color.Here are the results of my test results:1- Tap water, unfiltered: 3 PPM (I understand this is a typical concentration level)2- Tap water, filtered with PUR faucet mounted carbon filter: ~.5 PPM3- Tap water, filtered with 5 micron carbon water filter: ~.75 PPM4- Tap Water, filtered with 5 micron carbon water filter & 1 campden tablet per 5 gallons: no reading5- Tap water, unfiltered with 1/2 campden tablet per 5 gallons: no reading6- Tap water, unfiltered with 1 campden tablet per 5 gallons: no readingNote: I took readings 5 & 6 very quickly after adding the campden tablets.Conclusion: Campden tablets are very effective at removing chloramine. You will probably use 1/2 a tablet per 5 gallons. Check with the supplier of water and ask about concentration levels of your water. I do not know of any side effect of over using campden tablets some, say 1 tablet per 5 gallons. Use your best judgment.zymot

[realbeerguy]

Here's the link for the GE filter cartridge I use.https://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=FXULC

[Big Nake]

My local water is very high in chlorine too. The rest of my water profile is okay, but the chlorine is a problem, especially with lighter beers. I didn't want to put an inline water filter in my house, so I got one of these portable jobbies from MoreBeer...Before I brew, I hook this guy up to my outside water and run about 3 gallons into the pot I use to heat my mash water and then get a 6½ gallon plastic primary (that I plan to use for the upcoming batch) and fill that up with another 4-5 gallons. It takes about 10 minutes and the water is clearly better chlorine-wise. I filter the water like this for all of my beers. Also, I have heard that running the water through the filter slower removes more stuff. It's supposed to filter out chlorine, chloramine, organic flavor and particulate. I think the filter was $36 and I like the fact that it's portable. When I'm done using it, I let the filter dry out and then I put everything back into a bucket in the basement. Cheers.

[DaBearSox]

1 tablet is effective for up to 20 gallons of water...I usually 4th a tab crush it up and added it to my mash water and sparge water before heating.