I’ve been using 100% distilled water for my brewing but just sent out for a water report because I’m in the process of upgrading my set up to do larger batches. Is there any reason to run the water though a carbon filter such as this, http://morebeer.com/products/water-filt … ?site_id=5 or can Camden tablets be used to remove chlorine and chloramine? I’m not sure if my water is chlorine and chloramine but it tastes pretty bad before being run through the Brita filter
If it’s just chlorine/chloramine, campden is the way to go. If you need to remove other stuff, use the filter.
What kind of stuff would be an issue?
Would that be like debris in the water
I personally think a filter is easier than campden tabs. I always found them tough to get to dissolve.
I never had that problem. Are there more than one brand?
Carbon filters are great if you need to remove organic flavors. Just be aware that the flow rate probably needs to be slow to remove chloramines, because filters aren’t that efficient at removing it. I favor Campden (I actually switched to using powdered sodium metabisulfate, so that I don’t have to cut tablets) just because it is easy, quick, effective, and doesn’t require more equipment. But my water is otherwise delicious. If I needed to improve the flavor of water that tasted “swampy”, I would definitely filter.
Would that be like debris in the water[/quote]
Yeah, debris or minerals. If chlorine/chloramine is all you need to deal with, campden is much cheaper and easier.
I find it easiest to use a small aquarium filter to do the carbon thing. just fill the filter up with the carbon and hang it on the pail of brew water the day before and let it run all night. no hose or hook ups required. also single pass filters are not as efficient as you think, the water should be exposed to the activated charcoal carbon longer then just one pass. imho.
crush with a spoon and only use the amount needed
crush with a spoon and only use the amount needed[/quote]
This if the problem is just chloramine. To figure out cheaply if this is enough, try it and then drink a glass of campden treated water. If it still tastes bad, you will need to filter or buy bottled water.
You can read a comprehensive discussion about using either campden or activated carbon on the Water Knowledge page of the Bru’n Water website. There are differing conditions under which either might be preferred.
Another alternative for removing chlorine (doesn’t work for chloramine) is to add a scant teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide per 5 gallons of pre-boil water. I have been doing this for about 7 years now, and have been happy with the results. It sure is less than a PITA as the other methods I used to use (campden tablets that refuse to dissolve, carbon filter is sloooooow, boiling and cooling - waste of propane).
If you have difficulty getting the campden tablet to dissolve, you can always purchase a small bottle of potassium metabisulfite and measure it out that way. The sulfite is the active ingredient in the tablet and it dissolves in warm water within seconds. It’s also cheaper and the bottle will last a beer brewer for a very, very long time.
The campden tabs are for convenience. They are pre-measured sulfite (either potassium or sodium) and have about 0.5g in each tab (or about 1/16th tsp). One tab is overkill for 7 gal of water. I use one tab for 15 gal brewday (10 gal batch) and even that is more than enough. The white inert ingredients tend to coagulate in your HLT if you don’t get them fully crushed.
Sodium metabisulfite is a bit cheaper even, but is more granular. I use the sodium type in bulk as a sanitizer for my wine making, but the sulfite I add to my beer water or to the wine is the potassium type, no real reason tho.
@beerme11, if you’re on city water and just need to get rid of chlorine/chloramine, I doubt you will find a more economical and simple/easy way than using the sulfite. Well water is a different subject altogether and the sulfite will do nothing for you there. Campden tablets will not make nasty tasting water taste good, it will only remove the chloramines! So sulphur or iron water are unaffected. Cheers!
