Questions on Campden tabs

Got a packet of campden tabs so I can use my tap water for brewing. Definitely has a chlorinated smell about it, possibly chloramine in there too.

I notice that it says on the packet that they are a sterilant and preservative so I'm wondering a couple of things.

Does this mean I can use campden treated water without boiling for top off? Will using this water for my starsan solution mean I could use or keep the solution for longer, safely?

I realize it isn't going to make my tap water as pure as distilled would be, but sterilant suggests to me that the water is, somewhat, purified as a result. Maybe totally off the mark with this though.

The amount of potassium metabisulphite (Campden tablets) recommended for de-chlorination is about 5% of the amount recommended for killing microbes, which is what wine-makers use it for. If you want to make sure the top off water is sanitary, use 1 tablet per gallon.

Thanks for the crystal clear answer

I've had problems with too much campden causing stuck fermentations. I use it to remove chloramine from tap water. When I used too much (1 tab per 5 gallons), I couldn't get FG's below 1.020. Cut back to 1/4 tab per 5 gal (recommended dose) and FG's were fine.

RunBikeBrew said:

I've had problems with too much campden causing stuck fermentations. I use it to remove chloramine from tap water. When I used too much (1 tab per 5 gallons), I couldn't get FG's below 1.020. Cut back to 1/4 tab per 5 gal (recommended dose) and FG's were fine.

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Oops, already started a pale ale batch using, what I thought was the correct ratio of, 1 tab to 5 gallons Pitched yesterday, late afternoon, with a pack of rehydrated US-05 and it's looking a bit un-dynamic at the moment. Recently, every time I rehydrated yeast I had a really quick transition from lag to the beginnings of krausen. Was wondering if the campden tab might have something to do with that.

Will see if the FG ends up a bit high as did exactly the same brew a couple of months ago.
Thanks for the heads up.

BTW, were your brews that ended up with higher FGs extract, PM or AG?

With the Crosby & Baker campden, it's 1 tablet per 20 gallons for chlorine and chloramine removal.

AnOldUR said:

With the Crosby & Baker campden, it's 1 tablet per 20 gallons for chlorine and chloramine removal.

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The ones I've got are LD Carlson, 100 tabs, 550mg.

Hmm, I recently started using Campden tablets instead of spring water, and the first 2 batches I used them on were much slower-starters than other batches (48-72 hours). Like the others, I used a whole tablet for a 5 gallon batch. Now I'm wondering if that was the problem.

Just to be clear, since I'm new...

I just bought this for my next batch to neutralize chloramine:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/campden-tablets-potassium-metabisulfite.html

It says on it 1 tablet per gallon. I've read various posts on here saying 1 tablet is good for 20 gallons (probably the source of my confusion).

Now, just to make sure I understand all of the other threads/posts I've read, someone please let me know if I've got this right. 1 tablet (550mg) is used to sanitize 1 gallon of water, but (I'm piecing this part together) neutralizes chloramine in 20 gallons of water. So 1/4 of a 550mg tablet is enough to neutralize chloramine in 5 gallons of water?

The problem is likely that the Campden tablets in the first 24 hours after added them are causing your wort to be less hospitable to for yeast growth. Try adding less next time.

BYO suggests 1/2gram per 20 gallons.

UPDATE: Do not add one tablet per gallon. This is for wine and for inhibiting wild yeast in wine must 24 hours in advance of pitching yeast for WINE.

Anymore, I get the powder for and just put a pinch in for 5 gallons of water. But, if you want to get precise, measure out 1/8 gram per 5 gallons of water and just stir in.

Ok, I did a LOT of investigating on this myself recently because my tap water has chloramines in it and was giving me off flavors in my brews.
1 tablet per 20 gallons, or 1/4 tab per 5 gallons, will dissipate the chlorine and chloramines but is not enough to sanitize. If you want to use that water to top off your boil it is still recommended to boil and cool it first as it could cause problems.
What I've begun to do is fill my 5 gallon boil pot and add 1/4 tab crushed to it before I start cooking. It only takes a few minutes for it to work. (I'm still doing extracts and partials at this point) then I just pour off enough so it doesn't boil over when I start boiling. I still buy a couple gallons of bottled water for topping off my fermenter, but it beats buying 5-6 gallons of water every time I make a batch.
Hope that helps others. Check your city's water treatment for details on what they are using. Many are switching from chlorine, which can be boiled off, to chloramines which cannot!

so is it 1/4 tablet for 5 gallons pre-boil or post-boil? I usually start out around 10 gal for a 5/6 gal batch.

1/4 tablet split between the mash and sparge water has made a big difference for me (5 gallon batches). When I used a full or 1/2 tablet I would always end a bit high on the FG.

Broncobum said:

so is it 1/4 tablet for 5 gallons pre-boil or post-boil? I usually start out around 10 gal for a 5/6 gal batch.

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Pre boil, mash, or sparge.

To make it clear:

1 tablet/gallon is for killing wild yeast, and a few other organisms.
1 tablet/20 gallons is for neutralizing water contaminants/chemicals from the water treatment plant.

Broncobum said:

so is it 1/4 tablet for 5 gallons pre-boil or post-boil? I usually start out around 10 gal for a 5/6 gal batch.

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I fill my 10 gallon mash tun to the brim and with 1/2 a tablet. Then drain out of it into my ferm bucket to measure out my mash and sparge water amounts that beersmith gives me.

FuzzeWuzze said:

I fill my 10 gallon mash tun to the brim and with 1/2 a tablet. Then drain out of it into my ferm bucket to measure out my mash and sparge water amounts that beersmith gives me.

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+1 agreed there is a thread on here by ajdelange about this and the proper dose for chlorine.chloramine is 1/2 tab per 10 gallons or to titrate with a slurry until you no longer smell chlorine.

I've recently started using 1/2 tab to treat 4 gallons of water (in my bottling bucket) prior to boil. 3 gallons is transfered and boiled for a 2.5 gallon batch in kettle, then I boil and cool the last gallon for needed top off water. Not only did I notice an extremely slow start and less vigorous ferment in my last batch, I also used the last cup of my treated, boiled and cooled water for priming / bottling another batch 2 days later.

Now I'm concerned my recently bottled beer won't carb up. Does boiling do anything to the "yeast zapping" properties?

iamperplexed said:

I've recently started using 1/2 tab to treat 4 gallons of water (in my bottling bucket) prior to boil. 3 gallons is transfered and boiled for a 2.5 gallon batch in kettle, then I boil and cool the last gallon for needed top off water. Not only did I notice an extremely slow start and less vigorous ferment in my last batch, I also used the last cup of my treated, boiled and cooled water for priming / bottling another batch 2 days later.

Now I'm concerned my recently bottled beer won't carb up. Does boiling do anything to the "yeast zapping" properties?

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That is definitely more than you need for four gallons. I suspect that, if your beer actually did ferment, it will eventually carbonate since you didn't change the ratio of campden tab to water.

A quarter of a tab is fine for four gallons. I use a quarter of a tab for my strike water and another quarter for my sparge water. Most of the time, it's a little more than I need. But, I've never noticed any I'll effects.

downtown3641 said:

That is definitely more than you need for four gallons. I suspect that, if your beer actually did ferment, it will eventually carbonate since you didn't change the ratio of campden tab to water.

A quarter of a tab is fine for four gallons. I use a quarter of a tab for my strike water and another quarter for my sparge water. Most of the time, it's a little more than I need. But, I've never noticed any I'll effects.

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Lesson learned, hope you're right. I've pretty much switched to smaller, extract w/ grain batches these days. I think I'll go back to buying a few gallons of spring water and be done with it. I'll save the Tabs for future all grain and wine making plans.

I know this thread is old, but did any one get sulfur aromas when using Campden?

BreezyBrew said:

I know this thread is old, but did any one get sulfur aromas when using Campden?

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I can't speak for others but I definitely have not had any sulfur odors from using campden....... what kind of beer are you brewing ? the sulfur smell could be a byproduct of the yeast as certain strains are known for sulfur production.

That's the thing... The strains I have been using were clean American strains... 1056, 001, and us-05. I have brewed a couple of what I would consider ambers, and IPAs. I have cut way back on the amount used, this last time it was one and a half tabs. Still got the aroma. Realized now I only need 1/4th tab.

BreezyBrew said:

That's the thing... The strains I have been using were clean American strains... 1056, 001, and us-05. I have brewed a couple of what I would consider ambers, and IPAs. I have cut way back on the amount used, this last time it was one and a half tabs. Still got the aroma. Realized now I only need 1/4th tab.

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Honestly the best person here on HBT you could ask about campden and sulfur smell would be ajdelange here on HBT he assisted John Palmer with part of "how to brew" and is pretty much a water chemistry guru and extremely highly regarded within very high brewing circles as a authority on brew chemistry and brewing water. I've "spoke" to him several times here on HBT and he is not only knowledgeable but very approachable and eager to help his fellow brewers. He's the man you want to get answers from. for my .02 with the little knowledge I have and AJ can correct me if I'm wrong is that sodium or potassium metabisulfate is a sterilant but when added in small quantity ie. 1/2 a tablet crushed with appx 10 gallons of water containing either chlorine or chloramine the campden tablet breaks the chlorine/chloramine bond and off gasses these chemicals for lack of a better descriptor. now that being said is I do know a bit about water treatment for households and usually we recommend carbon filtration for chlorine as that will remove chlorine. Carbon will also remove chloramine but the flow and contact time would be ridiculous and not work for chloramine. Is it possible I wonder that when removing the undesireable chloro compounds it is allowing sulfur that was underlying the chloro to present itself more readily and the chlorine/chloramine was removing or hiding it and by using campden it came out ???? that I believe is what AJ needs to answer for you. best of luck.

I'm still a little unsure as to when you add the campden tabs. I do all grain so should I split a half tab between the ~10 gallons of strike/sparge water or can I put a quarter tab into the wort before (~7 gallons) or after the boil (~5.5 gallons)?

Travestian said:

I'm still a little unsure as to when you add the campden tabs. I do all grain so should I split a half tab between the ~10 gallons of strike/sparge water or can I put a quarter tab into the wort before (~7 gallons) or after the boil (~5.5 gallons)?

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In the water, and stir it well. NOT the wort!

Yooper said:

In the water, and stir it well. NOT the wort!

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Thanks Yooper!

What I've done for the last few months is to fill up a 5 gallon, plastic water bottle and add a 1/4 tab, leave it overnight and then use the water for brewing. I was under the impression, perhaps wrongly, that a bit of time was required to let the chloramine off-gas.

Ogri said:

What I've done for the last few months is to fill up a 5 gallon, plastic water bottle and add a 1/4 tab, leave it overnight and then use the water for brewing. I was under the impression, perhaps wrongly, that a bit of time was required to let the chloramine off-gas.

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I posted a thread asking this exact question as I always collected my water and added the campden the night before. I asked AJdelange that specific question about contact time as I forgot to do my pre night water the evening before brewing. According to AJ you can add the campden literally within minutes of brewing with it ( in the strike water or HLT ) for the mash not the wort itself. The reaction is almost instant as long as you crush the tablet fine and it fully dissolves.

I use a 1/2 tablet of campden and crush it very fine and add it to the 10 gallon HLT with my 1tsp of gypsum (calcium sulfate) and/or 1tsp calcium chloride. I do this as the water is heating up to strike temp and swirl it around until it is totally dissolved. I'm in Austin and we definitely have high chloramine amounts (highly alkaline water too), so I also use a chloramine/chlorine water filter for the HLT water.

+1 - Water treatment not mash adjustment.

No sulfur and I use Campden every beer.

Aschecte said:

I posted a thread asking this exact question as I always collected my water and added the campden the night before. I asked AJdelange that specific question about contact time as I forgot to do my pre night water the evening before brewing. According to AJ you can add the campden literally within minutes of brewing with it ( in the strike water or HLT ) for the mash not the wort itself. The reaction is almost instant as long as you crush the tablet fine and it fully dissolves.

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Good to know. Thanks for sharing that piece of info.

When I use Campden, I'll put it crushed into my HLT before adding the water. My water filter is slow, so it take a real long time to draw all the water needed for a batch. Does Campden stay in suspension and continue working or does it loose its effectiveness shortly after dissolving? Will all the water be properly and evenly treated using this method?

Good thread. +1

RunBikeBrew said:

I've had problems with too much campden causing stuck fermentations. I use it to remove chloramine from tap water. When I used too much (1 tab per 5 gallons), I couldn't get FG's below 1.020. Cut back to 1/4 tab per 5 gal (recommended dose) and FG's were fine.

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Wow! I use the whole tab in 5 gallons. I've had 3 AG batches stall at 1.020 lately and I was scratching my noggin. I must try this!

masskrug said:

Wow! I use the whole tab in 5 gallons. I've had 3 AG batches stall at 1.020 lately and I was scratching my noggin. I must try this!

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again to chime in by my edumacation from Ajdelane on this here are two ways to approach dosing....the rule of thumb is 1/2 either sodium or potassium metabisufate ( camped sms or pms ) per 10 gallons or 1 tab per 20 gallons. The other method is to crush a whole tablet and make a thin slurry with tap water only about a shot glass full is needed. After this smell your water before treating and smell the chlorine or chloramines and then slowly drop by drop add the thin slurry until the odor of chlorine goes away and your done. The slurry method is nice because every municipality uses a different concentration so in some cases a 1/2 tab is too much and in other cases it's not enough so there you have it. simple.