Campden Tablet Question

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HarvInSTL

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Ok, I did some searching in the forums but wasn't able to find the anwser I'm looking for.

My tap water has chloramines and I have read that Campden tablets can get rid of that. So off to the LHBS I went, and when I arrived they had two types. (KMS) Potassium metabisuplhite and (SMS) sodium metabisulphite. Since brew day is tomorrow I grabbed both just to make sure I had what I needed.

First question, whats the difference?

Second, both state 1 tablet=150ppm Total SO2/gal. Actual FREE SO2 is pH dependent. So if I want to get rid of chlorimine in my water how many tablets should I used for 10-14gal of water?

Third, does using these remove anything else from the water? I normally only use 5.2 in my strike & sparge water and I want to make sure that if this stuff is removing other beneficial things from my water that I add it back.

Thanks!
 
HarvInSTL said:
Second, both state 1 tablet=150ppm Total SO2/gal. Actual FREE SO2 is pH dependent. So if I want to get rid of chlorimine in my water how many tablets should I used for 10-14gal of water?

Found some helpful posts on the green board, and 1/4 of a tablet per 5 gallons.

http://byo.com/mrwizard/1260.html

HarvInSTl said:
Third, does using these remove anything else from the water? I normally only use 5.2 in my strike & sparge water and I want to make sure that if this stuff is removing other beneficial things from my water that I add it back.

Thanks!

They reduce other things like microorganisms and particulate matter in addition to chemicals like chlorine, lead, mercury and others.

Levi
 
Checked the Mr Wizard link, and he says:

In easy to use terms, a 1/2-ounce Campden tablet can be used to dechlorinate 20 gallons of water.

This can't be right, can it? I bought 1 oz of KMS tabs at my LHBS; they're labelled "75 ppm" (so there are apparently multiple sizes available) and there are 50 of them in the package. A half ounce would be 25 tablets.

Mr wizard must mean (and it looks like you interpreted it this way too) that half a tablet (not half an ounce) will treat 20 gallons. But which size tabs is he talking about?
 
I don't think there are multiple sizes available- just "campden tablets". It's a premeasured amount of sulfite that I use mainly for wine. I can't imagine there were be different amounts- the recipes for wine are always "1 campden tablet per gallon".
 
Potassium Metabisuplhite is the one commonly described as campton tablet and is the best to use as you don't add as much sodium to your brew using it.
I agree that campton is one size and I use 1 tablet to treat 2 full brews worth of water.
 
So...
Yooper Chick said:
I don't think there are multiple sizes available- just "campden tablets". It's a premeasured amount of sulfite that I use mainly for wine.
and...
boo boo said:
I agree that campton is one size and I use 1 tablet to treat 2 full brews worth of water.
but...
HarvInSTL said:
both state 1 tablet=150ppm
while...
Bike N Brew said:
I bought 1 oz of KMS tabs at my LHBS; they're labelled "75 ppm"
If there is only one size, what size (ppm) is it?
 
These are the ones I use:

http://www.eckraus.com/index.php?stocknumber=PS115&deptid=&parentid=&page=1&itemsperpage=10

And to get even stranger, even though the tablets have a preset amount of so2, some is "free so2" and disappates quickly, so only 67 ppm actually is usable according to one website I read. And I also buy it in powdered form instead of tablet form, if I"m making a large quantity of wine:

http://www.eckraus.com/PS150.html

This imparts 55 ppm per 1/16th tsp per gallon. So, there are the ones I use.
 
I read somewhere that because of its oxygen/free radical scavenging ability that adding KMS to the mash water/liquor can prevent downstream problems that can occur with stale tasting compounds like trans 2-nonenal.
Just one more reason to treat your water :)
 
I use 1/2 a tab for 10 gallons of water. I think the package of 50 tablets is 1 ounce. I have not noticed a stale taste. Not sure what mine are made of they just say Campden tabs on the bag.
 
My municipal water report states 3ppm as the average "chlorine residual" concentration. Does anyone have any metrics on what concentrations start to affect taste?

Additionally, is there a lag time between adding the tablets and when chlorine products are considered satisfactorily removed?

Since I've moved to a differect town my recent brews have had a somewhat odd flavor. It's hard to pinpoint exactly, but--if anything--I would pigeonhole it as medicinal; I don't think sanitation is my concern...i'm anal as beejeezus about it.
 
TCP and Medicinal flavours are almost certainly caused by chlorophenols (chlorine+phenols). Treat your water with 1 crushed tablet per 10 gallons of cold tap water before use.

As for the concentrations or taste thresholds this will probably vary from person to person. If you have chlorine or chloramines in your water though, there will be chlorophenols present in your beer to a greater or lesser extent.

The reaction after adding the campden tablet is very quick, I don't have any information on exactly how quick but it is a matter of minutes, probably less. If you add it then pour yourself a beer it should be fine.
 
I don't have the numbers handy, but I recall that chlorophenols are detectable at very, very low levels, so it's important to get that chlorine out.


TL
 
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