So happy Seattle water chlorine problems isolated

[RevFry]

Been having problems with a plastic taste/burp in my beers since the new year. Just tried a glass of a test brew I did with campden tablets and the (what I now believe to be) chlorophenols are not present. What a relief. The LHBS said it was lacto. Glad I found the water issue.

Seattle bumped the fluoride levels in Jan. Must've done it with chlorine as well.

 

[wonderbread23]

I haven't experienced any chlorine issues with Seattle water. I've brewed a ton since January (11 batches). I'm guessing you have some other issue.

 

[RevFry]

Do you filter your water, let it sit out, or add it at the end of the boil to make up volume?

I just know that the tablets are the one thing I changed and finally I'm not having problems with this last batch.

 

[wonderbread23]

Do you filter your water, let it sit out, or add it at the end of the boil to make up volume?

I just know that the tablets are the one thing I changed and finally I'm not having problems with this last batch.

My water goes into the HLT and then into the mash. The chlorine Seattle uses will volatilize off during a normal 60 minute boil. They do not use chloramines which would require other measures to remove.

 

[pnj]

I started brewing in 1996 or so, brewed monthly for a few years doing extract. Then started up again four or so years ago, doing extract and partial mash. I've been doing all grain for the last two and a half years or so.

I have NEVER had a plastic taste in my beer.

I get my water from my kitchen sink and it's not filtered. I'm in the west seattle area but have lived/brewed in the central district as well.

 

[RevFry]

Wonderbread:
Yeah, up until now I've been doing partial boils and dumping cold tap water into the fermentor to make up the volume. I suspect that could be the difference between us. I've got a bigger kettle now and plan on continuing to do biab and full volume boils, as well as use a filter on the tap water.

It's all I can figure. Either way, I'm glad things are turning out well again on my end.

 

[BigJerk]

Where do you guys find the water profile for Seattle? I've just gone PM full boil and would like to know how this will affect my brews.

 

[markg388]

I donno, last summer i had some plasticky problems and i started using campden and haven't had an issue since. Its very possible I too had unrelated beer mishandling issue, but Ii'm still not going to give up the campden . Do you guys know if the water is any different in the Burien/Des Moines area?

 

[JaimeTheLimey]

My water supply in Socal spikes and dips in chlorine levels. Sometimes you can literally smell it heavily right out of the tap. Compromised a few batches of brew. I use a two pass filtration systems now and things are all good.
BigJerk, email your water supply company. You'll probably be able to find a nerdy tech that loves to talk about water profiles.

 

[jmo88]

Seattle has two different sources for water, depending if you are north or south of the ship canal. I can smell chlorine in the water at times, and the levels change frequently. According to the water dept, they don't use chloramines.

Campden tabs are great and have solved issues for me as well. I've been using them for two years. The idea that a 60 minute boil will drive chlorine out is not really true if you are boiling wort. It's my understanding that The reactions with chlorine and wort take place before the boil and don't simply get driven out.

 

[RevFry]

Yeah, this is all good to know. I used campden on this last test batch and the plastic taste is gone.

Does/can campden impart an after taste all its own? I crushed the tab with a spoon but the bits never seemed to entirely disappear. I'm thinking of moving to the charcoal filters just for ease of use.

 

[pnj]

what do you guys use to sanitize your equipment? and do you get a plastic flavor in all every beer style you brew? (assuming you brew more then one style). Do you ever use a garden hose to get your water into your brew kettle or mash tun or as top off water?

 

[seabass07]

I do notice a chlorine smell if I let a glass of water sit for half an hour or so. I do a full boil though, so I'm guessing that will remove that problem. Other than that, the water tastes great here.

Don't campden tablets tie up chlorine into sulfates? I think boiling gets rid of a lot of those sulfates. If you are adding that to water that isn't going to be boiled, it could affect the flavor. If too much is added, then it will sharpen the hops bitterness too much. At least that's how I understand it.

 

[jmo88]

I do notice a chlorine smell if I let a glass of water sit for half an hour or so. I do a full boil though, so I'm guessing that will remove that problem. Other than that, the water tastes great here.

Don't campden tablets tie up chlorine into sulfates? I think boiling gets rid of a lot of those sulfates. If you are adding that to water that isn't going to be boiled, it could affect the flavor. If too much is added, then it will sharpen the hops bitterness too much. At least that's how I understand it.

Again, boiling water isn't the same as boiling wort. The unwanted compounds created between your wort and chlorine are not going to be driven off during the boil. The damage is done prior to boiling your wort if chlorine is present.

Why worry about negligible sulfates? You won't be able to tell the difference, if it does add some. What you are trying to curb by using these is far worse than a little sulfate.

 

[jbsg02]

I did my first bath using potassium metabisultfite last week, I'm hoping that will solve my water problems. I had been using bottled water for my previous brews, but I'm trying to limit my variable costs

 

[seabass07]

Again, boiling water isn't the same as boiling wort. The unwanted compounds created between your wort and chlorine are not going to be driven off during the boil. The damage is done prior to boiling your wort if chlorine is present.

Why worry about negligible sulfates? You won't be able to tell the difference, if it does add some. What you are trying to curb by using these is far worse than a little sulfate.

How much sulfate is added? I didn't realize it was negligible. Thanks for the clarification on the boil.