chlorine vs. chloramine

[robnog]

I'm not sure which one is in my water. My tap water has a strong scent of chlorine and I would like to get rid of it, though I'm not sure if it is caused by chlorine or chloramine. I read on another thread that chloramine is not filtered out by carbon filters. If I run my water through a brita filter and the smell is gone does that mean that it was chlorine and not chloramine in my water and I don't need to take any additional steps?

 

[david_42]

Right, if the smell goes, you're fine. I'd check with my water company & get a water analysis at the same time. It's useful to have when you do all grain.

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I understand that chlorine can be eliminated by letting the water sit in an open container overnight.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I understand that chlorine can be eliminated by letting the water sit in an open container overnight.

Or boiling for ~30 mins.

 

[casebrew]

My understanding is that chloramine is caught by charcoal. And that chlorine goes bye-bye with time or heating, or charcoal filtering. So I bought a charcoal filter, and my beer improved.

San Diego went to chloramine a few years ago, and I don't seem to smell the chorine so much anymore.

 

[Buford]

I think you can neutralize chloramine by adding 1/4 of a crushed Campden tablet per 5 gallons to your brew water.

 

[javedian]

Since I keep fish in addition to brewing, chlorine is volitile in water, and will naturally dissipate over time. That is why chloramine is becoming much more commin in municipal watter supplies - it stays in water all the way to the tap. They can also reduce the dose, since chlorine has to be dosed high enough at the source to make it to the end of the line - good if you are at the end, bad if you are near the source. Both can be filtered out, but chloramine will not volitalize over time. Not sure how / if it breaks down with heat. Check with your water supplier - they are usually very helpful. If in doubt - use bottled water. I like the .25 a gal fill your own bottle machines at the grocery store.