getting phenol taste with filter/campden, New England water

[joenearboston]

I've been using RO water for the last year and switched back to tap water + pur filter + campden tabs.

I want to use tap water instead or RO to save hassle time (e.g. going to Target and picking up distilled gallon jugs).

I'm in the Boston area and my water comes from the Quabbin - they pump a lot of Chloramine and the water tastes off without a filter - especially in the summer. The tap water tastes okay through the pur filter.

Switching back to tap with 1 tab per 5 gallons and pur filter, I'm getting that chloramine band-aid phenol taste despite the pur filter and campden. Using distilled water isn't a viable option in the long term, so thinking to beef up my filter somehow.

Any thoughts?

 

[joenearboston]

I should mention I'm not having this issue with RO water.

 

[The_Bishop]

Sounds like there's still chlorine/chloramine in your brewing water.

 

[nyer]

I was having the same problem since moving to a place with city water. I started treating my starsan water also and the problem went away on my last batch.

 

[flars]

Campden tablets may be more effective for treating water with chloramines than the chlorine. Chlorine can be boiled off or allowed to evaporate given enough time. For your next brew try treating all the water you will use with campden tablets a day before brew day to eliminate the chloramine and allow the time for evaporation of chlorine.

 

[joenearboston]

Okay - thanks everyone - will try leaving it out for 24 hours. I put it through a pur filter - so assumed that would remove chlorine - but maybe not.

BTW, how do real breweries solve this problem? They clearly can't be leaving it out for 24 hours.

 

[Callacave]

Maybe that pur filter isn't doing the job you think it is? I work with filters for a living. Is this filter coming straight off your faucet? Has it already been used excessively? The flowrate could be too high. I would suggest getting a 10 inch filter setup that has more filter surface area and still run it at a slow flowrate along with campden treatment