Question about Berkey Black Filters and Chlorine and Chloramine removal

[lonlonmilklover]

I have a Big Berkey w/ the 2 black filters that came with it. I always filter my tap water through it for drinking.

Berkey advertises that their filter(s) can remove both Chlorine and Chloramines simply by filtering the water, but it isn't too clear whether the black filters do this, or if it's required to also use the optionally additional white fluoride filters.

Does anybody know if I'm okay using freshly filtered water from my black filter Berkey just a few hours from when it was from the tap? Or should I wait 24 hours+ before brewing with the filtered water?

 

[IslandLizard]

Why not use Campden or K-Meta? Those definitely remove Chlorine and Chloramines instantly, upon mixing. Such a big effect by such a small amount.

 

[lonlonmilklover]

Why not use Campden or K-Meta? Those definitely remove Chlorine and Chloramines instantly, upon mixing. Such a big effect by such a small amount.

!

I've never used Campden tablets. I suppose I had only heard of it being used in ciders, mainly. I'm still a very early homebrewer, having brewed only ales, and mead mainly. (No lagers, and veeeery few ciders).

I've used simply: All grains, malt extracts, hops, about 5 different yeast strains so far, honey, teas and fruits for ingredients. As far as conditioning / mouthfeel / water minerals and nutrients, I've used Fermax nutrient (for mead), Wyeast Nutrient, (for braggot and mead), and lactose on occasion.

The only book I've read is John Palmer's "How To Brew", and from the challenges and questions I mainly have, it sounds like I would benefit greatly from reading the "Hops", "Water", "Yeast", and "Malt" practical guide books series. I'm told I may have to Google several things for clarification from the "Water" book as supposedly it drops quite a bit of textbook science... but that sounds like the first book I'll start with.

 

[IslandLizard]

To remove Chlorine or Chloramines your water company added to your water for sanitation purposes, stir in 1/4 crushed Campden tablet or the equivalent, 1/16 - 1/8 of a teaspoon (not all that critical) of Potassium Metabisulfite per 5 gallons water. Less than a minute later it's done, those bandits removed.

Those books go fairly deep into their respective subject matter and will give you a very thorough understanding of those 4 main ingredients and processes around them. They may be overkill for most casual homebrewers. For most day to day homebrewing there's a ton of information on this site and elsewhere that's very practical and useful, some of it based on information from those books.

The Brew Science forum has a primer on water, treatment, and minerals used in brewing, as well as lots of threads on specific questions related to water and other brew science related topics. I would start there.
Bru'nwater's water calculator (the free version is fine for most brewers) also contains lots of basic info on water chemistry and how different malts influence the mash pH and buffering capacity. Download it and study the information there, try to input your water profile if you know it.

A water test (~$25 at Ward's, you send them a sample, they test various minerals and parameters) is only useful if your water source is stable and its chemistry (mineral content) doesn't fluctuate very much. Your water company will have the details on that. I've contacted mine and got the skinny on the sources, mine is luckily very stable and fairly soft, good for most brewing. If your water changes a lot the water report is a snapshot and has limited life span. Many use a small ~$100 'under counter' RO filter system so they know they have a blank slate.

 

[Dland]

Berky blacks remove the taste of chlorination in municipal water, probably most of the chemicals.

I use Berkys for drinking & cooking water because of iron bacteria in my well pipe. Some of family are on town water, which the water dept often screws up additive levels, apparently.. and the Berky makes water taste good despite municipal water's "inconsistencies"

So, I have slightly considered using Berky filter for brew water, but it is quite slow. It could work if you had a dedicated unit and were willing to pour and collect the water many times a week to save up for brew day..I'm not willing to do that, but then again, put some of those filters in modified half keg, over a receptor keg and a piped in feed. Huhm, maybe do that someday.