Water

[saskman]

is chlorinated water ok to brew with?

 

[mrk305]

If it tastes good to drink it will be good to brew.

 

[gresc]

Boiling should get rid of chlorine, assuming it's overly chlorinated.

 

[asbd2c]

Are we talking about tap water or pool water?

 

[FlyGuy]

No, you want to get rid of chlorine in your water. It can react with the products of fermentation to produce chlorophenols, which have a medicinal or 'band-aid' taste.

Boiling will remove chlorine, but not chloramine, which is similar to chlorine but can't be removed by boiling. If you are not sure, Campden tablets will eliminate chlorine and chloramine from your water. One tablet treats 20 gals. They should be available from any store that sells wine-making supplies.

Cheers!

 

[OblivionsGate]

Local grocery stores usually have clean drinking, spring water by the gallon for 60 cents.

you get clean, worry free water for less than a 5 dollar bill

 

[saskman]

60 cents for a gallon of water wow we cant get it that cheap here in Saskatchewan

 

[turfguy1969]

so i posted this in a different forum but still have questions.


http://sfwater.org/Files/FAQs/WQ_chlora_QA_2007-5.pdf

so i'm having the same problems with off (medicinal)flavors in both of the first two all grain mashes that i've made this summer. we are having a horrible drought and i am assuming the treated water supply is running low of fresh water this summer. if you read the document it says that chloramine can be removed by boiling or carbon bed filtration. then why do breweries who boil the product need special attention?? All i can figure is that the mash liquor and the sparge water must be free of this as well?? please let's revisit the topic.

Can a point of use carbon filter be enough for my water to clarify it of chloramine for my all grain or not??

at what stage would i add the campden tablets fly??

 

[FlyGuy]

Actually, chloramine can NOT be removed by boiling (only chlorine). Campden tablets work for both, though. I just measure out my total water for my recipe in my keggle (which has a graduated sight tube), and add the campden tablet then. Crush it up really well first, and stir well to mix in. It works almost instantly.

The idea here is that you want to remove it from ALL your water before you begin the brewing process. You don't want the chlorine to chlorinate any of the products of your mash, because they will wind up in your fermenting beer, which puts you at risk of developing chlorophenols in your finished beer.

 

[turfguy1969]

thanks, I was on the verge of not trying any more all grain after getting the odd taste in an ale, and a wheat. Same process, same flavor, different grains and yeast? I have a clue now!