Treating Water with Campden?

CampAjohn · #1 02-23-2005, 02:29 PM

I ran across a recipe by Ben Schy that called for a campden tablet in the brewing water. I asked Ben why, and here is his reply:

"Hey John,
I use it in the water to remove chlorine and chloramine. I use about 1 tablet per 10 gallons, crushed into a fine powder. I add it to the cold water before I heat it up. I don't know the reaction that takes place, but I have heard from many reputable brewing sources that this is a cheap-and-easy way to remove chlorine and chloramine.
Hope that helps!
Ben"

I am familiar with using campden (sodium metabisulfite, I recall) as a sterilizer for the must in wine making, prior to pitching wine yeast. It creates hydrogen sulfinde gas in an acidic solution, such as crushed grapes.

Had not seen this before, and wondered if others use this "trick?"

S.F.B. · #2 02-23-2005, 04:20 PM

I have not heard of the use of campden tabs for brewing. My understanding of it is that it kills the wild yeasts present before pitdhing wine yeast. I hadn't heard the part about it removing chlorine.

stronk · #3 02-23-2005, 07:08 PM

I've heard of it and done it myself a couple of times. TBH, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference, as the level of chlorine in my tap water is low enough not to create chlorobenzene (or whatever the compound is called) in the beer.

Oh, and hi. Sorry I've been away for a while. I thought I'd drop in and skim a few threads for anything interesting.

ray m · #4 02-24-2005, 08:54 AM

Hello, Stronk, Glad to hear fro you again. How is Canada?

HogieWan · #5 02-25-2005, 01:57 PM

This was linked on another board - thought it wsa of good use to those following this one.

stronk · #6 02-25-2005, 07:35 PM

Not to hijack this thread (last post, I promise!): Canada is pretty cool. I can't say much for the beer around Whistler, though. The supposed microbrewed beer in the liquor stores is generally bland and tasteless. I have found a niceish brown ale at the local brewpub and a good blackberry porter in the liquor store, but I'm still searching for a good local beer.

By the way, the macrobrand around here is kokanee, which is truly horrible. The macrobrew for people who think they like microbrews is kootenay mountain ale, which isn't very good at all. It's always served too cold and too fizzy.

It's also difficult to get used to the sly way pubs make money over here by giving you a beer with half an inch of head. By the time you've payed for the beer, the head has subsided and you're missing a good gulp of beer. This used to happen in the UK, but was stopped in its tracks by CAMRA. I get the feeling that if I ask for a top-up here, I'll get thrown out of the bar.

Apart from that, though, Whistler's fantastic. I could fall in love with BC very easily.

BrewDog · #7 02-25-2005, 10:33 PM

Stronk-
Check your private msgs.

denver brewhoo · #8 02-28-2005, 01:12 PM

Did anybody notice this in the article? Let's just say it threw me and the LHBS for a loop:

Quote:

In easy to use terms, a 1/2-ounce Campden tablet can be used to dechlorinate 20 gallons of water.

The whole package (50 count) of Campden tablets they're selling weighed one ounce. I didn't think 25 campden tablets seemed likely to be the preferred dosage, so went with 3 tabs for 12 gallons of water. I'm guessing this is a typo, but what did they mean?

stronk · #9 03-20-2005, 05:18 PM

I use one per 5 gallons. That was definitely a typo.

Neill · #10 03-21-2005, 12:16 AM

On the subject of sodium metabisulphite a friend sugested I use it as a no rinse sanitizer (its expensive for me to import the usual selection).
A bit of checking on the web confirmed that sodium and potassium metabisulphite (camden tablets) are used as sanitzers but I can't find anywhere it stated as a no rinse sanitizer.
Has anyone any experience with the material in this way?
Neill

stronk · #11 03-22-2005, 07:03 PM

I have tried it once, but the number of tabs I had to use made it too expensive for me. As for no-rinse: if you can have a small amount in the liquor (sp?) with no detrimental effects, then I'm sure it would be fine not to rinse (as long as you didn't then add further tabs).

Neill · #12 03-23-2005, 08:32 AM

Thats the thing it would be very cheap for me, a local chemical producer can sell it to me for about 4 sheckels (50 pence) a kilo, though I'd have to buy 25kg. So I want to be sure I don't end up with a large sack of useless white powder.
I'll give it a test run by refilling the bottles with drinking water and seeing it I can detect any difference.
Cheers
Neill

danno · #13 03-23-2005, 09:28 AM

we were talking about this in class last night, the instructions on campden tablets that seem outrageous are for wine, where you're using the campden for it's sulphur/sulfite. simply for treating chlorine/chloramines, one tablet will treat 20 gallons, and any sulfites that are produced will boil off...

stronk · #14 03-23-2005, 07:31 PM

Yeah, but for sanitizing purposes, you need to use a lot as well.

Neill · #15 03-24-2005, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Yeah, but for sanitizing purposes, you need to use a lot as well.

I know something like 2 ounses per gallon, but still 50p per kilo against a couple of quid or more for a 100-400g packet of one-step or other no rinse sanitizer. Not to mention the shipping and tax cost to bring a worthwile quantity over here, it seems reasonable to me. I just want to make sure that if I'm useing the stated quantities that I won't end up with salty beer.