[noonancm]

I have always read that one should use a partial tablet of campden tablet per five gallons of wort in order to remove chlorine and chloramine. Is there any harm in using a whole tablet for mashing a 5 gallon batch. The tablets are relatively cheap and cutting them such a pain

[denny]

I have always read that one should use a partial tablet of campden tablet per five gallons of wort in order to remove chlorine and chloramine. Is there any harm in using a whole tablet for mashing a 5 gallon batch. The tablets are relatively cheap and cutting them such a pain

Are you putting it in the wort or in the water before you use it? 

[toby]

Ideally you should be treating all your water (both mash and sparge), but the extra sulfites should boil off.  I use 1 tablet but I typically treat 18 gallons of water for most 10 gallon batches.

[mabrungard]

You don't need to cut them. I suggest that you crush the tablet and they divide the remains as recommended for your water volume. However, having a little extra added to the water shouldn't be a big deal since the boil will destroy the sulfites. 

[kramerog]

One downside of using a whole tablet is that you are increasing the amount of sodium or potassium in your beer.  If your water has high levels of sodium or potassium then I might rethink not cutting the tablet, although the amount of sodium or potassium added by a tablet is probably minimal.

FWIW, 1 tablet will treat 20 gallons of water.

[a10t2]

FWIW, 1 tablet will treat 20 gallons of water.

And that's a conservative estimate based on the maximum allowable chloramine content (in the US).

As far as cutting them, the tablets I have (they're from BSG, so everyone probably has the same) are easily broken up by hand.

[toby]

As far as cutting them, the tablets I have (they're from BSG, so everyone probably has the same) are easily broken up by hand.

Yeah, but like Martin said, you should be crushing them anyway, so after it's crushed, you could just divide it that way.

[a10t2]

Yeah, but like Martin said, you should be crushing them anyway, so after it's crushed, you could just divide it that way.

Is there really any reason though? If I throw half a tablet in my HLT it's dissolved by the time I'm ready to mash in.

[case thrower]

After I crush the tablet, I dissolve it into 8 oz of water.  Since I'm doing 2.5 gallon batches and I start with around 5 gallons for most batches, I pour 2 oz. of this into the kettle where I've already measured out my full volume of strike & sparge water.  Stir that and I'm good to go!

[noonancm]

thanks for the replies.

Normally I crush the tablet in the pot prior to adding the water (about 7 gallons) to be heated. As for sparge water (another 1 to 3 gallons) I have been adding another tablet in recent years. I knew that one tablet should be able to handle 20 gallons.

As for adding sodium and potassium to the water, I don't know much regarding chemistry and trying to make sense of water chemistry makes my head spin. I do know that my Columbus, OH water is very soft and been told to add gypsum to make my hoppy beers "pop."

[a10t2]

I do know that my Columbus, OH water is very soft and been told to add gypsum to make my hoppy beers "pop."

Are you on city water? When I was living there it was fairly hard and alkaline. Mine also had >50 ppm sodium.

[realbeerguy]

My campden tabs easily break in half.  1/2 for strike water, 1/2 for sparge water.

Maybe you need to go to the gym

[jjflash]

Much easier for me to use potassium metabisulfite powder at 35mg / gallon than to mess with breaking up Campden tablets.  Weigh out the exact amount for every 5 gallon bucket that way.  Costs less also.

[Slowbrew]

I typically use 1 tablet per 10 gallons of water.  No good reason except I can kind of eyeball 1/2 of a tablet better than 1/4.  I crush them between 2 measuring spoons and then sprinkle the chips into the pails.

Paul

[swampale]

I use a pill cutter I bought at a drug store for my tablets and it works great.