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Author Topic: De-chlorinate water  (Read 5278 times)

Offline dbeechum

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #15 on: August 18, 2010, 11:09:09 am »
Good point.. didn't catch the 10ppm.

What you really probably want is chlorine testing strips for Aquariums from the Pet Store
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Offline freddy2

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #16 on: August 18, 2010, 03:19:54 pm »
Throw in a campden tablet. They're really cheap; like under a nickel each.
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Offline Jeff Renner

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #17 on: August 19, 2010, 03:30:59 pm »
Not only is the sulfite no problem because it gets boiled off later, it actually can help prevent oxidation in the mash tun.  I dechlorinate my water with potassium metabisulfite powder, which is cheaper than Campden tablets, and then throw in another 1/4 teaspoon in the mash (ten gallon batch).  The amounts are very unscientific.  I figure it's cheap insurance against oxidation, even if it isn't really a problem.
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Offline denny

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #18 on: August 19, 2010, 03:55:53 pm »
Not only is the sulfite no problem because it gets boiled off later, it actually can help prevent oxidation in the mash tun.  I dechlorinate my water with potassium metabisulfite powder, which is cheaper than Campden tablets, and then throw in another 1/4 teaspoon in the mash (ten gallon batch).  The amounts are very unscientific.  I figure it's cheap insurance against oxidation, even if it isn't really a problem.

After reading about it on rec.crafts.brewing years ago, I spent a year experimenting with adding campden to the mash to see if it would prevent oxidation.  After doing many batches, some with and some without, over the course of a year, I couldn't detect any difference.  That either means it didn't work, I didn't have oxidation issues to start with, or I can't pick out oxidation when it's there...take your pick!
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Offline Jeff Renner

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #19 on: August 19, 2010, 04:05:33 pm »
I can't tell any difference, either, but I figure it can't hurt.  And maybe it helps and I just can't tell.
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Offline denny

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #20 on: August 19, 2010, 04:08:42 pm »
I can't tell any difference, either, but I figure it can't hurt.  And maybe it helps and I just can't tell.

Yeah, that's the way I looked at it, but being the pragmatic (read:lazy!) type I finally just gave it up.
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #21 on: August 19, 2010, 04:54:26 pm »
I am not a fan of using test strips for chlorine or chloramine detection.  I prefer the colormetric test kits like you use for swimming pools or aquariums.  In the case of your utility using chlorine or chloramine, you should use a colormetric test kit that measures Total Chlorine.  There are some kits that measure only Free Chlorine and that test will not tell you if there still is chloramine in the water.  The Total Chlorine test will provide that and I feel that this test method can tell you if trace amounts remain. 

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Offline denny

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2010, 10:27:40 am »
Thanks for your thoughts, Martin.  Your advice on water is invaluable.
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Offline cheba420

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2010, 08:35:20 pm »
Not only is the sulfite no problem because it gets boiled off later, it actually can help prevent oxidation in the mash tun.  I dechlorinate my water with potassium metabisulfite powder, which is cheaper than Campden tablets, and then throw in another 1/4 teaspoon in the mash (ten gallon batch).  The amounts are very unscientific.  I figure it's cheap insurance against oxidation, even if it isn't really a problem.

Jeff,

How much do you put in your strike water? Seems like a much easier and less expensive method than boiling the chlorine off. Also, will the PM have any effect on the yeast when I pitch later in the brew day.I know its used to kill off wild yeast and bacteria.  I once used PM in a batch of cider I made. I didnt wait long enough and it killed all of my yeast! Took a while to get that batch going!!!
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #24 on: October 08, 2010, 09:59:15 pm »
Jeff,

How much do you put in your strike water? Seems like a much easier and less expensive method than boiling the chlorine off. Also, will the PM have any effect on the yeast when I pitch later in the brew day.I know its used to kill off wild yeast and bacteria.  I once used PM in a batch of cider I made. I didnt wait long enough and it killed all of my yeast! Took a while to get that batch going!!!
Typical dose is 1 tablet per 20 gallons of water, but you don't have to go too crazy measuring it.  As long as you're in the ballpark (and I would say over that amount) it's fine.

And by the time the yeast get to the wort, there's no danger from the campden tablets.  The sulfite will get boiled off as Jeff mentioned.  The potassium is fine.

<edit> typo fix
« Last Edit: October 08, 2010, 11:23:56 pm by tschmidlin »
Tom Schmidlin

Offline cheba420

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #25 on: October 08, 2010, 10:53:30 pm »
Thanks, Tom! Lots to learn.....
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #26 on: October 08, 2010, 11:26:06 pm »
No worries cheba.  :)
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Offline Jeff Renner

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Re: De-chlorinate water
« Reply #27 on: October 19, 2010, 08:24:19 pm »
What Tom said.  Thanks for pinch-hitting for me, Tom.  I hadn't checked the forum for a while.
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