Campden tablets Vs Sodium metabisulphite

[RoomWithABrew]

0.25g will treat chlorine or chloramine in the water for mash and sparge.
A little overdose won't really harm as it will get boiled off later. But why overdo it?

 

[MashBag]

I am going back to check my research from couple of years ago when I had to fix my water.

As a winemaker sodium metabisulphite (campden) is never put in the wine, it is only every used as a cleaner, because it is cheaper.

I mention because my water is Anglian, and I can remember being relieved when I discovered they use Chloramine (not chlorine) and as such it would not need treating.

Different folks different strokes, many people do treat it. I chose not to.

 

[Sadfield]

Probably better to go back and throw the research away, and start a fresh. Chloramine is chlorine with ammonia.

https://thewaterprofessor.com/blogs/articles/chlorine-in-tap-water

 

[MashBag]

I always enjoy your negative posts

 

[Sadfield]

Negative? It's looking forward, not backwards.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Chloramine lasts longer in water than chlorine. Chlorine can be removed by boiling water for 15-20 mins so I'd suggest its more important to treat chloraminated water. With chlorinated water you'd be boiling wort long enough unless you're an extract/no-boil brewer. Welsh water use chlorine so if I did AG I wouldn't need to add a campden.

 

[MashBag]

@Sadfield
Better go back and start afresh

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Literally a pinch of SMB powder will do the trick. You really don’t need much at all and the reaction completes very fast.

Both chlorine and chloramine need to be removed (chloramine is just chlorine mixed with ammonia to slow down its release), otherwise you can get Chlorophenols formed in the mash which you can taste in the most microscopic quantities (TCP flavour)

 

[Sadfield]

It's a cheap and simple addition to the process, which at the very least is insurance against any changes the local authority might make to your supply, without warning.

There may be an argument that Chloramine is less reactive and less of a issue with the phenols in malt, but then it's more stable and issue for the microbes we add at fermentation. Where as chlorine will react more in the mash, but boils off.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

Having used a tub of Campden tablets to dechlorinate water for a long time, I have finally got to buy more but can only get powdered sodium metabisulphite from Malt Miller. Can anyone let me know how much powder to use for 35 litres of strike/sparge water please?
Thank you.

I use a smidge for that vol, which is between an eighth and a quarter of a teaspoon

 

[Brewshed]

Many thanks for all your replies. I think I will use a smidge, that being the official unit of metabisulphite measurement!

 

[Suppup]

I live in an area supplied by Northumberland Water. A quick search of their website states that chlorine is added but no ammonia. Take a look at your suppliers site. They also had a chart specifically for brewers.

 

[Deadhead]

I use as a standard 0.22g across both mash and sparge water. I calculate a ratio to each across the total water.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I am going back to check my research from couple of years ago when I had to fix my water.



I mention because my water is Anglian, and I can remember being relieved when I discovered they use Chloramine

What a service Anglian provide fixed your water issue by relieving you. Very personal but saved a trip to the Hospital!