Campden tablets

Gggsss · Oct 10, 2021

Hello all.

Just a quick one about tablet to water ratio for Campden tablets.

I usually use bottled water for my brewing but had a nightmare getting any this weekend as the local water supply has an issue with E. coli.

Due to this I thought I might as well start using treated tap water (and less plastic waste can’t hurt).

Issue is, I have tried once before but experienced a horrible sulfur smell. On this occasion I used 1 whole Wiko tablet in 20 liters. I assume too much.

Ta in advance all…

The-Engineer-That-Brews · Oct 10, 2021

A typical dosage to remove chlorine from tapwater is half a ground-up Camden tablet to 20L of water. The dosage isn't too critical though: a full tablet would be fine.

Gggsss · Oct 11, 2021

Thanks for that. Looks like half a tab it is.
When you say a full tab is fine, does this amount not cause the sulfur smell due to the high dose?

Hanglow · Oct 11, 2021

If sulfites aren't expended by the start of fermentation it can lead to the old rhino farts. This can clear up during fermentation, but some yeasts will produce more and/or take longer to clean up than others. Cider making is particularly famous for eggy ferments as a lot of sulfites are typically used. So use less or oxygenate more at pitching. I use 0.9g per 30l (for both dechlorination and protection against oxidation) and some of that is not expended by the end of the boil, so oxygenate a bit more.

Half a tablet should be more than enough just to dechlorinate your strike water

Benfleet Brewery · Oct 11, 2021

Gggsss said:
Hello all.

Just a quick one about tablet to water ratio for Campden tablets.

I usually use bottled water for my brewing but had a nightmare getting any this weekend as the local water supply has an issue with E. coli.

Due to this I thought I might as well start using treated tap water (and less plastic waste can’t hurt).

Issue is, I have tried once before but experienced a horrible sulfur smell. On this occasion I used 1 whole Wiko tablet in 20 liters. I assume too much.

Ta in advance all…

It may not have been the Campden tablet that caused it. I use a quarter tab in each strike and sparge water and not had a problem but if I use a lager yeast at lower temperatures I get the sulphur smell every time.