National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => All Grain Brewing => Topic started by: Stitch on February 04, 2013, 11:25:24 AM

Title: Campden Tablets
Post by: Stitch on February 04, 2013, 11:25:24 AM
I have noticed in Lucan more of a Chlorine smell off the water in the last 2 weeks. Was hoping to brew this weekend and was wondering if campden tablets will help this and if so how do I use them??? I read that leave it in the water over night but others have said boil the water with it.

If I boil then I would have to allow the water to cool to strike water temp. 

Any help would be great.
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Stitch on February 04, 2013, 11:42:24 AM
Sorry looks like I posted to wrong section. Mods can you move it please?
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Hop Bomb on February 04, 2013, 11:46:16 AM
I dont know if this is the correct way or not but I just crush one tablet with the back of a spoon in a sheet of paper & add it to my brew water at the start of the brew day. My volume is usually around 43 litres for the day.

Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 04, 2013, 01:21:50 PM
The mighty campden tablet,legend has it in brewing circles that it can cure all :). It is great stuff and when used only for the purpose of dechlorinating tap water before brewing, one tablet will effectively treat 20 gallons of water. :)
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Dr Jacoby on February 04, 2013, 01:47:29 PM
Yea, I use one tablet for my total volume of water. I crush it up and put just under half in the strike water as it comes up to temperature and the rest in the sparge water as it is heating up. My water doesn't have a hint of chlorine off it so I'm not sure what difference the tablet makes but I do it just to be safe. 
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Mudder on February 04, 2013, 01:58:39 PM
Here is a good link on using camden tablets
http://www.byo.com/stories/wizard/article/section/121-mr-wizard/475-clearing-chloramine-a-historical-hopping-mr-wizard
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Ciderhead on February 04, 2013, 08:10:23 PM
QuoteI dont know if this is the correct way or not but I just crush one tablet with the back of a spoon in a sheet of paper & add it to my brew water at the start of the brew day. My volume is usually around 43 litres for the day.


They fully dissolve in water without crushing , I pop one in my large syringe to top up bubblers
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Ciderhead on February 04, 2013, 08:27:18 PM
QuoteI have noticed in Lucan more of a Chlorine smell off the water in the last 2 weeks. Was hoping to brew this weekend and was wondering if campden tablets will help this and if so how do I use them??? I read that leave it in the water over night but others have said boil the water with it.

If I boil then I would have to allow the water to cool to strike water temp. 

Any help would be great.

Do you live close to the water works, the following taken from Meath county council website, I am sure SDCC have a similar policy, "best not to take the chance lads open her up a bit, remember Galway :o!" 
I believe its also standard practice to bump it after high rainfall rate.
That last bit is bs as medical studies in the US show higher that normal instances of cancers associated with kidneys and bowels

Why is there a chlorine taste or odour from my water?
Chlorine is used in the treatment and distribution to disinfect the water supply.  There can be minor variations in the amount and the form of the chlorine present in each water supply. For this reason if your premises is located near the water treatment plant, the level of chlorine may be a little higher in your tap water than it is at properties several miles further away. The level of chlorine dosed into your drinking water is carefully controlled and monitored. The Council is required to have in place a residual disinfectant management procedure designed to ensure a minimum chlorine level at the remotest part of the network whilst also ensuring the maximum chlorine level is still acceptable to all consumers. Drinking water treated with chlorine poses no risk to health.

Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Ciderhead on February 04, 2013, 09:01:01 PM
Too busy looking at the banks to care about the fact that we are poisioning ourselves!
HSE and EPA carried out tests in 2010, over 10% failed WHO guidelines for THM's, Trihalomethanes are formed when chlorine, the most commonly used disinfection agent in Ireland, reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in raw water.

Fascinating stuff, thank god I'm on a well ;)
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: DEMPSEY on February 05, 2013, 09:40:49 AM
eeh John,just because your on a well does not protect you. As the mighty Tub has pointed to the septic tanks,but what are the local farmers putting out on the land. Is it arable land around you or grass for grazing. Is your well good and deep,do you have dry spells. :-? That said I would rather have a well. :)
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Ciderhead on February 05, 2013, 10:19:53 AM
Quoteeeh John,just because your on a well does not protect you. As the mighty Tub has pointed to the septic tanks,but what are the local farmers putting out on the land. Is it arable land around you or grass for grazing. Is your well good and deep,do you have dry spells. :-? That said I would rather have a well. :)

Me and neighbour are both on modern septic tanks nice cow shite spread once a year onto grassland, its very tasty! 
we are on top of a shale hill so its well filtered before its gets anywhere near my water source which comes from a spring 150 metres below me I know its 150 as I had to pull the pipe up 4 years ago :o
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Will_D on February 05, 2013, 10:36:07 AM
QuoteThat said I would rather have a well. :)

I would love a Franciscan Well actually
Title: Re: Campden Tablets
Post by: Ciderhead on February 05, 2013, 10:44:03 AM
QuoteYou saw Ale man got his well tested and had to dose it with chlorine due to coliforms?

It depends where you are , level of water table etc at 700Ft we flush hard for Dublin ;D.
it was tested by council before and after as they were funding 50% of the new 2K pump interesting the guy that installed the pump flushed 5 litres of bleach down the side of the pipe walls and told us to run water for 24 hours :o