At which point in my process should I add campden tablets

[JamesHughes]

Hello all,

In order to reduce the chlorine and chloramine content of my water, it seems that the addition of Sodium Metabisulphate (Campden Tablets) to the water is a good start.

However, looking around the site, I see no reference to at what point they can be added. Do you just bung it in when you are topping up the FV after mixing up the extract? Or should I do the water separately, then add it? Or should I be boiling as well (that's a lot of water to boil).

TIA

James

[haZe]

Or should I do the water separately, then add it?

That bit.

I measure out and treat in (sanitised) 5l plastic bottles.

should I be boiling as well (that's a lot of water to boil)

I sometimes boil a little of it, but just to dissolve in before adding to the FV and topping up with the rest of the cold water. I don't think it's necessary, I've done it without when short on time.

It's also worth noting that if you boil the lot, then that's a lot of wort to cool down before you pitch your yeast - which you'll be wanting to do ASAP to get off to a quick start.

[Lillywhite]

Or should I do the water separately, then add it?

You'll need to put 22 litres of water from your tap into a separate vessel, add half a campden tablet, and then leave for 30 minutes before adding to your malt extract in your FV.

In order that you don't exceed 22.7 litres (40 pints) you need to accurately mark the level on the outside of your FV with a black marker pen. Don't rely on the markings that the manufacturer sometimes puts on the FV as these may only be approximate.

[woodnut]

I put my half a tablet in the fermenting bin after I had added my wherry kit cans, and topped up to 23L.


Is there a reason why this would be wrong versus putting the tablet in the only water in a seperate vessel?

[haZe]

As I understand it the Chlorine/Chloramines react with the malt, so it would seem to be better to remove these before they come into contact - in theory anyway. I suppose it depends how long they need to produce these off-tastes.

If you're doing it the other way without any problem then it's probably no big deal, but I'd be wary of adding the yeast so soon after the campden tablet.

[sparky Paul]

The chlorine and chloramines bind relatively quickly with the phenols in the malt, so you need to treat your water before goes near the extract.

The campden also binds quickly, so a good stir and 30 seconds is all that is required after adding your half a tablet.

[JamesHughes]

Thanks guys. I need to find another 40pint container then....I suppose I could use an empty pressure barrel with marking for volume....

One question, slightly unrelated, arises from the above. Is the measurement of the 40pints really as critical as is implied? I have just used the marks on the side of my FV for volume measurement, and even then, probably not as accurately as I should have.

TIA

James

[haZe]

Not really, the kit will be designed to give you a specific gravity for that 40 pint brew length.

I usually reduce the volume of water by a few litres to increase the ABV. Using too much water will obviously have the opposite effect.

[EoinMag]

On the accuracy of the buckets and their markings, I just checked a fermentation bucket with my one and two liter kitchen jugs. EVERY marking up to the 23l one was bang on the top of the line.
If you are using Youngs fermentation buckets then they are marked accurately, at least mine are, dunno where the idea came from that they are not. The 23l mark is slightly over the 5 Gallon mark which is accurate as it'd be 5.05 gallons.

[Lillywhite]

If you are using Youngs fermentation buckets then they are marked accurately, at least mine are, dunno where the idea came from that they are not.

I didn't mention Youngs in my post! I was making the point that some posters have mentioned, in the past, that the markings on the FV that they had weren't accurate. Doesn't take long to check and prevents putting too much water in and weakening your brew.