Combating Chloramine

As far as chloramine removal goes, your “belt and suspenders” method is more than capable of removing chloramines from water. Just to very briefly hit this topic, carbon filtration is a great method that can be used to adsorb a wide range of compounds from water. One of the most common uses of carbon filtration at home is the removal of aromatics, including chlorine and chloramine, from drinking water. Since activated carbon becomes saturated with use, it is important to either regenerate or replace carbon filtration media. Another popular method used to remove chloramine and chlorine from brewing water is the addition of sodium or potassium metabisulfite, also known as Campden tablets —named after the town in England called Chipping Campden where the tablets were first developed for use to aid fruit and vegetable processing. Since both of these methods are effective, you are doubling up on your efforts. To answer your question, you have the chlorine/chloramine concern nipped in the bud!

I have an idea of what may be happening, but I first want to opine a bit about how the opinions of pundits can fog clear judgment. The word “pundit” comes from the Sanskrit “pandit,” which means knowledge owner or learned one. My experience in the brewing business has taught me many things, including tempering the proclaimed wisdom of others.

I clearly remember the time around 1993 when I was brewing at the Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch in Davis, California. Minding my own business and spindling a wort sample from the kettle for a post-boil gravity check I caught the conversation that was occurring immediately behind my back between a brewing Jedi and his young, and much wiser, apprentice. The Jedi was explaining how all of the brewing equipment at the Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch was just a façade and that the beer served at the bar, behind which I was standing with my back turned to instructor and student, was brewed elsewhere. Indeed in the early 90’s, contract brewing was fairly common and many microbrews at the time were brewed in this fashion.

Another popular method used to remove chloramine and chlorine from water is the addition of sodium or potassium metabisulfite, aka Campden tablets . . .

To be a fly on the wall is a bucket list item for many, and here I was, a young man wearing baggy shorts and rubber brewing boots, being that fly on the wall wondering what I can say to stop the madness. Interrupted from my thoughts, the wise student asks, during a rare pause from the flow of BS erupting from the Jedi’s mouth, what I am doing with the hydrometer. I reply that I am, “Spindling the wort. Do you homebrew?” I asked. The Jedi became silent and enjoyed his beer while his student and I talked about the brewhouse behind the bar. The moral of this trip down memory lane is to be wary of advice from anyone, including Wizards, about your beer.

Chlorine and chloramines from brewing water can indeed lead to off-flavors in beer. Beers that smell like swimming pool water or that awful throat spray called Chloraseptic probably contain chlorinated compounds, phenolic compounds, and/or chlorophenols. Chlorophenols are potently flavor-active and stem from chlorine or chloramine in water reacting with phenolic compounds in beer. Your ingredient water and rinse water used when cleaning equipment can both lead to this off-flavor. Another related off-aroma comes with residual iodophor on sanitized equipment or bottles (iodine and chlorine are both halogens and have similarities in their aromas). Your homebrewing friend may have nailed the cause of the problem in your beer, or may have missed it.

And this is really the take away message with this answer. When a problem comes along, you must whip it. Try to detect it, and remember, it’s not too late to learn from your mistake! One of the best ways to detect off-flavors in beer is by taking part in training sessions/classes to train your palate and nose. The general description of the off-flavor in your beer could be related to the water, but it could also be related to the type of sanitizer you used, your yeast selection, a yeast contaminant, or even something related to malt. But without a properly trained palate (or full-blown analytical lab) you are left wondering.

I indicated earlier that I had an idea about what may be causing your problem. I think your problem is caused by the water being used to rinse your equipment or, and this is a major guess since you made no mention of sanitizers, that you are using iodophor and the residuals are causing your brewing blues.

Response by Ashton Lewis.