I’m brewing my first German Pilsner and am using the Jever water profile from Bru’n Water. I always use water that has been filtered through a Brita Filter to remover chlorine.
I collected the water and as I poured it into the keg that is used by the Zymatic for the boil and for circulating water for mash heat-up I smelled chlorine. I ran a 30 minute boil to remove chlorine and let the water sit in the keg for an hour of so.
I am now wondering how the water profile was effected by boiling and not decanting. I had already adjusted the water with gypsum and lactic acid.
Here is my water after the additions and before boiling to remove chlorine.
Calcium Magnesium Sodium Sulfate Chloride
44 11 27 79 52
Water volume 3.5 gallons, Batch Volume 2.5 gallons
Just taking a quick glance, I don’t think that boiling would have much effect on your water composition because I don’t see carbonates in your water profile. Did you see any hard water scum after boiling?
FYI, I smell chlorine in my hot liquor tank, but I haven’t had problems with chlorine or chlorophenols in the final product. I do know that the chlorine levels are reliably low in my water supply. I do let the chlorine dissipate overnight and heat up the mash and sparge water uncovered.
I didn’t really consider that boiling the water could change the water profile until I noticed the sticky that Martin posted about decarbonation by boiling. In the future I’ll use campden tablets.
The keg doesn’t have as much surface area as a kettle and the Zymatic " boils" at 209 F. In addition I’m not sure what temperature has to be reached for chlorine to off gas.
Room temp. If it’s chlorine and not chloramine, you’re going to extra effort that’s unnecessary. If you simply let you water sit overnight it will dechlorinate itself.
I was all ready to brew, had the water in the keg and didn’t want to wait overnight. Boiling seemed like a quick fix but I didn’t think about the possible changes in water chemistry (if any) from boiling.
This not a life changing problem it’s just something I’m wondering about.