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Water and phosphate

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  • Water and phosphate

    I was wondeing if anyone has any information regarding phoshate content in raw brewing water? My analysis for phosphorus is 1.73 ppm. (as PO4) is this the same as phosphate?

    Secondly on free Cl2 added by the city. Mine is 1.41 ppm I always boil the water prior to using it. However, what is the acceptable limit ppm on Cl2?

    Always plaing with H2O Thanks

  • #2
    Phosphates are inorganic chemicals containing the element Phosphorus. More specifically, they are salts of phosphoric acid. The only reference I find for Phosphates in brewing water is from Ted Goldammer's "The Brewer's Handbook":
    "Phosphates are important pH buffers in brewing and useful for reducing the pH in mashing and during the hop-boil."
    It did not give any acceptable ranges.

    As for Chlorine, I have always learned that the most that is really acceptable in brewing water is ZERO. Again, from Goldammer:
    "Water used in brewing should be free of chlorine since it hampers yeast growth, causes off-flavors, and, if in high concentrations, can corrode stainless steel."

    -Lyle C. Brown
    Brewer
    Camelot Brewing Co.

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    • #3
      Ideally 0 sure. But what effect does boiling it have. I was told that a quick boil evaporates all the cholrine. I can also remember seeing that .5 ppm is ok. Thanks for the referance above. Nice site.

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      • #4
        Boiling works...IF you have free chlorine in your water. My water utility has changed from free chlorine to chloramine (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia), which is more stable and much harder to get rid of. Boiling will not work, and I have been told the only ways to remove it are distilling, RO, active charcoal filtration, or Potassium Metabisulfate (Sodium Meta will work too, but I hesitate to add much Na to my water). The Goldammer site gives the concentration required for the Meta.
        -Lyle C. Brown
        Brewer
        Camelot Brewing Co.

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        • #5
          We have Free chlorine.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by jjs
            We have Free chlorine.
            LUCKY!!
            -Lyle C. Brown
            Brewer
            Camelot Brewing Co.

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            • #7
              Quick question to add to the topic.... regardless of whether your water contains free chlorine or chloramine for that matter, wouldn't running a granular active carbon filter be the the most consistent and economic, you'd pay for a system easily for what the fuel cost to preboil the water (especially if your on LP like us) or is a GAC not sufficient method?

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              • #8
                GAC filtration is a good method for removing chlorine or chloramine. With chloramine, you need to slow the flow down to ensure sufficient contact time.
                -Lyle C. Brown
                Brewer
                Camelot Brewing Co.

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