Using municipal water

[fowlintent]

I probably should have asked this question BEFORE I brewed my last 2 batches, but here it is.

My first three batches I used Culligan bottled water because our city water can be pretty nasty (depending on when they add the chlorine). They turned out great, much better than the extract brewing I was doing 25 years ago. I have two batches going now where I started a 3 gallon partial boil with tap water, and then topped off to 5 gallons with Culligan. My thought process was most of the chlorine/smell would boil off during the 1 hour boil, so no need to "waste" $4.00 or so worth of bottled water. Was I right or no?

I guess time will tell.

 

[ncbrewer]

You might get away with using the tap water, but campden tablets, at one tablet per 20 gallons, is a cheap, easy way to get rid of the chlorine. Also, boiling doesn't get rid of chloramine, if that's what your water has.

 

[TyTanium]

^yup. Campden is cheap, simple and easy.

 

[adriedel]

I had 3 batches get ruined because of chloramine. They must have just added it to the city water because those were the only 3 batches that had that flavor. I now made a filter and that seems to help also.

 

[IslandLizard]

I had 3 batches get ruined because of chloramine. They must have just added it to the city water because those were the only 3 batches that had that flavor. I now made a filter and that seems to help also.

1/4 Campden tablet will get rid of Chlorine and Cloramines all at the same time. Filtering water will help with some other things, but not a whole lot that pertains to brewing.