Water makes up between 90-95% of beer, and yet oddly it seems the most ignored ingredient by brewers, perhaps due to the more prominent flavors and aromas imparted by grains, hops, and yeast. Since numerous water chemistry exBEERiments that have produced statistically significant results, it seemed like a good time for us to share our views on this issue.
Determining the mineral and acid adjustments to make to brewing water typically requires the assistance of a calculator designed to help dial in precise profiles based on the quality of one’s source water. While many such calculators exist, all of us here at Brülosophy regularly rely on the Bru’n Water Spreadsheet, a convenient and simple-to-use tool that allows brewers to achieve their desired water profiles with little hassle.
Sharing his perspectives as a guest for this Brü’s Views is none other than the creator of the Bru’n Water Spreadsheet, Martin Brungard! Martin is a longtime homebrewer with a passion for helping brewers understand the importance of water chemistry in brewing.
On The Importance Of Water Chemistry
| MARTIN BRUNGARD |
I’ve heard this line for years: Homebrewers worry too much about water. However, there is a reason that more and more brewers “worry” about their water… it makes a profound difference to the resulting beer. Read on to understand why this is a worthwhile step in your brewing practice.
Water is the largest component in beer and its quality can affect the other beer components: Malt, Hops, and Yeast. While it’s true that you don’t want to brew with bad tasting water, how the water tastes cannot assure good beer. You actually need to do a little more to promote your beer’s success.
Ions such as sulfate, chloride, sodium, and magnesium make a difference in beer taste. But the aspect that brewers need to be most concerned with is the pH of their wort. pH influences beer quality and perception in a major way.
Another thing that I hear is: Old time brewers didn’t worry about their water. However, the truth is that they did. It’s just that most people don’t recognize that early brewers did special things for their brewing success. One of the primary things they did was to limit their brewing to the styles that worked best with their water. But there were other methods they used to help improve their beers back then. Techniques like conducting acid mashing rests; adding acid malt, sauergut, or dark grains to the mash; pre-boiling or lime-softening the water; or adding minerals to the water were useful to those old brewers, just like they are still for modern brewers. So pay attention, your brewing water matters!
The greatest fault I’ve found in the thousands of homebrews and craft brews I’ve tasted and judged can be attributed to higher than desirable mashing and wort pH. Brewers have found that keeping their mashing and wort pH in the range of 5.2 to 5.6 (measured at room temperature), produces the best result for their beers. Higher pH affects malt, hop, and yeast character.
Higher wort pH affects malt character by increasing tannin and silicate extraction into wort, which adds to astringency in the beer. Higher wort pH also decreases starch conversion, dulls beer flavor, and darkens the wort color. Higher wort pH damages hop perception by increasing the extraction of polyphenols from the hop vegetal matter. In addition, higher wort pH results in a harsher bittering perception along with an altered hop flavor. While higher wort pH doesn’t directly affect yeast character, it does reduce flocculation. Another important detriment of higher wort pH is that the yeast have to work harder and longer to get that beer pH down below 4.5 where spoiling organisms can be overwhelmed and diminished.
High wort pH is a natural result when brewing many styles without proper water treatment. A typical pale base malt mixed with distilled water often produces a wort pH of about 5.7 to 5.8. That is obviously higher than the ideal pH range mentioned above. So, even when brewing with water such as distilled or reverse osmosis that have very little alkalinity, a pale grist will end up producing a higher than desirable wort pH. This problem is worse when your water supply has significant alkalinity. Alkalinity is a measure of water’s resistance to pH reduction when a strong acid is added to it. Most water supplies have significant alkalinity and the resulting wort pH for a pale beer will likely be far too high.
The truth is that all brewing requires some form of acid in the brewing process in order to drive wort pH down to a desirable range. Fortunately, in addition to those acidifying methods used by old brewers, we have access to a variety of liquid and solid acids for acidifying mashes and sparging water. We also have the tools by which to estimate their dose and check the resulting pH. This makes the job of achieving a desirable wort pH easier.
Another easily correctable fault I find in some beers, is the presence of chlorophenols. Chlorophenols are typically perceived as a medicinal, band-aid flavor and aroma in beer. Chlorophenols are created when chlorine compounds come in contact with the organic compounds in wort. Chlorine compounds such as hypochlorite and chloramines are typically present in municipal water supplies to protect the public from waterborne disease. And even though those compounds are typically present at 1 to 3 milligrams per liter (aka ppm) in the water supply, most beer drinkers can taste the resulting chlorophenols at 10 to 30 micrograms per liter (aka ppb) in beer. That means that there is roughly 100 times more chlorine compounds in water than are needed to affect beer taste.
The problem I find is that not all beer drinkers notice them. Part of the problem may be that chlorophenols are a typical component of peaty Scotch Whisky. Some drinkers may just think that chlorophenols are supposed to be in their beer. However, chlorophenols should never be present in beer.
Removing chlorine compounds from water is actually easy. It can be neutralized with simple chemical additions or removed by filtering the water through activated carbon. This has to be done before the water ever contacts the malt or chlorophenols will be instantly created. This problem can exist all the way into the beer drinker’s glass. If the glassware is rinsed in water with a chlorine disinfectant, chlorophenols can be created in the glass of beer.
All of these faults in brewing are easily correctible. Tools such as Bru’n Water software make it much easier for regular brewers to improve the chemistry of their brewing water. But making chemistry adjustments to your water is dependent upon what is already in that water. You need to know what ions are in your water source. Sometimes, that information can be obtained from the water utility or supplier. But not all utilities perform that testing. Brewers often have to send their water to a testing lab to get those answers. Another option is to use water that has nothing or next to nothing in it. Distilled or RO water allow a brewer to assume their water has virtually nothing in it and they can reliably add minerals and acids from that point.
Messing with your water can make a substantial difference in your brewing and enable you to better brew a broad range of beer styles. You can start your journey in learning why and how to manage your brewing water by visiting the Water Knowledge page on the Bru’n Water website.
Taking that next step to better beer is worth the worry about your water. Get chlorophenols out of your beer and pay attention to your pH.
| RAY |
I’ve never made a batch of beer with water out of the tap – always favoring instead to buy RO water from a store, and later to make my own with the HBrewO portable RO kit. I didn’t start off brewing that way because I had any deep held convictions about water chemistry– quite the opposite was true, rather it was just easier for me to deal with than using my ultra-hard(and inconsistent), highly chlorinated tap water. From the standpoint of figuring out mash pH, it just seemed easier to simply do the RO water with everything stripped out, then remineralize as desired– initially choosing to follow AJ Delange’s famous “Water Chemistry Primer” on homebrewtalk, and later tailoring more directly to each grain bill using Bru’n Water.
So even while I followed a fairly “advanced” water chemistry regiment, I largely internalized John Palmer’s notion that the water minerals were the final “seasoning,”the last frontier to fine tune a beer, after getting the major building blocks of a recipe dialed in. I don’t personally know John, though we have conversed a couple times by email, and my takeaway from those interactions, and everything anyone has ever told me about spending time with him, is that John is a really genuinely nice dude. I’m coming to the feeling that with regards to water, he’s maybe being too nice, trying to avoid over-promoting his own book, or trying not to scare people off by the initially intimidating nature of water chemistry. Or maybe he is right all along, and we were all interpreting it wrong:
Water chemistry is like the seasoning on food, if you get it wrong, the food will be either insipid or taste like shit. Get it right, and it brings the flavors into focus and balance.
Having had the chance to taste Jake’s version of my MACC IPA recipe that were brewed with two very different mineral profiles, I can honestly say my eyes have been opened wider than ever to water chemistry. I really think this is a case of tasting is believing. I have had to reconsider the magnitude of impact I associated with fermentation temperature, pitch rate, mash temperature, boil length, and more… but not water. As an example, if a year ago I was drinking a beer and wanted to make it a bit drier and crisper, I would have instantly planned to adjust the mash temperature down a few degrees. Now? No way! I’d be adding in more gypsum to bump up those sulfate (SO4) ions!
| MARSHALL |
I fully admit that my early perspectives on water chemistry were hugely the result of an appeal to authority, opinions formed after hearing trusted others claim it was something only advanced homebrewers ought to focus on.
“As long as your water doesn’t taste bad…”
Thinking back, it seems sort of odd that I didn’t question but rather interpreted as meaning water chemistry only matters if the source water is shit. I brewed a bunch of tasty batches, no problems at all, and even won a couple awards, all of which served to validate my position that making adjustments to brewing water served no purpose.
Soon after starting the exBEERiment series, the topic of water chemistry came up in a conversation with my buddy, Dan Paris, from the InBounds Brewing blog. We went back and forth for a bit, Dan swearing adjustments made a difference and me shoving heaps of anecodtal evidence in his face. We’d all but agreed to disagree when Dan quaintly challenged me test it out as an exBEERiment.
This was sometime early 2015, I’d been pumping out exBEERiment results for nearly a year, and yet I’d completely avoided any water chemistry variables. So convinced of its futility, I actually recall myself considering ignoring the challenge for something I thought would be more interesting. But I eventually agreed to do it, if only to be able to wave the results in Dan’s face. In April, I published the first of many xBmts focused on water chemistry that produce statistically significant results, the beers of which even I had little trouble distinguishing. Dan was right.
Needless to say, my entire perspective on brewing water has changed, to the point I truly believe those in positions of authority may be doing a slight disservice to homebrewers by actively encouraging them to ignore this obviously important variable. I’m sure fear is the culprit for many shying away from making mineral and acid adjustments, but there’s really nothing to be afraid, with just a little reading, a free calculator, and some cheap ingredients, anyone can take their beer to the next level.
| GREG |
I feel like I’m stating the obvious when I proclaim my belief that water is an incredibly important component in beer. Those who agree with this statement and already have a system to adjust their water profile can safely skip this rant. Those who don’t bother to adjust their water… why the hell not?! So many water chemistry xBmts have consistently yielded statistically significant results, the importance of water seems nearly undeniable. Rather than just share my opinion on this topic, I’m actually going try to convince those who are still on the fence that managing brewing water is a worthwhile, cheap, and surprisingly easy effort.
Step 1: Convince yourself water profiles are important
Many brewers don’t realize that it’s possible to adjust the water profile of beer even after the beer has completed fermentation. To get a better idea of how chloride and sulfate can affect the flavor of beer, try this easy post-fermentation salt experiment. Next time you are at your LHBS, find the brewing salts section and purchase some Calcium Chloride and Gypsum (you’ll want these salts later anyways). Go home, grab a beer from your fridge, and split the contents equally between two cups. Next, sprinkle a minuscule amount of Calcium Chloride in one cup and an equally small amount of Gypsum in the other. Swirl the glasses and drink the two beers. You will likely find they taste radically different. This should give you a very clear idea of how targeted water profiles can completely transform a beer by carefully managing salt additions.
Step 2: Get Water
If you are cursed with hard water like me or just don’t know the mineral content your home supply, the easiest way to jump into building a water profile is to use RO water. RO, or Reverse Osmosis, is a process that removes nearly all ions and minerals from water. It is not quite as pure as distilled water, but it is close enough for our purposes that we can treat RO water as if it were 100% pure. It’s likely that outside your local grocery or hardware store that you’ve seen one of these large water vending machines. Yep, that’s RO water. For around $1.50, you can fill a 5 gallon bucket or carboy full of water that is a perfect starting point for brewing
Step 3: Build your water profile
If you are just starting out, I recommend using the absolute simplest method for building your water profile. My method is almost identical to the nearly foolproof system described by AJ Delange/Yooper and Bertus Brewery. For most beers, I’ll start by adding 2% acid malt to my grain bill (3-5 oz). I’ll then add ⅔ tsp Calcium Chloride (2.3 grams) and ⅓ tsp Gypsum (1.3 grams) for every 5 gallons of water. THAT’S IT! See, that wasn’t so hard!
Ok, so there are a few beer styles where you may want to make a few simple modifications to this profile. For roasty beers like stouts, ditch the acid malt. For soft water beers like Pilsner, reduce the calcium chloride to ⅓ tsp and increase the acid malt to 3%. For hopped up beers like IPA, add an extra 1 tsp gypsum. Finally, for British beers add an extra 1 tsp of both gypsum and calcium chloride.
That’s really all there is to getting started with water profiles. It doesn’t have to be particularly difficult, expensive, or time-consuming. Once you get hooked, you’ll likely want to delve deeper to further tweak your beers to bring them to exactly the point you want.
| JAKE |
The first two years my wife and I lived in our house in Denver, I never knowingly drank water straight from the tap, as it always came from the filtered refrigerator; however, when I started homebrewing, I thoughtlessly used unfiltered tap water to make beer with. Looking back, it’s crazy to think I brewed for so long without giving the water I used a second thought.
It wasn’t until about a year into homebrewing that I happened to notice an off-flavor in a pale beer I made that’s commonly associated with high chlorine levels. Sure enough, I noticed the same flavor in a glass of tap water and in that moment decided it was time to start considering the quality of my brewing water.
I downloaded Martin’s amazing spreadsheet, purchased five water jugs, and loaded up on minerals commonly used in brewing. While it took me a few batches to really dial in my process, I noticed a difference in the quality of my beers immediately. Gone were the days of harsh Pale Ale, sharp Light Lager, and the worst of my oft attempted Spotted Cow clones. Rather, I was making lagers with a soft and smooth profile and IPA bursting with fresh hop flavors. To me, no other change in my brewing process had produced the marked improvement as my newfound understanding of water chemistry, and it was nowhere near as daunting a task as some made it out to be.
One thing that has added to my conviction that water quality matters is the fact even beers made with intentionally bad methods come out tasting pretty damn good! I often brew “short and shoddy” batches between xBmts where I employ a full volume mash, reduced mash and boil lengths, and minimal fermentation temperature control (e.g., lager fermented at ale temp), though despite poor efficiency and subsequent low ABV, not a single one has come out anywhere near “bad,” in fact one even won an award. It’s totally conjecture, but I’m personally inclined to believe a contributing factor here is that I start with great water and adjust it to achieve my desired result.
In preparation for writing this piece, I asked my wife to help me perform a simple triangle test that’s easy enough for anyone to easily do on their own– one cup was filled with filtered water from my regrigerator while two contained unfiltered water straight from my faucet, each receiving a single ice cube to ensure consistent temperature before she served them to me. Based on aroma alone, I was consistently able to identify the unique sample, which added to my strong opinion that water chemistry matters in beer and shouldn’t be the last thing brewers focus on.
| MALCOLM |
I am a fan of water chemistry in brewing, but my initial introduction to chemistry was not filled with much fanfare. My high school teacher was the no BS type who immediately took me to task when she noticed I wasn’t doing too well. Like many students, I wondered, “Will I ever use this crap?” Why does it seem so many educators are unable to give practical or professional examples of how cool a subject like chemistry can be? Demonstrating how ubiquitous the concepts are throughout life would have made learning the concepts so much more interesting. Maybe they did and I just didn’t listen, though I like to think if they’d gone over a few chapters of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, it would have turned on a few lights. More so than a potato clock or yet another baking soda volcano.
My interest in brewing water chemistry was immediately piqued after listening to an episode of Basic Brewing Radio in which James Spencer interviewed the late great Greg Noonan. Greg was a good interviewer with a great reputation, if he was claiming there was more to beer water than just “add some gypsum,” I was all ears. I’d learned some basic water chemistry via the Navy nuclear power program, but that gave me just enough information to know I didn’t know enough. So I continued exploring and quickly discovered a multitude of informative sources on the topic of brewing water in books by George Fix and John Palmer, The Brewing Network and BeerSmith podcasts, as well as forum posts by folks with expertise in the area of water chemistry such as AJ Delange.
Admittedly, my initial attraction to addressing water in my brewing was an appeal to authority. These seemingly smart folks, authors and brewers alike, were saying it mattered. Beyond that, I loved the idea of science inter-playing with the brewer’s art. The concepts of water chemistry are real and measurable, but I often wondered to what extent they impacted the perceived components of beer. My initial trials led me to believe making adjustments to my brewing water produced beers that were different and often “better.” I was convinced that water mattered more than many of us were led to believe. Given the subjectivity of preference, confirmation bias could certainly have been at play, but the fact my beers started faring better in competition validated this idea that my beers were in fact “better,” which I believe was due in part to my attention to the water I used to make them.
A review of our exBEERiment archives indicates, by and large, that those focused on water chemistry tend to achieve a significant result more often than not, and since this confirms my personal experience, I’m confident that water quality matters when it comes to brewing beer.
That’s what we think about the importance of water chemistry, what about you? Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below!
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30 thoughts on “Brü’s Views w/ Martin Brungard | On The Importance Of Water Chemistry”
There is just so much to learn when you first start brewing that water takes a back seat. I think that’s why many people suggest “if your water tastes good you can brew with it”. It keeps newbie brewers from becoming overwhelmed.
It took me years to figure out why my pale beers weren’t turning out as good as expected. Hard water high in bicarbonate and RA were my issue. Dark beers were always good due to the acidity in dark malts which lowered my mash pH, but I hadn’t learned that yet.
It grates on my nerves to purchase water (RO) but that’s exactly what I do now for pale beers. I still use my tap water treated for chlorine and chloramines for my dark beers and as a result I brew a lot more malty dark beers than I do light, crisp, dry, or hoppy pale beers, sigh :(.
I think the reason so many new brewers quit early on is because they’re (1) encouraged to ignore the thing that will make their Pale beers taste good because (2) it’s too overwhelming. Truth is, water chem is no more difficult than any other aspect of brewing.
Yes – Water chemistry is not any more difficult than most other aspects of brewing. But it is another added step/consideration to an already long list of considerations. So all of this can be intimidating to an inexperienced brewer.
I’d venture to guess that most new home brewers begin as extract brewers before moving on to all-grain, BIAB, etc. While mashing and sparging are not overly complicated, it’s an added bit of complexity to the overall process. So why not focus on one aspect before the next?
Assuming some level of progression into the hobby, perhaps the takeaway, here, is that the consideration of water cannot be ignored and it shouldn’t be the “final frontier” that we explore. But where should it stand relative to controlling fermentation temps., moving to all grain, pitching an adequate amount of yeast, etc?
Based on the xBmt results alone, it could be construed that water chem has a greater impact than fermentation temperature control and yeast pitch rates.
I’m not prepared to make such a statement personally, but I’d certainly be inclined to focus more on water than yeast pitch rates, though I remain a nut for ferm temp control.
Thanks for your reply, Marshall. I acknowledge there is no definitive answer. But to have “water treatment” ascend in the list of “what do I focus on next?” with the likes of temp. control, etc., would be a win the community. So I really appreciate that you’re furthering the conversation.
It’s interesting to think that, aside the learning curve aspect, the individual growth/progression of home brewers in their process and set-ups is often limited by cost & space factors – building/buying a mash tun, getting a bigger kettle for full boils, ferm. chambers, keg equipment, etc. Whereas, water treatment is probably one of the more efficient ways for one to substantially improve their beer when first starting. Maybe this is a selling point that could use more emphasis.
Couldn’t agree more!
instead of saying hard water, put some numbers out there. What is hard water? I think my local water is pretty good. I run it through a carbon filter. I really appreciate Greg’s steps as I am too cheap to get a PH meter at this time. Another question; magnesium vs calcium; which is a better sulfate source?
I prefer CaSO4 (gypsum) for a few reasons, the main one being that using enough MgSO4 (Epsom) to get the sulfate levels I often desire would likely also produce bowel issues I really don’t desire…
Definitely calcium!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_water
Hard water, in my case meant TDS of 200-550 (fluctuating) with high carbonate load. In fact, today it measures 399ppm.
Measuring TDS is very easy, measuring each ion individually is hard…. so I just use RO and always start with negligible everything. (usually 14-20ppm total)
I have hard well water with lots of minerals in it, I just ordered a PH Meter and calibration fluid, is it better / easier to make adjustments to that water or get RO and adjust it?
It is easier to adjust soft/low mineral water than it is to adjust hard/high mineral water.
Much easier to start with very soft and add minerals as needed. A home RO filtration system will work great for you, and you have the option of returning the “reject” water back into the well, which folks on city water, like myself, have to use for watering a garden (that probably doesn’t actually need any more water – its almost 100% waste).
Buying jugs of water from the store, for me, is out of the question – for practical, logistical, and/or financial reasons alone – all the while admitting that water is important. I don’t think I’m alone there. Therefore, I’m left with the complexities of not knowing exactly what’s in my municipal water. I googled it, and tried to interpret the report the best I could (with the help of Marshall’s “Pragmatic Approach” article), but I’m left equally confused by the report. And the report has estimates that could vary by where I live in the city. So I just experiment with different chemicals and ratios and taste the beer and go forward. That’s my water solution, not ideal but something.
My point is: water manipulation and ph is indeed intimidating and not as easy as any other aspect of brewing (in my opinion), especially for your run-of-the-mill guy brewing beer at home. The two starting points – buying water or getting a report – are non-starters for many.
I’ve felt that way too, although I’ll probably invest in an ro system eventually. For now, I assume my water report is accurate (extremely hard water), dilute with distilled to until Bru n water shows green, and acidify to meet pH. It’s not ideal, but the beer turns out great. The distilled water costs about$2-3 per batch, the acid was$4/bottle, so it’s not too bad in terms of cost.
that’s not bad, I like that solution.
Matt, if you have a refillable water station by your house (in california, most grocery stores have them), RO water runs about $0.15-0.25/gallon.
Alternatively, if the water report indicates your ion mix would stay fairly stable, you could use a TDS meter (very cheap) to try and figure out what your starting water is most similar to.
I use the Bru’n water spreadsheet regularly and target a mash ph of 5.3 for all my recipe’s.
I got a municipal water report from the city a couple years back. From the looks of it, the mineral levels are pretty consistent throughout the year and the water is relatively soft. I asked someone from the water department if the numbers change much year to year and they said no. I simply picked a month from the report and plugged those numbers into the spreadsheet. Here’s the thing, I still don’t have a ph meter!
I haven’t got around to buying one, but my beer always seems to turn out great, especially my hoppy beers. Are there any potential issue’s if I’m targeting a “predicted” ph so close to the bottom of the range? What could happen if my ph actually dropped below 5.2?
I use lactic acid, gypsum and CaCl to achieve my targeted mineral profiles and mash ph.
I’ve spoken to my small town water department on and off for two years and cannot get a water report showing mineral content. I’m also in the camp of not wanting to buy water for every batch or spend the cash for an RO system. Does anyone have real world experiences and recommendations for a water testing facility?
I used Ward Labs over 5 years ago, cheap, quick, and their analysis matched the water quality report from my municipal contact.
Perfect, as always thanks Marshall
So any reason for less minerals than bertus suggests?
Ca is generally believed to be important for yeast health and flocculation, most suggest about 50ppm as a good baseline, more is OKAY.
Vindication! Sweet Vindication! If I had a dollar for every sideways glance I’ve gotten over the years for using acid malt, gypsum, et.al., I could retire and open my own brewery. I purchase mineral water from a local chain grocery store. Why? Stability in it’s chemical makeup. Has not changed much in 5 years.
Thank you!
Water has been historically ridiculously important. When brewing industrialized in the 17th century in Britain, brewers would build or buy breweries to make specific beers in different places. The typical example is brewers owning a pale ale brewery in Burton or Edinburgh and a porter / stout brewery in London.
After a few years I’ve simplified my water chemistry (and recipes) a lot and the beer has vastly improved. Fairly soft Welsh water gets on average 6g of gypsum, more for hoppy beers (e.g., 10g for stock ale or stout) and less for soft beers (e.g., 2g for Belgian styles, 4g for mild). Standard acid addition is 2g of lactic for an all pale malt mash that gets dialled to nothing for a stout.
Not sure if this is the right place to ask but here it goes:
Here in Brazil we have access to a relatively cheap 3M filter that is sold with the promise of >= 75% chlorine removal.
As far as I know my city water is not treated with chloramines.
I read several sources recommending total chlorine removal, but is there an acceptable minimum for free chlorine?
Is it true that small amounts would probably volatilize minutes after you start heating your strike water?
So far none of my beer had detectable chlorophenols (I guess) but I don’t wanna take chances.
I cannot say, without research, if there is a measurable max amount of free chlorine that can be set as threshold until it becomes an issue, and therefore I also do not know what that amount would be. I do like to take more simple approach when it comes to addressing such issues – if it’s not a problem then it’s not a problem.
If you wish to use some insurance you can use Campden tablets (K-meta, or potassium metabisulphite) which will rapidly, and in an innocuous manner, convert chlorine and chloramines into a very small amount of sulfate, chloride.
I can’t speak to how much is an acceptable threshold. So maybe someone can chime in. But do you have access to campden tablets (potassium metabisulfite)? I add this to my strike water and sparge water prior to any heating (or filtering) to eliminate chlorine/chloramine.
The tablets are really cheap in the U.S. And based on my understanding, 1 campden tablet is recommended for 20 gallons. So, when brewing a 5 gallon batch of beer, I use close to 10 gallons of water in total. So I split a half of a tablet between my strike and sparge water.
Just something to consider, in addition to the manner in which you currently filter, to give you a little more confidence, unless someone can step in and give us some better insight.
Potassium metabisulfite is available from some online homebrew shops. I just didn’t want to add another (unnecessary?) step to my brew day.
As this seems a good insurance (besides being cheap and easy) that’s probably what I’ll be doing.
Thanks a lot.